Pharmacist commits suicide in Lagos

An award winning pharmacist in Lagos has committed suicide after he suffered chronic depression due to his indebtedness.

 

The circumstances that led to the apparent suicide of an award winning pharmacist and a church leader, Paul Olafare, is still raising the dust as many do not think someone who was full of life a few days earlier would decide to take his own life.

Olafare, a multiple award winning pharmacist, described by his friends as a very friendly and religious person, allegedly committed suicide on Sunday, April 12th, 2015, in his home in Lagos.

The father of two who was a youth leader in one of the largest pentecostal churches in Nigeria, was said to be weighed down by a lot of pressure following a huge debt he had incurred while trying to set up his own pharmacy and his creditors were on his neck, leading him into chronic depression.

Olafare, a graduate of Medicine from the College of Medicine University of Lagos, was awarded the Lagos State Pharmacist of the Year 2013 as well as being an active member of his church where he mentored the youth group. 

According to a family friend, Olafare had attempted killing himself several times in the past and had once threatened to jump into the Lagos Lagoon but was stopped by his wife.

His wife reported that she found him writhing in pain on Sunday morning as she was preparing for church and found that he'd drank poison. He died before he could be rushed to the hospital.

But his family are suspecting foul play, believing he could not have committed suicide even though he was suffering from chronic depression and have lodged a murder charge against his wife, believing she killed their son to inherit his property.

The case is being investigated the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Panti.