Thread by @jiggyjosh_

THE STORY OF THE JULY 10 OAU MASSACRE:

THE STORY OF AFRIKA & Other fallen heroes together WITH EVIANO EKELEMU, YEMI AJITERU, BABATUNDE OKE & EKPEDE GODFREY

A THREAD 🧵

RETWEET TO ENLIGHTEN SOMEONE

Ife had a vibrant student union (SU) that didn't allow cultism to take root on its campus.

Before July 10 the union had arrested some cult members on campus

On 7 March 1999, the SU leaders received information that cult members were gathering in a house at Senior staff quarters

Led by George Iwilade 'Afrika' (the then Gen Sec), they drove there & forced their way into the boys quarter where they found & arrested 9 individuals, machine guns, weapons & regalia of Black Axe cult

The cultists were taken to Awo. They confessed they had come for initiation.

They mentioned Prof. Wale Omole (the then VC) & a senior staff member as their patrons

The school was informed & the cultists were handed to the Police. They were charged to the Magistrate Court but 2 weeks later were granted bail. The weapons & other evidence were destroyed.

the students found their way back into campus while the school took no action against them for being cult members. And eventually, they carried out their attack on July 10.

It was in the early hours of Saturday morning, the kegite club were having their annual gyration

The prime targets of the attack were the union leaders who stood up against cultism & advocated for students right.

About 4:30AM on Saturday July 10, 1999, around 48 members of the Black Axe cult, consisting of students from other schools, infiltrated the school campus.

They entered Awo Hall and proceeded to the SU president's(Legacy's) room. On their way at corridor they found a student sleeping & shot him. They got to Legacy's room but he had escaped having heard their gunshots.

Failing to find legacy, they headed straight to Afrika's room.

They found him sleeping and shot him in the head & hacked at his body. Tunde Oke, a 100 level student was also sleeping in the room & they shot at him as well, killing both of them

At the stairs they met Efe Ekede a Part II Psychology student & shot him too, killing him as well.

The cultists proceeded towards Faj Hall on foot where they shot & killed one more student, Eviano Ekelemo, a Part 5 medical student, before they eventually drove out of campus.

Two of the cultists who perpetrated the act, Emeka & Efosa, were caught that same day

And through them the rest were caught. They confessed to being sponsored by Prof. Wale Omole and that were given 350,000 by the school on July 8 to get the ammunition they used.

Professor Wale Omole was suspended & relieved of his post as Vice Chancellor.

The perpetrators of the massacre were never brought to book and were eventually released after 3 years.

But as a mark of honour, those killed during the massacre, known as the "OAU Five" (OAU5), are always remembered every July 10.

Afrika's death together with Eviano Ekelemu, Yemi Ajiteru, Babatunde Oke, and Ekpede Godfrey is not just a remembrance of the havoc in Cultism and the birth freedom for OAU students but also a symbol of a bad Justice System. #July10 #OAU5

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