A Nigerian postgraduate student, Hammed, has died in the United Kingdom after his health deteriorated suddenly from advanced cancer, just a year after relocating to further his education.

Hammed, 36, originally from Ayete in Oyo State, traveled to the UK in September 2024 to pursue a Master’s degree in Business and Management at the University of Plymouth. According to reports, he was a cheerful, hardworking man described by his family as “the joyful heart of his home”. He was the youngest of four children and deeply committed to those around him.

Despite being diagnosed with cancer earlier in 2025, Hammed persevered through the physical and emotional toll to complete his programme. Friends and colleagues admired his resilience, noting that he continued to attend classes and finish assignments even as his health declined.

In recent weeks, Hammed’s condition worsened dramatically. Efforts were made to fly him back to Nigeria so he could spend his final moments with his family, but doctors declared him medically unfit to travel. With no possibility of repatriating his remains, a GoFundMe appeal was created by Mariam Ajibola and Mohammed Chaanda on behalf of Piety Mosque.

Initially launched to support his medical care, the campaign was later updated to raise funds for his burial in the UK. The organisers wrote: “We are raising funds to give Hammed a dignified burial,” stressing that every contribution would help honor his life and ease the burden on his grieving family.

By Sunday, November 23, 2025, the fundraiser had surpassed its target, allowing the community to provide him with a proper burial.

Hammed’s death has deeply affected the Nigerian diaspora in the UK. He was remembered as warm, generous, and friendly, someone who carried the hopes of his family across continents. His passing highlights the struggles many international students face when confronted with unexpected health crises abroad.

Tragically, his death comes just days after another Nigerian, Chiowa Obeigbe, was found dead in his Gloucester apartment, five days after he was suspected to have passed away. These back-to-back losses have left the Nigerian community in Britain shaken, sparking conversations about the need for stronger support systems for students and migrants facing health challenges far from home.