The Obafemi Awolowo University massacre was a series of
shootings and murders which took place against students of
Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Osun State,
Nigeria on Saturday, July 10, 1999. It resulted in the
deaths of five people and injuring of eleven, all of them
students at OAU.
It was perpetrated by an organized death squad of 40
members of the Confraternity branch at the
university. They invaded the Awolowo Hall of the
university at around 4:30 A.M., clad in black trousers
and black T-shirts, their faces hidden by masks; they
carried and made use of shotguns and hatchets against
students....

What led to the massacre

An account of what led to the massacre is given by Prof.
Roger Makanjuola's book “Water Must Flow Uphill
(Adventures in University Administration)”. Prof. Roger
Makanjuola, following the massacre, became Vice Chairman
of the university and took an active role in both
investigating and punishing those from the university
involved in the murders.
Prof. Roger Makanjuola writes about an initial incident and
it's aftermath that occurred in the weeks before the
murders: "On Saturday, 7 March 1999, 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 into the campus, they were overtaken by
some students in another car. For whatever reason, they
were enraged and gave 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. The Students’ Union, which had also
received information that secret cult members were
gathering in a house in the senior staff quarters, mobilised
in response to the incident. Led by George Iwilade, the
Secretary-General, a group of them drove to the house,
officially occupied by Mr. F.M. Mekoma, and forced their
way into the boys’ quarters. They found nine individuals
inside, eight of them students of the University, with a
submachine gun, a locally manufactured gun, an axe, a
bayonet and the black clothing and regalia of the
cult. The University authorities were informed, and the
members of the secret cult were handed over to the Police.
They were held in police custody and taken to the Chief
Magistrate’s Court where two weeks later they were granted
bail."
Prof. Roger Makanjuola documents and raises concerns over
the way the matter was handled by both the police and
court system who broke from protocol, common sense and
destroyed evidence and how this led to the failure to be able
to prosecute the members involved in the
incident. Prof. Roger Makanjuola writes: "The case was
heard on 31 March, and to the utmost amazement of
everyone, the Chief Magistrate discharged and acquitted the
arrested individuals. The students who had apprehended
the cult members were not called as witnesses. The
investigating police officer, Corporal Femi Adewoye,
claimed that the witnesses could not be located and actually
stated in Court, “I tried to contact the complainants in this
case, all to no avail. To date, there is no complainant in
the case. Since all the accused persons denied the
allegations against them and there is no complainant, there
is no way the allegations can be proved.” This was the
submission of the prosecuting police officer! Usually, in
such cases, witness’ summons were served through the
University Administration but this did not happen. The
trial was concluded in two court appearances in eight days.
The Chief Magistrate also ordered that the submachine gun
be sent to the police armourer and the other exhibits be
destroyed, thus eliminating all the evidence, and making it
impossible to re-open the case. The Judicial Enquiry
recommended that the Magistrate be reported to the
Judicial Commission for appropriate disciplinary action.
Nothing came of this, as nothing came of all the other
recommendations of that Panel."
Prof. Roger Makanjuola recalls following the failed
prosecution the cultists returned to the university
to study. Much to the dismay and concern of fellow
students. Under pressure from students the university's
authorities moved to suspend the cultists involved by
issuing a 'release' but failing to send the specific students
official letters informing them of their suspension.
Prof. Roger Makanjuola says: "Shortly afterwards, the
University was closed as a result of a student crisis. When
it re-opened three months later, the cult members returned
to the campus and were seen attending lectures. The
students raised an alarm once more. In response to this,
the University issued a release on 2 July re-affirming the
suspensions of the cult members. The letters of suspension
were dated 8 July and it is doubtful whether those affected
actually received them before the tragic events two days
later."
In addition to the direct factors given in accounts by Prof.
Roger Makanjuola and others. It is also stated that factors
relating to creating the necessary favorable environment for
the massacre to having occurred also played a part. Such
factors include a general increase in campus violence due to
university and government employment and sponsorship of
campus cults. Peluola Adewale writes "campus cultism
had not always been pronouncedly violent until 1980s, and
this change coincided with a period when governments
started unleashing serious attacks on university education.
This began with the introduction of some outrageous
charges and later, in 1986, the Structural Adjustment
Programme (SAP), which have now been transformed into
a general neo-liberal economic programme. In order to
repress the resistance of students against commercialisation
of education and other anti-poor policies, the government
and university authorities employed the service of campus
cultists. The social background of elements who used to be
members of cult groups prepared them for such dastardly
activities. They were mostly from upper and middle-class
families, and therefore did not really have problems with
anti-poor policies of the government and university
management, for instance how to pay the contentious
charges being imposed on students. Today, there are
students from poor background joining cult groups. They
