Shockwaves are reverberating across Yorùbáland and the global Yorùbá diaspora following the sudden death of the Baba Ọba (King’s Father) of the famed Oyotunji African Village in South Carolina, USA. The late Baba Ọba, Lukman Arohunfale, a revered socialite and traditionalist, passed away under circumstances already sparking fierce controversy. His death comes just days after he publicly accused the newly installed Alaafin of Oyo, His Imperial Majesty Oba Akeem Adéyẹmọ Owoade, of allegedly ordering his courtiers to beat him mercilessly during a recent courtesy visit to the Oyo palace in Nigeria. In a widely circulated voice recording, the deceased recounted how what was meant to be a simple homage turned violent. Although the Baba Ọba had reportedly battled ill health in the past year, growing insinuations suggest that the alleged physical assault may have aggravated his condition, ultimately leading to his untimely death. The palace in Oyo recently denied that s...
Iniobong Ekpo was a final year student of the Department of Agricultural Engineering in the Akwa Ibom State University, when he was expelled for "publishing a defamatory article on Facebook about the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State and Visitor to the University."
In 2019, Ekpo used the pseudonym, Afrosix Jaara, to write the article in which he accused Akwa Ibom Governor Emmanuel Udom of reneging on a promise to grant financial rewards to the then graduating students of the university.
“It’s 2 years and 166 days since he promised, yet none of the graduands received a Naira...even the first class graduands were unattended to when they went to his office,” Ekpo wrote in the Facebook post that has now landed him in trouble.
He added that Governor Emmanuel had “scammed” the students for not keeping to his promise.
'Breach of matriculation oath'
His piece was badly received by his school authorities.
On April 9, 2021, Ekpo received a letter signed by the Registrar of his university, John Udo, announcing his expulsion for "gross misconduct."
His article was also described as "derogatory and defamatory."
He was told in the letter that publishing his article "constitutes a breach of the matriculation oath and violation of the university rules as enshrined in the Student Information Handbook. You are hereby expelled from the university for this gross act of misconduct which constitutes a breach of the matriculation oath.
"You are required to submit to the Dean, Division of Student Affairs your student identity card and any other property of the university in your possession before your exit from the university.
"The Chief Security Officer is by a copy of this letter, directed not to allow you entry into the university campuses."
Fighting back
Ekpo is however fighting back.
He has written a letter to the university through his lawyer, Inibehe Effiong, protesting that he wasn't given fair hearing by the university.
He also said he was never invited to appear before a disciplinary committee, before his expulsion.
Ekpo is also demanding N20 million from the university as “general damages and gross breach of his fundamental rights.
“We will like to know whether the Matriculation Oath Of the Akwa Ibom State University requires students to surrender their fundamental right to freedom of expression as guaranteed them by Section 39 of the Constitution Of the Federal Republic Of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) upon admission into the university,” Ekpo's letter reads.
A spokesperson for the Akwa Ibom State Governor is yet to respond to Pulse' requests for comments on this story.
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