12 years ago today, the Ago Iwoye students massacre happened. I remember the event like it was yesterday, I had a premonition something was going to happen that day.
I had left my own hall to quickly check my friend Oluwaseun Ogunkoya ,then mid way, the war chants started, people started running helter skelter, I couldn't turn back home, the nearest place to where I was at that time was my cousinand friend Teju Mosimiloluwa Shittu-Oguntola 's hall of resident, so I quickly made a detour. It turned out to be a safety haven.
Students were maimed ,raped and killed in their numbers. It had been a long time coming, the animosity between students and indigenes was palpable. So one incident was enough to trigger the mayhem.
Save for the Landlord of Teju's hall, who hid us in his flat later at night, the rampaging indigenes demanded the he released the students under his care, he stamped his foot down. They carried out the Oro ritual in broad daylight,the area is called Ayegbami and it has a high presence of indigenes. The chants of 'any student sha danu'( stab any students) still resonates in my head.
Network wasn't what it is now, it was bad then, especially in a rustic town like Ago. Parents trying to get their wards on the fone as they were worried stiff. My hallmates I left at home had quickly made it to Lagos all thanks to the secluded area we stayed back then.
The fracas led to the Oba's palace burnt completely to the ground, it was a battle reminiscent to that of Kiriji.. Chaos reigned supreme. The School was shut down for months.
Made it to Lagos the next day to the relief of family and friends. Resumed school after several months and most houses had been looted. The Students are the economic staying power of the community, once they leave, the place becomes almost deserted and some youths resorted to stealing what we left behind(My house was exempted).
What a tale to recount. And what a sordid experience.
Bibiirechic
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