largely do so because campus cultism provides veritable
platform to raise money through extortion and other
criminal activities."
Another factor is said to be relating to the university's
administration at the time of the massacre. Vice Chancellor
Wale Omole said to have taken no action, aside from
perhaps protecting, known campus cultists. Peluola Adewale
states "his (Vice Chancellor Wale Omole) administration
created an enabling atmosphere for the attack. For the eight
years he spent in office, Omole did not show any
seriousness in fight against campus cultism, rather it was
commonplace for cultists apprehended by students to get
their way back to the university unscratched. While student
activists were expelled for leading students in various
demands, it was on record that no cultist was punished by
the Omole-led management."
THE MASSACRE
On the night of the 9th July 1999 a number of student
groups held a party at Obafemi Awolowo University. The
'Mirror Online' reports: "members of Kegites Club on the
campus, Man O’ war members, and various other student
leaders- both former and incumbent, gathered at the open
ground between Angola and Mozambique Halls." Later in
the night many of the party-goers began occupying the
cafeteria of Awolowo Hall whilst others returned to their
halls of residence to sleep.
At between 3-3.30am (now 10th July 1999) a large
number of cultists (reported to be between 22 and 40) of
the confraternity arrived to carry out a
preplanned assault on the university with the intention of
carrying out the assassinations of several prominent
members of the student union. Allegations that these
assassinations were sponsored by the university's Vice
Chancellor Wale Omole remain to this day but it is
unclear if this is the case. It is said "one of the cultists,
Kazeem Bello, aka Kato, confessed that Wale Omole had a
hand in their July 10 dastardly operation."
Upon arriving at the university the cultists
"drove through the main gate and proceeded to the car park
next to the Tennis Courts in the Sports Center. They
disembarked there and went on foot along a bush path to
Awolowo Hall, where they violently interrupted the
gyration, firing guns and also wielding axes and
cutlasses."
Although the order of the events that followed vary from
account to account (in terms of who was killed in what
order) it is clear that following the assault 4 people were
left dead, another died from gunshot wounds later, one
more survived from a gunshot wound and "Twenty-five
others received minor injuries, which were sustained during
the stampede out of the Awolowo Hall cafeteria and later
on during the attack."
The Mirror Online reports "The victims, which included
the then Students’ Union Secretary General, George Yemi
Iwilade, (fondly called Afrika); 400 level medical
student, Eviano Ekelemu; a graduating student, Yemi
Ajiteru; 100-Level Philosophy student, Babatunde Oke, and
Ekpede Godfrey were gunned down by the “marauding
beasts” in Blocks 5 and 8, Awolowo Hall." Prof. Roger
Makanjuola writes: "Tunde Oke was still alive but died on
the operating table. Four others, George Iwilade, Yemi
Ajiteru, Efe Ekede and Eviano Ekelemu, were brought in
dead. Eviano Ekelemu bled to death from gunshot wounds
to the groin and thigh. The other three died from gunshot
wounds to the head.
During the attack several accounts state the
members were heard to be "shouting, “Legacy, come out!”"
referring to the suspended Students’ Union President, Lanre
Adeleke. Additional targets of the attacks are described
also. Prof. Roger Makanjuola's account states the same and
he also writes: "During the course of the incident, the
attackers also shouted the names of “Afrika”, George
Iwilade, and “Dexter”, the Chief of the Kegites, demanding
that they come out."
Of the targets of the massacre Lanre Adeleke (Legacy)
managed to escape by jumping from a balcony after
hearing the gunfire. “Dexter”, the Chief of the Kegites, also
escaped unharmed. George Iwilade (Afrika), the Secretary-
General of the Students’ Union and a Law student was not
so lucky. Upon entering his room the "shot him
immediately in the head. Then they smashed his head
with their axe to make sure he was dead".
It is reported George Iwilade (Afrika) was the only
successfully assassinated victim. "Afrika, who was said to
have carried out the arrest (relating to the incident on
Saturday, 7 March 1999), was mercilessly butchered
while the other four were just unfortunate victims"
Prof. Roger Makanjuola gives the order of events as been:
"They first entered Room 184, where they shot and killed
Efe Ekede, a Part II Psychology student. In Room 230,
they shot Charles Ita, a Part II Law student. A group of
the attackers then shot Yemi Ajiteru, a Part II Religious
Studies student, through the head in the corridor outside
the Kegites’ headquarters. In Room 273, they found George
Iwilade (Afrika), the Secretary-General of the Students’
Union and a Law student, and shot him through the head,
along with another occupant, Tunde Oke, a Part 1 student
of Philosophy, who was shot in the abdomen. When the
attackers got to Room 271, the room allocated to the
suspended Students’ Union President, Lanre Adeleke
(Legacy), they found that he had escaped. Legacy was in
his room when he heard the first gun shots..... The band
of thugs proceeded to Fajuyi Hall on foot, where they shot
and killed one more student. That individual, Eviano
Ekelemo, a medical student, was certainly not a student
activist, but they shot him anyway.". However the order in
which the victims were killed varies in various testimonies
by a number of witnesses.
Prof. Roger Makanjuola's account of the cultist's
escape is"The murderers left Fajuyi Hall on foot and went
through the bush path behind the Hall back to their
vehicles. They drove to the Students’ Union building,
which they ransacked. They returned to their vehicles and
drove out of the University through the main gate. The
security staff, having heard gunfire, fled for their lives.
Thus the exit of the marauding thugs was unchallenged."
You can read up at

