SAD: UI Mourns 23-Year-Old Veterinary Student, Christabel Okareh
Oru LeonardÂ
The University of Ibadan (UI) community was thrown into mourning as students, lecturers, classmates and friends held a candlelight procession and night of tributes in honour of Christabel Okareh, a 500-level student of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, who died at the age of 23.
Okareh reportedly died on September 29, 2026, following an illness, leaving colleagues and members of the university community deeply saddened.
The tribute and candlelight procession, organised by the Association of Veterinary Medicine Students (AVMS), provided an emotional platform for students and members of the faculty to pay their last respects to the deceased.
Clad in black attire and holding lit candles, the students marched quietly from her hostel through key locations on the university campus to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine complex.
Speaking at the event, the Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Professor Babasola Olugasa, described Okareh as a bright, dedicated and exceptional student who was approaching the completion of her rigorous Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) programme.
Olugasa disclosed that the faculty would establish a club in her memory to be known as the Shepherd Club Foundation of Christabel.
He said the initiative would preserve her memory and inspire future generations of students to uphold the values she represented.
The President of AVMS, Master Odunaike Faruq, also described Okareh as a young woman who was full of life and deeply committed to her faith.
Classmates, friends and fellow students expressed grief over her death, describing it as a painful loss to the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and the entire university community.
They prayed for strength and comfort for her family and loved ones as they mourn her passing.
The flickering candles carried by the students symbolised the light Okareh brought into the lives of her peers, while emotional songs and gentle chants filled the campus as participants reflected on her life and legacy.
The solemn procession ended with prayers and tributes in her honour.
