Death, the Medieval playwright, William
Shakespeare, says, “Is a necessary end, will come when it will come”. In
other words, death is an inevitable act and comes whenever it wishes.
No wonder, some people cloak up to 100 years before they die while
others even ‘visit the land of the never return’ as early as they are
born.
At whatever stage death comes, it is
never palatable for the relatives or well-wishers of the deceased.
Accompanying it are sorrow, unhappiness, discontent and despondency. It
also attracts divergent interpretations, especially in the African
setting. Agreed, it is unavoidable; many hold the view that the death of
one at his prime, particularly in a controversial circumstance, is the
most painful. In many cases, such deaths have resulted in unpleasant
consequences.
It is therefore not surprising that
students of the University of Ibadan on Saturday protested the death of
one of their colleagues, Taiwo Shittu, who reportedly died in a
controversial manner. Her assailant reportedly raped and murdered her.
Before Shittu’s death, there was also the
killing of a student of the Bowen University, Iwo, Osun State,
17-year-old Opeyemi Odusanya, in a similar circumstance. Suspected cult
members in Lagos on February 3, murdered the 300-level Biochemistry
undergraduate for allegedly refusing their sexual advances.
As if the killings of Shittu and Odusanya
are not enough, another Nigerian youngster, Godwin Ayogu, was on
February 19, found dead in Ghana. Suspected gunmen murdered the
youngster, a 300-level Social Sciences student, at the University of the
Cape Coast.
Curiously, the killers of these
youngsters have yet-to-be identified by the police in Nigeria or in
Ghana. This has set tongues wagging. Indeed, it has again brought to the
fore some fundamental questions on happenings on campuses. For
instance, observers are beginning to raise some questions about the
future of youths, security, cultism, as well as the many unresolved
murder cases in the country. It has also thrown up other issues
bordering on morality and conscience.
According to a university teacher, Prof.
Ademola Onifade, the trend points to the decadence in the society,
frustration and the incidence of cultism.
Onifade, an education psychologist at the
Lagos State University, says, “It shows the decadence in the society.
It also points to the fact that there is no regard for life in the
country. We have lost our social values and this is affecting the way we
behave.
“Beyond this, our youths are not
constructively engaged. In fact, many of them are not busy and so they
easily take out their frustration on others.”
But for the Executive Director, Civil
Liberties Organisation, Mr. Ibuchukwu Ezike, who describes the killings
as ‘an ominous trend’, adds that corruption, greed and the scramble for
girlfriends are some of the causes of the violence.
He notes, “It is an agonising and
worrisome tragedy and one that signals huge danger to our society
because insecurity of lives and property of the students has become a
big threat to the nation’s education sector.
“The ominous trend is already forcing
some parents to send their children to private institutions and schools
overseas rather than allowing them to attend to public tertiary
institutions in the country. Apart from the impunities, lawlessness and
violence unleashed on the citizens by the politicians and highly-placed
persons in our land, cult activities, corruption, scramble for
girlfriends and greed on campuses are some of the major causes of these
calamities.”
A Lagos-based lawyer, Mr. Yomi Giwa, also
frowns on the development. He, however, says that it is not peculiar to
Nigeria. According to him, there are perverted minds in every society.
He notes, “In the United States, cases of sexual abuses abound except
that have stronger sanctions over there. Although, the act is
condemnable, it is not peculiar to Nigeria.”
Beyond identifying the causes, Onifade
posits that there is the need for tougher sanctions against the
perpetrators. According to him, the Federal Government should initiate
tougher punishment and sanctions in order to deter evil doers,
especially cultists, from having a field day.
The education psychologist explains, “We
need to be serious in enforcing the sanctions against cultism and
cult-related cases. The police should be more decisive in dealing with
cultists. If there are gaps in the law against the vice, it should be
strengthened to enable the police to carry arrest and prosecute
deviants.”
Urging parents and guardians also to be
alive to their responsibilities, Onifade notes that the poverty level in
the country is making many of them to shy away from their duties. He
adds, “The general poverty in the society is making it difficult for
parents and guardians to have proper control over their children. Since
many parents are not providing for their children, they have little or
no influence on their upbringing.”
Apart from police intervention, the CLO
boss proffers a new dimension to resolving cult-related activities,
especially in the universities. He declares that there is the need to
legalise cult groups and their activities on campuses.
He notes, “The major ways to check this
crime is for the university authorities to provide protection for their
communities. They should also legalise cult groups in their communities
to allow them to operate openly. This will enable the authorities to
monitor their activities and hold perpetrators accountable for any
crime.
“Lastly, law enforcement agencies and the
society must rise against the menace before our country becomes a
theatre of war and our tertiary institutions completely destroyed. It is
a disheartening experience and calls for concerns.”
For the Deputy Force Public Relations
Officer, Superintendent of Police, Frank Mba, it is not only simplistic
but defeatist for the citizens to lay the blame of violence on campuses
and even the wider society on the police.
According to him, issues of violence
border on the conscience of the society. He notes, “What are parents
and guardians doing? What are the churches and the mosques doing to lead
our youngsters on the path of decency? What messages are our television
and other media platforms showing and airing every day? We all have a
role to play in bringing sanity to the country.
“The police can only do the policing of
the nation; it cannot do the parenting jobs for parents. Therefore,
everybody – the police, parents, teachers, and politicians – must be
ready to perform his responsibility.”
Like the police image-maker, an
educationist, Mrs. Ify Nwobosi Anatune, urges all stakeholders to be
involved in stopping the evil trend. She notes that there is the need
for all to contribute positively in building a stronger and better
Nigeria.
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