http://www.oaupeeps.com/2016/07/july-10-oau-massacre-what-actually.html

Aftermath and the powerful congress
The day after the attack it is reported "President Adeleke
presided over an assembly in the enormous amphitheater of
Oduduwa Hall; he demanded the immediate resignation of
Wole Omole, the loathed vice chancellor who impeded
student efforts to eliminate cults (Omole, for example,
failed to expel the previously apprehended eight cultists).
An award of 10,000 nairas ($100 U.S.) was offered for
Omole’s capture and hundreds of students occupied the
administration building, refusing to leave until Omole was
fired."
Prof. Roger Makanjuola writes of what followed the
massacre: "In the aftermath of the attack, the whole
university was enveloped in fear and there was chaos in the
halls of residence. However, within a short time, the
President of the Students’ Union, Lanre Adeleke, was able
to restore order and mobilise his colleagues. The students
went to the town searching for the perpetrators in locations
where cult members were thought to be living. They
“arrested” three individuals and brought them back to
Awolowo Hall. These were Aisekhaghe Aikhile, a Part I
student of Agricultural Economics, Emeka Ojuagu, and
Frank Idahosa (Efosa). Efosa and Ojuagu were arrested in
a public transport vehicle that was about to leave Ife.
The students exhibited black clothing, two berets and two
T-shirts, that had been found in Ojuagu’s bag, which was
claimed to be the uniform. Efosa was a known
member of the . He had been expelled from the
University of Benin and was later admitted for a diploma
programme in Local Government Studies in Ife. The three
of them were savagely beaten and tortured in the Awolowo
Hall “Coffee Room”, the traditional venue for such events.
The inverted commas have been employed because coffee had
not been known to be served there for many years. Efosa
and Oguagu are said to have confessed to participating in
the attacks during their “interrogation”, and Efosa is said
to have gone further to state that the attack was organised
to avenge the humiliating treatment of the
members who had been arrested in Mr. Mekoma’s house on
7 March.
In the course of the interrogation, Aisekhaghe Aikhile died,
and his body was taken to the hospital mortuary. The
interrogations also yielded the information that 22 Black
Axe members were involved, six from the University, four
from the University of Lagos, four from the University of
Ibadan, and eight from the University of Calabar. There
was also a separate claim that more students from the
University of Benin were also involved.
The VC, Professor Wale Omole, had been out of the
country on 10 July 1999, the day of the attack and in his
absence, the Deputy VC (Academic), Professor A.E.
Akingbohungbe, was in charge. Soon after his arrival, the
VC was summoned to Abuja to give a report of the incident
the day after he returned to campus. On 14 July, his
suspension was announced by the Government."
Several days later on the 18th July 1999 Prof. Roger
Makanjuola was appointed Vice Chacellor and as
replacement to Professor Wale Omole. He promised the
students of Obafemi Awolowo University he would do
everything in his power to bring the perpetrators to justice.
Firstly he visited the Commissioner of Police, Mr. J.C.
Nwoye, in Osogbo who raised the issue that the university
still hadn't officially reported the murders despite what he
said had been repeated requests. Prof. Roger Makanjuola
summarily wrote and submitted the required paperwork
officially reporting the murders.
