Following the death of Samuel Adegoke, a student at Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, who committed suicide after losing his school fee and his friend’s to online betting, students and stakeholders have raised concerns on the culture of gambling and how to address it, PRECIOUS AKINTULUBO (OOU) and EMMANUEL OLUWADOLA (AAUA) report.
Samuel Adegoke, a student at Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro,Ogun State, must have anticipated how gambling could multiply his school fees and earn him extra profits to sort out his other bills, but the outcome went awry and led him to committing suicide.
The school was about to begin the first-semester examination when he reportedly lost his school fees and that of his friend to online gambling after which he allegedly drank a chemical and was pronounced dead after he was referred from the school’s clinic to a specialist hospital in Ilaro.
The Public Relations Officer of the Polytechnic, Sola Abiala, confirmed the incident in a statement.
It read: “It was detected at the specialist hospital that the late student drank sniper. His father told the school that his son had used his school fees to gamble last session but he had to rescue him by making another payment. We have a policy here that any student that does not pay school fees will not write exams, that was why he committed suicide.
“But when we asked the father to take possession of the corpse, he rejected it and said he could not take his son’s corpse back home. He asked us to bury him. The school paid part of the burial expenses and had to pay the fee for the other student whose fee was used to gamble to avoid another calamity. We didn’t want him to also commit suicide.
“We were surprised that he did not leave any suicide note behind. We did not see any note. We went to his house and checked for a note, but there was no note other than the bottle of the snipper he drank.”
However, students who reacted expressed their unhappiness about the incident while they advised parents on what to do to eradicate the culture of gambling among students and youths.
Samson Isaac, a 200-Level student at the Department of Mathematical Sciences, Bayero University, Kano State, gave reasons why some students get involved in gambling, stressing that most gamblers have become addicted to the habit.
He said: “Well, first of all, losing your tuition fee is a very sad thing to happen, but losing it to gambling is just more than sad.
“I think there are numerous reasons as to why students gamble, some students engage in the act because they need financial assistance, and some do it for no reason than to get quick money and spend lavishly. The reasons are numerous though but as a result, majority of the people that gamble have become addicted to the very act, and this has done major harm.”
He further advised that gambling shops and sites should be shut down as this will help curb the act. He, however, advised students and youths to go into online and freelance businesses instead of online betting.
“Students and youths need to realise that this is becoming uncontrollable and leading to loss of lives and valuable assets. If only the money used for gambling can be used to start up something legitimate then there would be no reason for seeking money obtained for cheap gains. Betting centres and sites should be closed down, I believe this would help, because just like another habit, it is never easy to desist from the act, unless it is taken away from you. Students and youths should go into online and freelance businesses, these businesses take time to establish but it is better off than doing something that puts you on the negative side of life,” Samson said.
As far as Manuwa Oluwanishola, a 300-Level student at the Department of Mass Communication, Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, Ondo State is concerned, the cases of suicide as a result of betting are disturbing.
“Well, I must say that betting is a rampant issue among students but the cases of committing suicide as a result of betting is getting more alarming. Gambling is not a thing that students just wake up to find themselves in, for some, it started with developing an interest in it, some were influenced by friends, while some see it as an avenue to double their money. Funny enough, some see it as their source of income and in the process, they get drawn in the web of betting,” he said.
Meanwhile, he added that because gambling could lead many to depression which causes some to commit suicide, hence, there should be proper awareness of the dangers inherent.
“Most people who are addicted to gambling can go the extra mile just to get the money to bet and at that moment, they are only concerned about the cash price. Until the loss, that is when it dawned on them that they have made a mistake. This leads to much depression and causes some to commit suicide. There are a lot of factors that led to gambling. Some, their love for football made them go into sports betting. The ways to eradicate betting is that there should be more awareness and sensitisation on its dangers and individuals should be mindful of the kind of friends they keep,” he added.
James Adeniyi, a 400-Level student of Accounting at Lagos State University, advised parents to always caution their children right from a tender age against any form of betting.
His words: “It is not good enough because to finance a kid through primary school, it is extremely difficult now to talk of raising a child from primary school to secondary school and up to university level. And all that the child could do to reward the parents is to commit suicide. It is a bad incident. Peer pressure and societal influence are the two major factors why youth engage in gambling.
“At a tender age, if parents realise that their child likes playing a game, like using one rubber band to win two or more rubber bands, the parents have something to do in that case— to correct the child, because if gambling does not stop at that age, the child will see it as a normal thing. My nephew, who is around eight years old now, was playing a game with someone last night. The person put money in the game to win but when the boy told me that he won N100, I had to caution him and told him to return the money to that person. So, I think at that stage the parents have a lot to do in monitoring their children. When they see their child putting money to win something, the parents have to caution them and ask them to return it.”
