Wednesday 24 October 2012

MEMORIAL SERVICE HELD FOR OZUAH AT KINGS COLLEGE


 Ozuah: Widow Eulogises Husband

Chiemelie Ezeobi

As late Ugochukwu Ozuah began his journey to mother earth, emotions ran wide and tears flowed freely as his widow, Joan eulogised her late husband during the memorial service held on his behalf at Kings College, Lagos Island, on Wednesday evening.

The 36-year-old engineer was allegedly killed by policemen attached to Gbagada Police Station on September 20, barely five days after his wedding.

To celebrate one of their own who died in his prime, the head boy of King’s College, a school Ozuah graduated from in 1993, accompanied by other senior students sang the school anthem with gusto.

In a tribute written to her husband she said the mere five days of marriage were the best days of her life despite how brief it was. She said, “Sweets, so it is true that you are no more. I cannot believe that you have gone so soon.

“You were my husband, my brother, my friend and mentor. I cannot forget that fateful night of September 20, when the police shot you in the chest and left you to die in cold blood. It was like a dream when the doctor told us that you could not make it.”

She added, “Baby love, you were a caring, loving, God-fearing, calm and thoughtful man. Your desire was to make me happy when I was sad and you were an awesome husband. The last words you said to me before you left were, ‘my wife, my wife, I’m coming back in 10 minutes’ as you drove off to drop your friend and never returned.

“My husband, you were a rare gem, you made me have the wedding of my dream and I’m grateful for those five days we spent together. It was the most exciting moment and days of my life.

“Sweet, sweet, it is true that death is inevitable but the memories of your personality will definitely live forever in my memories. I ask no questions for God knows best. I will miss you. I love you sweets.”

The deceased’s eldest sister and spokesperson for the family, Mrs. Nkechi Nnonyelu, in her tribute lamented that the same hand that planned his wedding barely a month ago was planning his funeral.

She said, “I am sad because I planned Ugo’s wedding and just a month later, here I am planning his burial. There is need for reforms in the police force that would curb the incessant and unwarranted extra-judicial killings

Earlier on she had said, "Our family just lost the only son. My brother was intelligent and could have even become president of Nigeria but his life was cut short. My mother had lost a son before and just lost her husband.

"Police killings must stop and things must change. The police need to start having human feelings and respect the sanctity of the lives of the Nigerians they have sworn to protect."

In his tribute, one of the Vice Presidents of the King’s College Old Boys’ Association, Mr. Rotimi Aladesanmi, flayed the inhumane action of the police. He urged the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to ensure justice is done.

He said, “The association condoles with the family and the King’s College community. We have heard testimonies about this great King’s man and he epitomises all what should be in a true King’s man.

“It is evident that we have not only lost a wonderful person but one who would have made immense contribution to the development of the association. He was cut down in his prime.

“I seize the opportunity to call on the IG to fish out the killers of this great Nigerian because it’s not just to pay lip service and say that they are working on it. The attitude of the police has been really unsatisfactory I must say and I recall the statement that it was people in police uniform who shot him.

“Whether it was policemen or people in uniform that did it, we do not care rather all we want is for the IG to fish out the killers of this Nigerian because I say enough is enough to extra judicial killing.”

Also speaking, the Postgraduate Coordinator, Business Administration, of University of Lagos (UNILAG), representing the UNILAG authorities, Dr. Olusoji George, condemned the deceased’s death.

According to George, Ozuah who was due to write his final examination in Operational Research on Thursday (yesterday), was a brilliant student who was very caring, adding that Ozuah’s death was a great loss to the department because of the dearth of personnel in that particular field of study.

He said, “Ozuah’s death is a personal loss to us in the department and in his specialty; Operational Research. He would have been doing his final year exam tomorrow (Thursday) but God knows best.

“Operational Research is not the kind of course that just anybody can do. It is full of mathematics and statistics. There were only 10 students in my class and Ozuah would have finished with a merit.

“Who in PGD did not like him? For his colleagues to turn up for this event when there is final and compulsory exam tomorrow (yesterday), it shows the kind of person he was.”

However, many faulted the reaction of the police to the matter. According to them, weeks after the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar inaugurated a special police team from Abuja to investigate the matter, nothing has been done.

The special team led by Mr. Chris Ezike, a Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), of the special team from the Force Headquarters Federal Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), had pledged that the investigations and its outcome would be transparent.

While speaking to the gathering of the deceased’s family at their home in Ikeja, the DCP said they were called in because the IG wanted people that were neutral to the case.

He said, “The IG sent us here because we are neutral and professional. Already, the police in Lagos have been fingered in the said crime and it would not be right for them to act as judges over a matter against them.”

In his biography, Ozuah, who graduated from King’s College in 1993, was once the Sports prefect of the institution apart from being the Sports prefect at Kings College, the deceased was Harman’s House prefect, a position he was very proud of and bragged to all who cared to listen that his son would not only attend his alma mater but also be in Harman house.

Ozuah, studied Mechanical Engineering at UNAD and in 2009 proceeded to the Koenig Information Technology Institute, India, where he studied Computer Engineering.

Others present at the memorial service were members of the King’s College Old Boy’s Association, ex-colleagues of the deceased at University of Ado Ekiti. Also, colleagues of the deceased from University of Lagos, where he was pursuing his masters in Operational Research; as well as the principal and current students of King’s College were around to show their support.

To show his passion for football, Ozuah’s Chelsea Football Club jersey, inscribed with the word, ‘Hugo 10’ hung at the ceiling of the auditorium. The somber scenario was enunciated with the black outfit displaying the deceased’s picture which many wore.

 

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