Prof. Roger Makanjuola gives the following account of what
followed: "A total of 12 individuals were arrested and
charged to court over the three weeks following the
murders, including Efosa and Ojuagu. Only one of those
involved in the March episode was among those arrested.
The other eight could not be located. Two of them had
obtained their transcripts and resumed their studies in
France. The students brought information on the
whereabouts o f a major suspect, Babatunde Kazeem (Kato),
and we provided a vehicle so that the Police could go with
the students to the address in Lagos and arrest him. Kato
was a former student who had been “advised to withdraw”
from the University as a result of academic failure. He
had been apprehended by the Students’ Union in August
1997 when he admitted to being a secret cult member. He
was subsequently handed over to the Security Department,
but there is no record of what happened after that. We also
provided the Police with information on three other
individuals, “Innocent”, “Yuletide” and “Ogbume.” Sadly,
nothing came of this, even though we provided Ogbume’s
address in Victoria Garden City, Lagos. The arrested
persons were charged to the Ile-Ife Magistrate’s court for
the murders.
The Judicial Commission of Enquiry was eventually
inaugurated in Abuja on 18 October, but did not start work
until 24 November, and eventually arrived in the
University on Sunday, 28 November. The Chairman was
Justice Okoi Itam. There were six other members, including
Professor Jadesola Akande, an experienced and highly
respected academic and university administrator, and Ray
Ekpu, the journalist. Ms. Turi Akerele was later deployed
as legal counsel to the Commission. A flamboyant but
highly capable alumnus, Adeyinka Olumide-Fusika, led a
team representing the students.
The Commission’s report was submitted in February 2000
and was released, along with the Government’s white paper,
later that year. The Commission expressed its strong belief
that seven named individuals had participated in the
killings—Frank Idahosa (Efosa), Didi Yuletide, Kazeem
Bello (Kato), and four individuals who were identified only
by their nicknames or Christian names—Innocent,
Athanasius, “Ochuko”, and “Chunk.” The last was
identified as the then head of the secret cult.
The Commission also recommended the investigation of 16
other individuals, including Emeka Oguaju and the nine
involved in the 7 March episode. The Panel criticised the
police investigation of the case and recommended that the
Inspector-General of Police should set up a special task
force to take it over.
The cases against those charged in the Chief Magistrate’s
Court for belonging to an illegal organisation eventually
came to nothing. However, we were very hopeful of a
successful prosecution of the murder cases against Efosa
and company. The case in the Osogbo High Court, which
commenced on 9 April 2001, wound on. Evidence for the
prosecution was taken from a number of students and some
other witnesses. There was adjournment after adjournment.
In mid-2002, the Judge hearing the case was transferred
to Iwo, and the case along with it. There was a further
delay while the exhibits were also subsequently taken to
Iwo. To the amazement of everyone, the Judge upheld a
“No Case” submission by the defence on 5 November 2002.
The three accused persons were released and they
subsequently disappeared…"
In 2009 it was reported: "Ten years after the carnage, the
relatives and associates of the victims as well as students
of OAU are still crying out for justice."

