A University of Lagos alumna, Oreoluwa Odetunde, has been found dead in her off-campus apartment in New York, authorities confirmed on Thursday.
It was learnt that Odetunde, who was pursuing a Master of Business Administration at the S.C. Johnson College of Business, was in her first year of the programme.
Reports by The Cornell Daily Sun on February 6 described her as an international student who earned a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Lagos in 2017.
During her time at Cornell, Odetunde was active in several student organisations, including the Johnson African Business Society, the Black Graduate Business Association, and the Old Ezra Finance Club.
She was also recognised as a Forté Fellow and Sage Scholar and had contributed to research and strategy projects for companies such as Anchoria Asset Management and Greenwich Merchant Bank.
“We are devastated for Oreoluwa’s family, friends, classmates, and instructors and extend our deepest condolences in this difficult time,” the Cornell Johnson Graduate School said in a LinkedIn post.
Odetunde’s passing comes amid a rising number of Nigerian nationals losing their lives abroad.
In the United Kingdom, Nigerian footballer Saburi Adeniji died on February 6 following complications from a severe brain stem injury, while another student, Douglas Izevbigie, passed away on January 21 after battling aggressive leukaemia.