Tragedy in Lagos: Teen takes own life over UTME score amid JAMB result controversy

The family of a 19-year-old Lagos candidate, Faith Opesusi, has been plunged into mourning after the teenager allegedly committed suicide following the release of her 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) result.

Faith, who had aspired to study Microbiology at the university, reportedly ingested a poisonous liquid after discovering that she scored 146 out of a possible 400 marks in the nationwide exam conducted by the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB). The tragedy occurred just days after JAMB announced the release of results for over 1.9 million candidates who sat for the UTME between April 19 and 29.

Her father, Mr. Oluwafemi Opesusi, shared the heartbreaking development during an interview with the BBC. He said his daughter, once filled with ambition and hope, had become inconsolable after accessing her result online. According to him, Faith had performed well in the 2024 UTME and had been confident of an even better outcome this year.

“She was very intelligent and hardworking. She had prepared for the exam like never before. When she saw the score, she was devastated. She just couldn’t believe it,” he said.

He revealed that Faith had not spoken to anyone about how deeply the result had affected her. “If she had spoken to us, we would have reassured her that all hope was not lost. We never imagined she would take her own life,” he lamented.

Faith’s untimely death has added to the growing controversy surrounding the 2025 UTME, which has been marred by accusations of technical irregularities and widespread failure. Data released by JAMB showed that over 78 percent of the candidates scored below 200 marks—half of the total obtainable score.

In the aftermath, students and parents across the country have expressed outrage, with some staging protests and accusing JAMB of mismanaging the examination process. Many candidates complained that their scores did not reflect their expectations or preparations, further fuelling suspicion of systemic flaws.

On May 14, JAMB Registrar, Professor Ishaq Oloyede, publicly addressed the crisis during a press briefing. In an emotional apology broadcast live on national television, Oloyede admitted that a technical glitch caused by one of JAMB’s service providers had compromised results at 157 examination centres, mostly in Lagos and the South-East.

He disclosed that about 380,000 candidates were affected by the error, and that JAMB had taken the decision to allow all affected candidates to resit the examination between May 15 and 19.

“It is painful, and I sincerely apologise to all affected candidates and their families,” Oloyede said. “We owe it to our children to ensure a fair and credible process. We will not allow technical failures to destroy the dreams of our youths.”

However, as of press time, JAMB has not issued any specific statement regarding Faith Opesusi’s case or offered condolences to her family.

Mental health advocates and education stakeholders have begun calling for urgent reforms in the administration of national exams, alongside the integration of psychological support services for students.

“This is not just a JAMB issue—it’s a societal issue. We place too much pressure on our children to succeed academically without preparing them emotionally for setbacks,” said Dr. Kemi Banjoko, a Lagos-based psychologist. “It’s time to prioritise mental health in our educational system.”

Faith’s death has sparked an outpouring of grief on social media, where users have called for justice, accountability, and a more humane approach to student assessment in Nigeria. Her story, many say, should be a wake-up call to rethink how academic performance is evaluated—and how young lives are supported in the process.