UNN final-year student ‘takes own life’ after Facebook suicide note

Chukwuemeka Akachi, a young Nigerian poet and an alumnus of University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), has reportedly taken his own life after penning a suicide note on Facebook.

This is coming at a time when a 22-year-old candidate of the 2019 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME) had attempted suicide over his low scores in the April exam.

Akachi, who happens to be a student of English and Literary studies, had talked about his mental health problems before he was said to have committed suicide on May 13.

“Forgive me. In case you are the one who found my body, I’m really sorry. I had to be someone, you know. I have chosen Joe Nketaih’s poem as my suicide note: ‘They said you came looking for me. I didn’t drown; I was the water.’ Where do atheists go to when they die?” he wrote.

“My mental health has been on life support for a while now. Thanks to those who call. text or visit. Speak to me. May we always remember. May we never forget. You may have added a few hours, months or days to my time here. But you know life support is expensive, right? Thanks for trying.”

Akachi, who is said to be a first-class final-year student, reportedly consumed two bottles of a poisonous substance. According to friends, he had earlier attempted suicide due to depression.

Wellwishers and critics have visited the comment section of his suicide note on Facebook to pour in both farewell and disapproving messages respectively.