Oreoluwa Odetunde, a University of Lagos graduate and first-year MBA student at the S.C. Johnson College of Business, was found dead at her off-campus residence on Thursday.
Odetunde, who earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from University of Lagos in 2017, was active in multiple student organisations at Cornell, including the Johnson African Business Society, the Black Graduate Business Association, and the Old Ezra Finance Club.
She was also a Forté Fellow and Sage Scholar, and contributed to research and strategy analysis for firms such as Anchoria Asset Management and Greenwich Merchant Bank.
The Cornell Johnson Graduate School expressed deep condolences, stating, “We are devastated for Oreoluwa’s family, friends, classmates, and instructors and extend our deepest condolences in this difficult time.”
Odetunde’s death highlights the recent spate of Nigerian students and professionals dying abroad, including footballer Saburi Adeniji, who passed away in the UK on February 6 after a brain stem injury, and Douglas Izevbigie, who died on January 21 following aggressive leukaemia.
