Prince Carter Oshodin, a staff member at the University of Benin, committed suicide on Friday due to his precarious financial circumstances.
Oshodin worked as a data entry clerk at the university but hadn't received his salary in months since university unions were on strike.
It was learned that the deceased's Non-Academic Staff Union recently called off its strike, although the members hadn't yet received their salaries.
Oshodin's Facebook page verified his UNIBEN job description.
A professor in the university, who would not want his name mentioned due to the emotional nature of the case said on Saturday that it is disheartening that they have not been paid since the strike action began. He also wondered why those who called off their strike are still not being paid by the government.
He said, “Yes he is our staff that killed himself due to lack of money. Even some months ago, he was quoted to have been advising people on coping strategies and yet he took his life which has put his family in a bigger problem.
“We have been paid no dime since we went on strike. This is the 10th of September, the non academic staff that has since resumed have not been paid anything. Boko Haram! No to Western education!”
Another colleague simply known as Edward said the Late Oshodin on his Facebook page lamented that he could not meet his financial and was finding it increasingly difficult to pay his two daughters’ school fees.
He said, “He committed suicide on Friday and according to a post on his Facebook, he said he was facing financial difficulties and could not pay the school fees of his two young daughters. It is a pathetic situation.”
As at the time of filing this report, UNIBEN’s Public Relations Officer, Dr Benedicta Ehanire told the reporter to send her a text message, which has not been replied, while Edo State Command Police Public Relations Officer, SP Chidi Nwabuzor, has also not replied a message sent to him.