Dropped out UNIUYO student commits suicide in Uyo

Dropped out UNIUYO student commits suicide in Uyo

BY KENNETH JUDE

A young man in his early 20s whose name was given as Patrick Essien Junior has committed suicide in Uyo.

Patrick is said to have taken his own life last Thursday at his residence on Church Road, Idak Akpo.

After suspecting some unusual silence from his apartment, worried neighbours are said to have forcefully opened the door only to find the deceased hanging precariously from his celing with a rope tied to his neck. He did not drop a suicide note.

Patrick, until his demise, according to sources, was a Catholic member who worshipped at St. Peter’s Parish, University of Uyo.

He hails from Akwa Ibom in Abak local government area.

Those who spoke with THE INK over the incident described the late Patrick as a jovial person who loved music and was a great preacher.

Patrick Essien’s parents, a source said, live in Lagos while the deceased lived with his elder sister in Calabar, but frequented Uyo having been a student in Uniuyo.

He was the second and only surviving son of the family having lost his elder brother in mysterious circumstances some years back.

On the possible reason he had to take his life, a source told our reporter that though the late Patrick was full of life that Thursday morning in church, he usually complained of having serious challenges.

The source who worships at St. Peter’s Parish, Uniuyo, told our reporter that the late Patrick had promised to tell her of some challenges he’s facing, but that did not materialise until his sudden demise.

One source hinted THE INK that the deceased had told him of how he could not graduate from school due to unstated reasons, and was reportedly planning to start afresh. He studied Mathematics in Uniuyo and should have graduated in 2015.

The source reasoned that the thought of rewriting UTME and seeking a fresh admission may have been a burden too much for him to carry hence his decision to take his life.

Another source who pleaded anonymity explained that Patrick started behaving strange after travelling to Calabar. When he returned to Uyo, the source said, he had grown a big hair, beard and looked quite different from the cool, calm person he was before he journeyed to Calabar.

He reportedly rebuffed several calls by those who were shocked by what he has become to cut his hair. But he said he loved his new personality. He was an ex- Sacristan in the parish.

A female member of the church hinted our reporter that she suspected all was not well when the late Patrick, on returning from Calabar, said he was no longer a Christian.

He reportedly denounced God and everything that had to do with church, saying that he was going to live a free life from that time without any recourse to Jesus because He didn’t exist and will not operate under any religion.

He reportedly said that he was contented living a good life without any religion.

All efforts to have him change his opinion are said to have proved abortive until the shocking news of Thursday afternoon.

A source who spoke on the sad development, noted that the deceased once vowed never to reveal his life’s secrets or challenges to anybody due to a nasty experience he had with a friend whom he had confided in only for the said friend to betray his trust by relaying the information to others.

That also, it was learnt, may have been the reason he didn’t tell anybody whatever challenges he was going through.

Another source said that the deceased had onced told her that some people are after him. Though, he didn’t reveal the identities of those he claimed were after him.

The late Patrick Essien Junior, according to investigation, was a freelance writer online and did so for people on agreed terms.

His remains has since been deposited in an undisclosed mortuary.