THE story of Elijah Kelechi, a young Nigerian student whose outstanding West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) results recently captured the attention of many, has taken a heartbreaking turn.
Elijah, who had just completed the 2024 West African Senior School Certificate Examination (WASSCE), tragically lost his life in a drowning accident.
The devastating news was shared on 19 August by Elijah’s older brother, Jacob Joseph John, who took to Facebook to announce his brother’s passing and share Elijah’s impressive WASSCE results.
In his post, Jacob expressed his deep sorrow, writing, “Remain relaxed, my younger sibling. We’ve released your WAEC result. You succeeded.”
Born in 2006, Elijah drowned on 12; July in the Imo River in Abia State. According to Jacob, Elijah and four others were returning from the river when tragedy struck.
The group encountered military personnel conducting anti-bunkering operations, which caused them to panic. While some of the boys managed to swim to safety, Elijah, who did not know how to swim, tragically drowned.
Recalling the harrowing events, Jacob shared, “They were like five on the boat. As they were coming back from the river, because that area, they do bunkering, so they saw military people. When they saw the military, they were scared. Those of them that knew how to swim were diving into the water. Elijah, who couldn’t swim, in fear, just dived into the river, and that was all.”
Elijah’s untimely death has cast a shadow over what should have been a moment of celebration for his remarkable academic achievement.
His story serves as a poignant reminder of the fragility of life and the unpredictable nature of fate.
Eighteen-Eleven Media