#AfrikaLivesOn:OAU Students Remember Fallen Heroes

In remembrance of the July 10,1999 fallen martyrs, the
Obafemi Awolowo University Students' Union has organized
a 2-day programme to commemorate it.
The fallen OAU 5 include; George Iwilade (a.k.a Afrika),
Efe Ekpede, Babatunde Oke, Eviano Ekelemu and Yemi
Ajiteru.
The event kicked-off today at about 10am with signing of
the Condolence register at AngloMoz car park. Despite the
present shutdown of the university, some conscious students
of OAU were present to sign the condolence register in
honour of the fallen martyrs.
Speaking with OAU Peeps News Agency , the CSO and
acting Students' Union leader, Comrade Olumighty said
the remembrance of the OAU 5 comes up every year and it
is done so as to remind every great Ife student that some
people died for their just course - which is to liberate and
combat cultism, violence and other vices on OAU Campus.
He further narrated the event saying the fallen heroes
sacrificed their lives for the serenity presently enjoyed on
campus starting from working without fear at midnight
coupled with total eviction of cultism on OAU campus.
Olumighty however stated that students greater than these
martyrs can still surface, but only if all great Ife students
unite and fight for their rights especially with the present
bad situation on campus.
The remembrance also witnessed an anti-cultism parade/
security search and film show. Tomorrow, July 10, has
been slated for a symposium, candle night procession and
bonfire.


http://www.oaupeeps.com/2016/07/afrikaliveson-oau-students-remember.html


Cc:Lalasticlala,Fynestboi

R.I.P to the fallen hero's


FTC

Let's do a little exercise today go to church pray for Nigeria.

Touching

They live on in our hearts!

OAU students will always remember you
Rest in Perfect peace

GreatIfe
#SayNoToCultism
#SayNoToViolence

When i remember...remember water run away me eyes o...A...E...A...E...water run away me eyes o...

I can still remember that cloud of sadness that eveloped the whole of Iwo town when George Iwilade was laid to rest...

Sleep on comrades...

This event happened occurred in my last year as a primary school student. *reading

Say no to cultism

A block was also named after him @ Angola hall. RIP, AFRIKA. He lives on.

ok

Just imagine.... Arrested cultist with clean n pure evidence,yet dey were granted bail. Wherever d judge is,b it alive or dead, it will not be well with him. Most of dis top men in our society are once cultist, dats d main reason why dis useless dude found it easy to scale tru any court ish.
.
.
.
Back den, dats d spirit of Aluta..... Imagine a day after d cultist unleashed dia terror agenda, d S.U.G organized demsef n search for some of d cultist,unlike some useless sug we av now, most of dem are V.C dogs.

Actually i wonder if i should say eeya or sorry or whatever. . .

I remember the gory pictures in the pages of newspaper

I got banned and now i'm releasing what actually happened.


I GOT BANNED

Say no to cultism.

I was born in Ife. I grew up very close to OAU. I was there when it all happened. George Iwilade was actually a thorn in the flesh of cultists and he was very popular on campus. The aftermath of his assasination reduced cult activities considerably. His death pains me till today but he left a good legacy. #AfrikaLivesOn

Mmmh

George Akinyemi Iwilade, one of the brightest stars and great future leaders to have ever come from the ancient town of Iwo in Osun state. I was privileged to attend his burial and I doubt if any event had ever and has since pulled so great a crowd and shut down the ancient town like his burial.

In short, Iwo lost a great ambassador!

Too long abeg






quote me and goto Dubai

Just like yesterday... Remember waking up to this news on RayPower Fm.

This news always making front page

Every year this story will resurface again. Is it being told to remind the families of the dead ones or brush the ego of the cultist.?
In the 90s and early 2000 stories of killings and unfortunate death filled every where mostly in the east and south south of which this story is way below the ladder of the wanton destructions caused .
This story is painting of a pix where some of our young ones will start liking cultist life rather than the opposite.
Lets give the dead a break to RIP.

Remembering AFRIKA.

I remember the news then on Channels TV.

The sights were gory.

If I didn't know better, I would have sworn Falz wrote this story.

I believe cultism is for the low self esteemed and pussies......

Who latter graduates and become police men..smh