EDITORIAL; DO YOU KNOW WHY OAU WOULD NEVER FORGET "GEORGE IWILADE (AFRIKA)

Can a fish know its weight? The answer to this is undoubtedly NO, why? Because the life of the fish is so dominated by water that when they're out of the water they become conscious of themselves. This analogy directly explain the kind of relationship that exists between Nigeria Students (Fish) and Cultism (water).

On July 10 1999 where Afrika and five other students of OAU died with 11others injured is a remarkable events that depitched the ill-effects of cultism on Nigeria universities.

The event was an attack perpetuated by 40 members of the Neo-Black movement of Africa (Black Axe) confratanity OAU branch. The Black Axe is a confratanity infesting Nigeria society particularly the country's universities also responsible for violent crime in those days.

Report has it that  "they invaded the Awolowo Hall of residence at around 3:30a.m, clad in black trousers and black T-shirt, their face hidden by masks, armed with guns and hatches against armless Students. 

Prior to this attack was an incident which occurred on Saturday 7th March 1999, where a group of Black Axe members held a meeting in Ife town, after the meeting they drove back to the campus on the main road (road 1) leading to campus, they were overtaken by some students in another car, for whatever reason, they were enraged and gave a chase to the students, the students seeing them in pursuit raced hastily to the car park outside Angola Hall and ran into the adjacent Awolowo Hall for safety. Later, the Students' Union received information that secret cult member were gathering in one of the house in the senior staff quarters, in response to the incident a group of students' union member led by George iwilade (Afrika) the then secretary general drove to the house officially occupied by Mr F.M Mekoka and forced their way into the boys' quarters, they found Nine individual inside, eight of which are Students of OAU with a submachine gun, a locally manufactured gun, an axe, a bayonets and the black clothing and regalia of the black axe cultist.

The university management were informed and the member of the secret cult were handed over to the police. They were held in police custody and taken to the chief magistrate court where two weeks later they were granted bail.

The university suspends the students involved and shortly afterwards the university was closed as a result of students crisis. When it was reopened three months later, the cult member returned to the campus and we're seen attending lectures, fellow students raised an alarm once more. In response to this, the university issued a memorandum on July 2nd, 1999 reaffirming the suspension of the cult members. The letter of suspension were dated July 8 and it is doubtful whether those affected actually received them before the brutal event two days later.

On the night of July 9,1999 Students group held a party at Obafemi Awolowo University in an open group between Angola and Mozambique Halls, later in the night many of the party goer began occupying the Awolowo Hall Cafeteria whilst others returned to their halls of residence to sleep.

At between 3:00 & 3:30a.m (now 10 July, 1999) a large number of cultist (reported to be between 22 & 40) of the Black Axe confratanity arrived to carry out their plan. They drove through the main gate and proceeded to the car park next to the tennis court at sport complex. They disembarked there and went bare footed along a bush path to Awo Hall of residence to carry out their plan. 

The victim of the massacre includes the then SU General Secretary George Yemi Iwilade (Afrika) 400level law student, Eviano Ekelemu a graduating student, Yemi Ajeteru 100level philosophy student, Babatunde Oke and Ekpede Godfrey were killed by the "marauding beast" in block 5&8 Awolowo Hall of residence. It was reported that Tunde Oke was still alive but died on the operating table, four others listed earlier were brought in dead.

Report has it that, during the attack, the Black Axe were heard shouting "Legacy come out" (referring to the then Students' Union President) but legacy managed to escape by jumping from the balcony after hearing gun fire, "Dexter" the chief kegites also escape unharmed, but George iwilade (Afrika) was not so lucky, upon entering his room, the Black Axe cultists shot him in his forehead, smashed his head with their axe to make sure he is dead and mercilessly butchered him in his room (room 273 Awo block 8) while other four were just unfortunate victims.

The murderer left, since Legacy is no where to be found, they proceeded through bush path behind Fajuyi Hall back to their vehicles, they drove through Students'Union building which they ransacked, and drove out of the university through the main gate. The security staff, having heard gunfire, fled for their lives leaving the cultists unchallenged. The day after the attack, the Students' Union President Lanre Adeleke (Legacy) presided over an assembly at the level of Amphitheatre and demanded the immediate resignation of Wale Omole the loathed Vice Chancellor who impeded students efforts to eliminate cult by failing to expel the previously apprehended eight cultist and other numerous allegations levied on him. The students protest by occupying the Senate Building refusing to leave until omole was fired. 

On 18th July, 1999 Prof Makanjuola was appointed Vice Chancellor as to replace  Prof Wale Omole and he promised to do everything in his power to bring the perpetrators to justice. 

It is worthy of mentioning that the aftermath of this events (death of Afrika and others) that leads to inauguration of new Vice Chancellor Prof Makanjuola who latterly proposed some policies and tactics used to curb if not eradicate cultism activities on OAU campus today. It was as a result of this event that Students' Union resulted to a principle called Scientific Maximum Shishi which is being used as code of conduct for all OAU student to correct and regulate all sorts of illegal activities on campus. The Scientific Maximum Shishi played and would still play an important role in eradicating illegal activities on campus, OAU has now becomes one of the safest campus in Nigeria, OAU Students now walks around both day and night without being intimidated by anyone. Can we now say the blood of Afrika was used as a sacrifice to cleanse cultism on OAU Campus?

Written by: 

Ayanfe Oluwafemi

GIN correspondence

Adapted from Professor Rojer Makanjuola's Account.