REVEALED – WHY YABATECH GRADUATE COMMITTED SUICIDE

Barely two weeks to the commencement of his NYSC, a graduate of the Yaba College of Technology, Oluwamuyiwa Oluwagbemileke, aka Spartacus, ended his life. 

The 27-year-old graduate of electrical engineering reportedly took a poison on Wednesday after he was blamed for damaging a car in a sachet water factory in Ojodu Berger, Lagos, where he worked. 

Punchng learnt that he had hit the vehicle on another one on the factory premises while trying to help the owner re-park it. He was said to have become desperate to raise N50,000 to repair the damaged car. 

He was buried on Saturday at the Atan Cemetery in Yaba, Lagos. His nickname, it was learnt, evolved from his determination to become a graduate, which made him to engage in one menial job or another to sponsor himself. 

His elder sister said, “I passed out when I was told he poisoned himself. His neighbours said they received a message from him, saying he wanted to poison himself, but they did not take him seriously. 

His girlfriend said he was gasping when she called him around 11pm. Our mother said he typed the suicide note on his phone in her presence but she did not know the content because she has no formal education. 

I was surprised Muyiwa (Oluwagbemileke) could not wait to be celebrated. He struggled all through, but he never waited to reap the fruits of his labour. He worked as a carrier to survive. 

Our father died a long time ago. He was going for NYSC on November 21. He was the only graduate in our family. When I went to the factory, I was told that a laptop had fallen from his hands and damaged three days before he damaged the car. 

They must have chided him, which is normal, although his boss denied it. He was collecting over N50,000 monthly at the factory and a gym there. While he was living with me, if he spoilt something and I scolded him, he would abscond from home for three days and sleep in schools. 

At times, I would know he was the one who damaged an item, but I would still ask him. Instead of him to talk, he would just walk away from home. I would beg people to talk to him before he would return home.” 

A friend of the deceased, Morountayo Akinyetun, condemned his decision, saying it betrayed his courage and hard work.