Father Speaks After Daughter’s Shocking Decision Over UTME Result

Mr. Opesusi Oluwafemi, the father of 19-year-old Faith Opesusi Timileyin, has opened up about the tragic death of his daughter, who allegedly took her own life after receiving a disappointing score in the 2025 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Faith, who had dreams of studying Microbiology at the university, reportedly drank rat poison upon discovering that her JAMB score was far below expectations. According to her father, she had performed well in the previous year’s UTME, which added to the shock and heartbreak of her current result—just 146.

Speaking with BBC Pidgin, Mr. Opesusi said the news devastated his daughter. “My daughter scored very high in last year’s JAMB result. This year, they gave her 146 and that was what made her drink rat poison. She was devastated and disappointed when she saw her results.”

He also expressed regret that she hadn’t opened up to anyone about how she felt. “If she had opened up, we would have consoled her and told her that there is still hope,” he said.

The incident has reignited conversations around mental health, exam pressure, and the emotional toll of academic performance on Nigerian youths.

The tragedy comes in the wake of an admission by the Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, who on Wednesday confirmed that errors occurred during the conduct of the 2025 UTME. He stated that 379,997 candidates were affected and offered an apology for the mishap, expressing deep concern for those impacted.

Faith’s death has left her community in mourning and serves as a reminder of the urgent need for mental health support systems in schools and homes, particularly during high-stakes academic seasons.

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