According to a popular adage, “It is hell to be a Nigerian living in Nigeria”. Despite the abundance of resources to cater for the need of all, citizens still struggle to get the basic needs of life because of poor leadership. In 2012, over 1.5 million secondary school students scrambled to sit for the JAMB examination (Joint Admission and Matriculation Board. During this period, a boy named Samuel burnt his midnight candle to cross the cut-off mark of 180 required to gain entry into the University. As fate had it, he passed and was invited for an aptitude test at the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi. I recall the stress we the applicants passed through before sitting for the exam. Our invitation forms initially indicated that the examination was scheduled to take place at the animal farm axis of the school. However, an impromptu announcement came in for a change of venue to the South core axis of the school (a distance of about 4 km). Confusion beclouded the applicants as many hopped onto bikes and moved vehicles on sight to make it to the new venue. After hours of waiting, some examiners came in to organize the marmot crowd for the commencement of the exam. Weeks after the conduct of the exam, results were released with a follow-up merit admission list. Fortunately enough, Samuel scored high and was granted admission to study Animal science at the school. New students were then asked to conclude screening and resume in January 2013 for the commencement of the full lecture. The screening was a very stressful exercise synonymous with military recruit training. Students stood for hours unattended despite the scorching heat that characterizes Northern Nigeria. For me, I spent about 3 days before I was able to scale through the screening process.
When the lecture commenced, Samuel, a fair boy with a plump physique of average height put in his best to attend lectures and take down notes. Despite the fact that the convocation square (assigned venue for B-Agric lectures) could not accommodate the over a thousand students taking the course, this determined young boy chose to stand for hours like a traffic warden taking lecture notes instead of loitering around. After each day's stressful lecture that sometimes ended by 6 pm, he will have to trek for some kilometres to his hostel to cook and then head to class for night study. This routine continued until he joined the Man O War (a uniform youth organization under the supervision of Citizenship and the ministry of Youth and sports development). The history of the organization could be traced back to 1951 when the Late doctor Alex Dickson, a Briton found the training centre in Southern Cameroun. Ten years prior to this time, Late Dr Kurt Han found the outward-bound school in Aberdovey Germany and at that particular junction, it was called the Man O war Bay.
In Nigeria, the group was founded in the month of August 1960 in Kura Falls Jos. It later transferred to Shere Hill, Jos, which is also known as the Man O war bay training centre.
The functions of the group include:
*To enlighten Nigerians on national issues
*Builds up public sentiment towards the Nigerian flag
*Provide education for Nigerians concerning democratic responsibility
*Helps project a positive image of Nigeria
*Provide education for Nigerians concerning nation building
*Helps the public appreciate Nigeria’s history
*Build up Nigerians for patriotic duties
*Renders voluntary social services to the society
*Encourages members to discover themselves
*Rendering rescue and emergency services to the society
Samuel being a boy that hated injustice and oppression was able to have a seamless recruitment into the Uni Agric command of the organization. On Wednesdays around 4 pm, he in the company of his colleagues would assemble at the parade ground to practice drill, combat and train. No wonder, he had a rapid rise within the command.
In our fourth year at the University, Samuel was able to continue managing his academic work in spite of his selfless service to his immediate community. It was common to see him executing his security duties during convocations, matriculations and student union elections while his peers scrambled to catch empty seats in lecture halls.
One day, he left the campus for a brief visit to Makurdi town. While there, he decided to go and watch a football match at a viewing centre within his neighbourhood. In the process, a boy stole a phone. Samuel being a member of the Man O War sought to investigate the matter and offer help. In the process of confronting the suspect, a disagreement ensued which prompted the parent of the accused boy to call the attention of SARS (special anti-robbery squad) to the scene. On arrival, this unit of the police never cared to listen to the narrative from Samuel. Instead, he was bundled into a van a mercilessly manhandled. As the beating continued, an exhausted Samuel breathed his last breath and died in the hands of these rogue police officers who should have protected the life of this promising Nigerian. When the news reached us in school, we were all devastated that such a young promising life was cut short due to the neglect of authorities concerned with police brutality control. It is close to six years since the incident occurred but I doubt if the justice he deserved was granted. I have decided to leverage this unique platform granted to me by the president of the International Human Rights Festival to amplify the human rights issue of a dear mate of mine who suffered police brutality.
References
https://www.medianigeria.com/history-of-nigeria-man-o-war
https://facebook.com/MAN-O-WAR-Nigeria
https:www.dailytipsfindr.com/functions-of-man-o-war-nigeria