JAMB faces outcry after Lagos student Timilehin Opesusi’s suicide

When Timilehin Faith Opesusi, a 19‑year‑old candidate from Ikorodu in Lagos State, saw her 2025 UTME score of 190 out of 400, she took her own life. The tragedy unfolded on Monday, 12 May 2025, just 30 minutes before a university admission letter arrived at her doorstep. The incident has sparked a nationwide outcry, with the National Association of Nigerian Students demanding that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board be held accountable.

Background: UTME pressure and Nigeria’s education system

The Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) is the gatekeeper for entry into Nigeria’s universities. Scores determine not only which institution a student can attend but also which course they can study. Over the past decade, the stakes have risen, and with them, the mental‑health toll on candidates. A 2023 survey by the Nigerian Institute of Psychological Sciences found that 42 % of UTME aspirants reported severe anxiety in the weeks leading up to results day.

In recent years, several states have complained about irregularities in result processing, but Lagos’s case in 2025 became the most visible. The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) acknowledged that glitches affected candidates in Lagos and five South‑East states – Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo – though it stopped short of revealing how many students were impacted.

Timeline of Opesusi’s case

1. Early May 2025 – UTME examinations conducted across Nigeria.
2. 7 May 2025 – JAMB releases provisional results online.
3. 12 May 2025, 09:30 GMT – Timilehin Faith Opesusi checks her result: 190/400.
4. 12 May 2025, 10:00 GMT – She ingests ‘Push Out’ rodent poison at her family home in Ikorodu.
5. 12 May 2025, 10:30 GMT – A university admission letter, confirming a place in a diploma programme, is delivered to her family.
6. 14 May 2025 – News Central TV’s Jasiri episode airs, featuring interviews with Opesusi’s father and mental‑health experts.
7. 15 May 2025 – The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) releases a statement, led by Vice‑President (National Affairs) Tenyo Dighopho, demanding JAMB’s resignation of its registrar, Prof. Isaq Oloyede, and compensation for the family.

Reactions: From student bodies to mental‑health advocates

"The board’s negligence cost a precious young life," said Tenyo Dighopho in the NANS press release. "We demand a full overhaul and the immediate resignation of Prof. Ishaq Oloyede." The statement, posted on 15 May, quickly went viral, gathering more than 150,000 retweets and sparking street protests outside JAMB’s Abuja headquarters.

JAMB’s spokesperson, Ms. Adaeze Nwankwo, responded on 16 May, acknowledging the “technical errors” and promising an independent audit. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Miss Opesusi and extend our heartfelt condolences," she said, adding that the board would "review its result verification processes and provide support to affected families."

Psychiatrist Dr. Chinyere Okeke, a consultant at Lagos University Teaching Hospital, warned that “the current culture glorifies a single exam as the sole determinant of a young person’s future.” She urged the Ministry of Education to embed mandatory counseling services in every secondary school.

Calls for reform: What NANS and experts are demanding

• Immediate resignation of Prof. Isaq Oloyede as JAMB registrar.
• A statutory compensation package for the Opesusi family – figures have not been disclosed, but NANS describes it as “necessary restitution”.
• Full technical audit of the 2025 UTME result‑processing algorithm, with findings made public.
• Institutionalized mental‑health support: on‑site counselors during result release periods, and a national helpline.
• Legislative action to diversify admission criteria beyond a single exam score.

Senator Olumide Akintola (Lagos‑East) announced on 17 May that he would draft a bill to create a "Student Wellness Commission" tasked with overseeing mental‑health provisions in tertiary admission processes.

Broader implications: A wake‑up call for Nigeria’s education sector

The Opesusi case is not an isolated incident. In 2022, a similar tragedy in Port Harcourt drew attention to the link between exam pressure and youth suicides, though it never resulted in policy change. What makes the current outcry different is the convergence of social media amplification and a coordinated student‑union response.

Economists warn that if the mental‑health crisis among students continues unchecked, Nigeria could lose up to 2 % of its future skilled workforce, translating to roughly 400,000 potential graduates each year. That loss would ripple through the economy, affecting productivity, innovation, and ultimately, Nigeria’s GDP growth trajectory.

For families like the Opesusis, the pain is immediate and personal. In a candid interview with The Cable on 14 May, the father said, "She dreamed of becoming a teacher. The score felt like a verdict, and the world shut down for her in minutes." The story has become a somber litmus test for whether the nation can balance academic rigor with humane support.

What’s next? Monitoring JAMB’s response and potential policy shifts

All eyes are now on JAMB’s board meeting scheduled for 22 May. If Prof. Oloyede steps down, it could set a precedent for accountability in federal agencies. Meanwhile, NANS has pledged to stage a sit‑in at JAMB’s Abuja office until their demands are met.

International observers, including the African Union’s Education Department, have offered technical assistance to overhaul Nigeria’s examination infrastructure. Whether that assistance will translate into concrete reforms remains to be seen, but the pressure is undeniably mounting.