Sequel to her death, No 12 Foster Street Phase 1, Jikwoyi, Abuja, residence of the Ebegbas has become a pilgrimage centre of some sort as it witnesses the daily influx of sympathizers.
Sources close to her family said Afuoke, 21, had gone to the permanent site of the school as early as 10:00am that fateful day to defend her project but was not attended to as she was asked to come back the following day having stayed for well over eight hours in the school premises.
It was when crossing the high way that she was hit by a vehicle that evening without light on. Unfortunately, Afuoke didn’t survive to tell the story as her body was severely damaged and she died on the spot. Meanwhile her friend, who was on the other side of the road waiting for her, is currently in coma due to the shock.
Furthermore the death of Afuoke has brought to five persons who have lost their lives on that high way and this equally brings to the fore the urgent need for the government to hasten the completion of the pedestrian bridge along the Giri highway, lighting the area as well as install CCTV cameras in that environment.
The father of the deceased, Mr. Rufus Ebegba, in an emotion laden voice expressed displeasure to the authorities of the University of Abuja on what he described as their “insensitivity to the plight of the students,” alleging that huge sums of money was pumped into the school by the Federal Government yet there is nothing to show for it.
According to him, “if my daughter was not delayed up to 7:20pm for a project she was unable to defend on the account of the lecturers’ insensitive nature she wouldn’t have died. Second, the pedestrian bridge which is yet to be completed is few kilometers away from the school gate and is being covered by the bush.”
The younger sister to the deceased, Miss Lucia Ebegba, a 300l student of the Department of English and Literary Studies in the same school, described her sister as a decent, focused, friendly, industrious person whose company would be missed.
She blamed the school authority for their laxity in providing adequate security light around the high way even as she expressed her dissatisfaction in the poor security of the school (permanent site) which at the moment is fenceless.
An official in the office of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory who pleaded anonymity, has described the incidence as an unfortunate but was quick to add that students should change their attitude by doing the right thing.
According to the official, the pedestrian bridge built for the students though not completed can be accessed and wondered why students still risk their lives crossing the high way.
When asked about the lack of CCTV camera and road bumps around the area, he said that would be an arrangement between the school management and the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Sen. Bala Mohammed.
It would be recalled that Afuoke at about 7:28pm on that fateful day (two minutes before her death) pasted this comment on her bbm and it reads” UniAbuja…lol…just…lol…lol…ooh…ayy…lol…I go dey alright.” Indeed she must be alright where ever she is now.
She was buried last Tuesday at Karu Cemetery after a Requiem Mass held in her honour at St Ephraim Catholic Church, Jikwoyi, Abuja.
She was a student of Biological Sciences.
Her father, Mr. Rufus is a Deputy Director at Biosafety Unity, in Federal Ministry of Science and Technology, he has four kids and the deceased is the first child.
Meanwhile, the University of Abuja students protested the lack of any sign indicating that vehicles should slow down while approaching the school.
Construction of the pedestrian bridge has been on for a long time and not yet completed. She is the fifth student to have died on that spot.
Effe & Orgar wrote in from Abuja
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