Editor’s note: In concluding this series of reminiscences, this and the next edition contain the accounts of two of the Igbo students who did not return to Ibadan with others, as they were not in their final year.
Tension began to rise when the Aburi Accord failed, and Ojukwu asked non-easterners to leave the east, as he couldn’t guarantee their safety, given the mood of the people. Students in institutions in the east had to leave. As a result, many students of eastern origin left the Universities of Lagos and Ibadan to relocate to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
The pharmacy students at the University of Ife, Ibadan Campus, were stuck in Ibadan as there was no pharmacy course at Nsukka. Thus, after Col. Ojukwu’s early morning broadcast on 30 May, declaring Biafra and making us foreigners in Nigeria, it became necessary for us to seek protection!
We gathered at the Porter’s Lodge. This togetherness encouraged everyone. We all moved to the vice-chancellor’s lodge. The VC, Prof. Hezekiah Oluwasanmi, met with us and showed understanding and concern for our dilemma. He immediately got in touch with the military governor of the Western Region. Within a short time, arrangements had been made for two buses with police escorts to take us to Benin, the capital of the Midwest Region. We left the VC’s place to pack our luggage.
For me, I couldn’t leave Ibadan without my niece at the nursing school at UCH Ibadan. I had to go and bring her along with two of her friends to join us.
Exit from Ibadan
When we eventually boarded the vehicles to depart, some other students came to say goodbye. Most of them were ladies. We left the campus in two luxury buses, but Eugene Okonkwo, Bona Obiorah, and Moses Azuike had their own cars and gave lifts to some of us.
Change of mind
As the saying goes, “There is no point in having a mind if you can’t change it.”
By the time we reached Ore to refuel and refresh, a few students including Felix Agwaniru and Felix Anazodo decided to return to Ibadan that night.
For the rest of us who continued the homeward journey, when we arrived in Benin, we were handed over to the Midwest police command, which had been duly informed of our arrival. Our police escorts from Ibadan bade us goodbye and left. The Midwest command assured us of our safety, consequently, we required no escorts to travel through their territory to Asaba.
From Asaba the final year students returned to Ibadan in a hired vehicle. These students were Ifeanyi Atueyi, Eugene Okonkwo, Bona Obiorah, Pius Ogwueleke, Dennis Okolo and Moses Azuike.
At Asaba, we found that the Niger Bridge had been blocked to any form of vehicular movement. To cross to Onitsha, we carried our bags with the help of some hirelings.
Those involved in this ordeal included Dick Nwoke,Isaac Onyedum, Dave Ifudu, Ignatius Onaga, Evans Chidomere. The ladies were Mercy Uzuegbu, Kate Nwagbogu, Rose Atako, Stella Onyeike, Chinelo Ofodili, and others.
Once at Onitsha, everyone found their way to their respective destinations.
