A principal lecturer in the Department of Adult Education of the defunct College of Education, now Tayo Akpata University, Ekiadolor, Benin, Friday Orobator, has committed suicide over alleged 13-month unpaid salary.
The lecturer, who was in his 50s and whose wife had just been delivered of a baby, hanged himself at his Obakhazbaye, Benin residence on Friday. His lifeless body was discovered behind his apartment around 1:30 pm with the green rope he used to hang himself still on his neck.
It was gathered that two days before he took the drastic step, the late lecturer told a colleague that he was tired of begging for money from friends to cater for his family needs and his health challenges.
The Chairman of the College of Education Academic Staff Union, (COEASU), Fred Omonuwa, who confirmed the incident, said their colleague died as a result of lack and inability to access medical care.
“It is clear the death came as a result of lack and inability to access medical facilities. Some months ago, he became very sick and depended on friends for assistance but very recently he started complaining of getting tired of consistently begging to survive,” Omonuwa said.
“Of course, everybody knows that the Edo State Government owes us 13 months of salary, which we have continued to agitate for even before the election, but it was tagged “political agitation”.
The man couldn’t provide for himself. His wife just had a baby. We were surprised yesterday (Friday), that he took his own life. Before he committed suicide, he spoke to some colleagues on Wednesday, complaining bitterly about his inability to access medical facility and becoming very ashamed of begging friends for money to treat himself.
“We are aware some friends in Lagos and Benin have done their best in the past few weeks by providing money for him and yesterday he took his life by hanging. We are very much aware that the suicide he committed was as a result of a lack of money. As far as we are concerned, we, the staff of the college, are pained. Our people are going through a lot and dying but this is an extreme case because of the way he took his own life,”
Omonuwa appealed to the state government to pay the workers their 13 months unpaid salary.
“Edo State government should please listen to us. Now, school is about to resume. Our members can’t even pay the school fees of their children. What have we done to deserve this? We are pained by the loss of this senior colleague, a principal lecturer. We are not happy.” he added.
The remains of late Orobator have been deposited at a mortuary by men of the Oba Market Police station.
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