Agony at UNIZIK

Pain, sorrow as varsity senate, management bid farewell to professor murdered by suspected cultists.

Members of the senate of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka convened an emergency meeting at the university’s auditorium on Thursday, April 13 to discuss an issue of grave importance.

They got a piece of information that rattled them concerning one of their own, Prof Anthony Nweke Eze. That information, which was a sad piece of news, was that Eze was murdered in cold blood by yet-to-be-identified assailants.

The varsity senators, who seemed unsure whether to believe that heartrending news or not, convened an emergency meeting to have a headcount of their members.

After an opening prayer and a few remarks by the Vice Chancellor of the university, Prof Charles Esimone, the registrar, Philomena Okoye, began to call out the members who responded to mark their presence.

The fifth person on her list was Prof Anthony Nweke Eze. She called three times but there was no response. It was at that point that it dawned on them that the sad news was true.

Although that list may not be the official register of the members of the university senate, that exercise was rather a tradition usually carried out during valedictory sessions for their deceased members.

With the sad news confirmed to be true, the senate turned Eze’s seat, which hitherto faced the audience in the auditorium, to indicate that his services to the university had sadly come to an end.

The VC, Esimone, said that the university actually got the sad news of Eze’s demise but could not believe it. He said that the senate and management of the varsity had been in shock over the devastating news.

“We got information a couple of months back that one of us, a very distinguished member of this senate; former Dean, Faculty of Education, professor of very high repute; that this very distinguished professor; a member of this senate is no more.

“This afternoon, we have come here as senators to authenticate this news and in the process, do our own due diligence as required by the tradition of the university; accord him that respect.

“From the roll call, the registrar has confirmed that Prof Anthony Eze who has, hitherto, been a very active member of this senate is no more”, he stated.

While making solemn remarks, Esimone moderated a minute silence observed in honour of the deceased. He also prayed for the peaceful repose of his soul.

“May we all rise, observe a minute of silence, in the process turn his seat to show that he is no more an active member of this senate,” he noted.

He then prayed: “The rare gem in the person of Prof Anthony Eze served us, he has served You in the process and they, as senate of the university, symbolised by the turning of the chair backwards to the audience, we are accepting the fact that it has pleased You to call him.

“We pray that You grant us the fortitude to bear his irreparable loss; not just the senate, not just in the faculty, not just his department but the university as a whole.

“But importantly also, the family, the community where he has served as a veritable role model, may we receive grace to bear this great loss. And may You in Your mercy spare us from such news.

“Prof Eze was a man who has touched many lives; played active roles in the affairs of our university and could be described, very correctly, as a person that died in active service.”

Eze was reportedly killed on Tuesday, February 7 this year by gun-wielding men suspected to be cultists.

According to a source, he was driving out of his residence at Ifite village, Awka to take his children to school when the gunmen stormed the area and launched an attack on him.

The source, who preferred anonymity, had narrated that the deceased attempted to flee for his dear life but was chased down by the assailants who opened fire on him.

“We were here this morning when Dr Eze was driving out of his house and suddenly a Toyota Corolla saloon car pulled towards the entrance of his house and when he tried to drive back, they followed him and shot him in the chest. We ran away.

“We later rushed him to Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University Teaching Hospital, Awka (Amaku), but the doctor on duty confirmed that he was dead,” the source had narrated.

Until his tragic death, Prof Eze was a lecturer in the Department of Technical and Vocational Education in the Faculty of Education and was still in active service.

He hailed from Umuezealor kindred, Ara village in Nise community, Awka South Local Government Area of Anambra State. He was 60 when he was murdered.

At the auditorium, the members of the university senate, including the VC, took time to make remarks about their encounter with him while he was alive.

First was the VC who condoled the bereaved family, particularly the wife of the deceased, Prof (Mrs) Peace Eze, and their children; praying God to grant them the fortitude to bear the loss.

“What has happened to you and your family has happened to all of us because, from the testimonies, we know that he was a man that was well-loved by the community.

“But then, God who gave him life decided that at this time to call him. All we have to do is to key into that timetable.

“So, I am encouraging you and your children to stop crying. The lesson now is for all of us to learn now that we don’t have this timetable. May God grant us the fortitude to bear this loss.

“May He strengthen us, strengthen you in the days ahead and beyond, in dark moments, to give you your succour and grace to look after the children and your loved ones and help to fill the big gap Anthony has left.

“Only God can do it and we pray He will do it for you and for us in Jesus’ mighty name,” Esimone prayed.

On her part, the Dean of the Faculty of Education, Prof Vivian Nwogbo, described her late colleague as a good man who showed her goodness.

“Like I said in our faculty, he was a great man; a man that was always full of smiles. You could not meet him frowning at any time. And he was also a man that was always ready to help. When I was in dire need, he came to my rescue. God just directed him and he helped.

“As a sub-dean, I worked under him. When he had a problem in our faculty, he called me and said ‘my daughter, I want things to move.’ He was interested in seeing students graduate.

“At all times he would ask ‘I hope that you don’t have a problem; I hope that there is no problem?’ And he is ever ready to assist.

“When I also came in as the Dean of the Faculty and there were some challenges; I looked up and down not knowing what to do. He would say to me, ‘my daughter don’t worry, if it becomes too difficult, I will loan you money just to ensure that things are moving.

“So, Prof Anthony Eze was a great man who was ever ready to help, ever ready to see things moving; ever ready to ensure that people didn’t suffer greatly. And we miss him greatly as a faculty. I miss him also as an individual. He impacted my life. It is really painful that today we miss him,” she said.

Also speaking, former Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, Prof. Uche Nwogwugwu, described the deceased as a man who “lived a good life and left good legacies.”

Eze’s wife, Peace, was distraught and as a result could not speak. But his first son, Uchenna Nweke-Eze, a lawyer, said that the family was deeply hurt by the sad incident.

While describing his father as a rare gem, Uchenna said: “What happened was a shock to all of us but we have handed it all to the hands of God.

“My father was a rare gem and is still a rare gem to all of us. He held Nnamdi Azikiwe University close to his heart. We are very pained by his passing.

“But we commit his soul into the hands of God; the God of justice. And we have faith that He will take care of us in His absence. So, please continue to pray for us, his family,” Uchenna said.

When the sad incident happened on February 7, 2023, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Tochukwu Ikenga, a deputy superintendent of police (DSP), had told newsmen that he was not aware of the development.

More than two months later, he still maintained that he was not aware of the incident when contacted by the reporter.

“Where was it reported please,” the police spokesperson asked the reporter in a WhatsApp chat when he was asked to provide an update on the incident which he had earlier claimed he was not aware of.(sunnews)