A third-year Nursing student at Harvarde College of Science, Business and Management Studies in Obada, Abeokuta, Ogun State, tragically passed away in an apparent suicide.
The student, known to her peers as Ajoke, reportedly ended her life after discovering that the Ogun State Government had shut down her department. This action was taken because the department had been running a Nursing Sciences degree program without the necessary accreditation for six years.
A joint task force from the Ogun State Ministry of Health and the State Nursing and Midwifery Committee (SNMC) enforced the closure, citing the lack of accreditation from the Nursing and Midwifery Council of Nigeria (NMCN).
Kayode Oladehinde, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, underscored during the enforcement that unauthorized programs lead to the proliferation of inadequately trained professionals, endangering public health. He emphasized that the Nursing Department at Harvarde College would remain closed until it secures full accreditation.
Represented by the Acting Director of Nursing Services, Serifat Aminu, Oladehinde criticized the issuance of Nursing degrees by Harvarde College without NMCN accreditation as null, stating that graduates would not be eligible for licensure in Nigeria or abroad.
The crackdown on such institutions, he explained, aims to curb the emergence of unqualified practitioners in the Nursing field, a situation he described as detrimental to society. He also alerted prospective students and their guardians to verify the accreditation status of educational establishments through the NMCN website to avoid falling prey to deceitful claims.
A student from the affected department, preferring anonymity, voiced her dismay upon learning about the accreditation issue, highlighting the financial burden her family faced due to the program.
The community of Harvarde College was plunged into grief following Ajoke’s demise, prompting the state government to close the institution entirely.
Ajoke was found deceased in her off-campus lodging, with her fellow students suspecting she ingested a toxic substance. A close acquaintance revealed Ajoke had been battling depression for over four months due to the unaccredited status of her course, fretting over the financial sacrifices her family had made for her education.