It is amazing how quickly time flies and how quickly human memories forget or ignore things that are important with the passage of time. About this time last year, the entire country, including the social media, were abuzz with calls for justice over the veracious death of 4 undergraduate college students of the university of Port-Harcourt. Although, some sections of the media have tried unsuccessfully to divert attention from the illegal act committed by the villagers from Aluu community within the outskirt of the college environs.
In attempting to influence the citizen’s perception of the event, some sections have painted the four dead college under-graduate students, as partially culpable for the dastard outcomes. It did not matter to those, that in our country, freedom of movement is guaranteed and more so, it is an exercise of constitutional guarantee. It does not become an offense nor does it confer any rights of any kind to a bunch of citizen to take the life of another citizen, no matter the provocation.
After one year, many people are asking for tangible outcome from the justice system. There are still several innocent student, apathetic-bystanders, innocent villagers who are now standing trial, while the real culprits are free and walking the street. I am concerned that the message that is passed on to the whole country is that, nothing happens, and there is no judicial accountability. I am further concerned that like many other events in this country, far-reaching investigation is always thwarted by lackadaisical or lethargic approach.
The lessons of “ALUU 4” is imperative and will forever etched in the mind of all Nigerians that our children who are college undergraduates in States or areas outside of their State of residency, are faced with the risk of maiming, death and other unimaginable hazardous risk. I shows that the risk of raising young men and women in high. There are cases everyday of our college students, killed by fellow students or by police, even harassed by the custodians on campus.
As we mark the one year anniversary of the brutal killing of the “now famous ALUU 4” let us remember and reflect on the importance of the events. Their death should remind us that we must be vigilant, and vigilance is the price for liberty.
We must resist jungle justice, we must resist any attempt to scurry the quest for justice, we must immortalize the names of the ALUU 4, and we must uphold the very essence of their death. It’s time for us to be vigilance and resist all forces of negativity.
As a nation, we have not shown adequate protection for the vulnerable sector of the society which includes, children, seniors and college kids. It is a struggle and hassle to get admitted into institution of higher learning, the various colleges does not provide adequate medical coverage for its students /undergraduate population. A sick student can infect the entire student population, so also, can a student be burdened with medical bill for any illness even if such illness is a result of academic pursuit.
The ALUU 4 episode should provide the spring board to revamp and overhaul the entire “mad house” syndrome prevalent in our educational establishment. Life should be made more comfortable and conducive atmosphere provided in areas of housing, accommodation and lecture areas. The university employees must re-orient to know that, they are paid salaries from the tuition fees paid by the students. It is about time, changes come to our education industry.