The culture of “Online betting” (gambling) is the norm among youths especially students. According to NOIPOlls, there is 77 per cent prevalence of betting/gambling in Nigeria. Prominent reason for betting among students is greed.
A student at Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro, Ogun State, Samuel Adegoke committed suicide after losing his school fee and his friend’s to online betting.
He drank Sniper when his colleagues were preparing for their first-semester examination.
The school had warned that no student would be allowed to take an examination without completing registration. Hence, he resorted to suicide.
For Peace Oladipo, a 400-Level student of Mass Communication at Federal University Oye-Ekiti (FUOYE), Adegoke should have sought a better way to handle the issue.
“Online betting is evil. I guess he didn’t consider the pains of his death before taking his decision. This is why experts usually clamour for laws or regulations of online gambling advertisements,” she said.
She urged the government through the National Lottery Commission to regulate online gambling.
Stephen Ezekiel, a 400-Level student of Psychology at Olabisi Onabanjo University, said Adegoke’s case was pathetic. He said it might have been caused by misguided beliefs, chronic addiction and frustration.
He said: “Betting is a death trap. I truly hope people come to this realisation soon enough.”
On how to eradicate the culture of gambling among students and youths, Ezekiel listed some ways which include, provision of education and awareness campaigns, introduction of financial literacy and skills development, provision of supportive counseling services, regulation of gambling/betting, promoting alternative recreational activities, peer support and mentoring programmes and proper engagements of parents and guardians with their wards.
For Ariel Cyril, a 400-Level student of Zoology at University of Jos, betting is not new among students in higher institutions but for the case of Adegoke, something must have gone wrong.
“For one to have the boldness to stake his school fees means he might have been involved in this act for long hence, the courage. Unfortunately, he couldn’t handle the latest situation well and committed suicide,” he said.
Cyril, therefore, advised that efforts should be put in place to instill right moral values in youths.
Odukoya Ayobami, a 300-Level student of Law at Olabisi Onabanjo University, said it was a pathetic situation because Adegoke got involved in the gambling as a result of lack of contentment. He said the case might not have led to a suicide if he had someone he could trust to talk to.
He said: “There should be bet permit for only graduates or anyone above 21. Also, there should be proper enlightenment on the pros and cons associated with betting via radio jingles, online articles and TV adverts.”
Olafusi Ayodeji, a Higher Diploma 2 student of Agricultural Engineering at Lagos State Polytechnic (LASPOTECH), said Adegoke should have tried to borrow and pay up the school fees because committing suicide doesn’t have any benefit.
He advised students involved in gambling to discipline themselves and abstain.
Adewale Opeyemi Samuel, a 300-Level student of Education Foundation, said: “The reality of gambling is that it takes more than it ever gives. If you win, you will keep coming back in an attempt to win more; if you lose, you will keep coming back in an attempt to win back what you’ve lost. Ultimately, there is no winning when it comes to gambling.”
He noted that provision of job opportunities can help in eradicating the culture of gambling among students and youths in general.
Oke Pelumi Ayomide, a Higher National Diploma 2 student of Computer Science at Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro said students tend to engage in online gambling as a result of lack of proper care at home or lack of money.
“I can only say probably when all betting platforms are shut down or more provision of employment by government, then gambling norm among students and youths will be eradicated,” he said.
Chika Igba, a 400-Level student of Mass Communication at Nnamdi Azikwe University (UNIZIK), said Adegoke’s case was extreme as there must have been other factors that could have contributed to him committing suicide which could be internal or external pressures from home, school or friends.
Psychologist weighs in
A lecturer and Clinical Psychologist in Department of Psychiatry at College of Health Sciences, LAUTECH, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, Dr Oluwafisayo Adebimpe, said gambling among young adolescents, is one of the most dangerous social problems underreported,while getting money to gamble is now a major problem.
She said: “People who gamble / bet usually have impulsive behaviour and distorted thinking process; they are always in denial and overconfident. They are always competitive, energetic with tendencies of being concerned with approval of others and extravagant when winning.
“This uncontrolled behaviour can also expose the individual to have a quest or develop an urgent need to keep gambling and if they are unable achieve their goal in space of time, depressive symptoms sets in hence, attenpted suicide or suicide.”
She therefore advised that the culture of gam