Emmanuel Ogar|25 September 2016
Yesterday being 21st of September, 2016 was memorable to me as I received unanticipated call from my erstwhile Examination Officer from the Department of Physics. He called to enquire on certain matter of great importance. My phone rang when I had a nostalgic moment about my alma mater as I was ransacking my archive. It was when I stumbled on one of those numerous copies of letters addressed to me by the previous Vice Chancellor, Prof. James Epoke that the call actually was synchronized.
I had so many experiences which I may never forget. These experiences came from both staff and students. When I was the National President of the Nigerian Union of Campus Journalists, NUCJ cum the President of the University of Calabar council, I was a victim of sundry circumstances which by providence, I emerged unscathed.
Due to my activism and aptitude of projecting my searchlight at critical issues contiguous on students’ welfare, I was hated, abused and nicknamed, “controversial pressman" by the University authority. My admission was threatened and my privacy always on the watch by agents of the school. The SSS was not left out. I was warned to be mindful of what I write. They cautioned me that my write-ups, most especially the epistolary ones were capable of inciting and rabble-rousing students and Unical community into rampaging. They did all they could to gag and clamp me down, I was uncompromising as the rising sun; but I was always snooping with my ears down to pick the tiniest information.
On several occasions, the school’s coercive apparatuses, that is the Surveillance and a special unit of the security wing called Crack Team would barge into my room/lodge in the hostel and compelled me to follow them to their office. They would muscled me to write statement which often I stubbornly refused to write.
The then Dean of Students’ Affairs, Dr. Joe Asor (now professor and Dean, Faculty of Biological Sciences) would prevent me from attending meetings that focuses on students when other students’ leaders were invited. They accused me of getting information from the supposed enemies of Epoke. Severally, they recommended me to be rusticated. The school’s Senate Disciplinary Committee always summons me. Beautifully, the public court as usual always vindicates and exculpates me. The VC would tell me anytime we intercept each other that he had settled with my informants. I remember how he assaulted me in his office in the present of Ekureku students’ leaders (I shall soon begin to tell the story). Till date, I am yet to know who these informants were or are.
However, he at all times approved my proposals. When I was about transiting mantle of leadership to my successor, I wrote a letter to him on the intention of my union to award him for the massive infrastructural development witnessed in his tenure, sadly, he humbly rejected the offer. Below was his reply:
“National President NUCJ. I quite appreciate your recognition and nomination of award of ‘Excellence Achievement’. In as much as I do not reject the award, may I say that you should rather join hands with me to inculcate discipline and world best standards in academics, especially prompt registration to our students to move us away from the doldrums of the past. When all of us are in tandem and if we are able to make reasonable impact on our University, then and only then will I joyfully count our gains and receive awards".
“For now the task has only just been defined and let us put all hands on deck. Do you know that as of now (10/7/2012) only 57% of our students are registered? And first semester exams is around the corner. What of the other 43%. These are issues we still have to educate our students and I implore you to join hands with me for us to do so".
“At this same period, 98% of students in Uniuyo have registered and that is a younger University. I wish you a very happy inauguration.
“Aluta Continua
Victoria Accerta.”
Prof. James Epoke.
I was pleased with him. But he was (is) a very volatile and temperamental person. The August 26/27 of 2011 Unical riot would have been averted if not of his many challenges ranging from…
Because I was involved, I shall in the next few weeks as I will have the courage to tell some untold stories about the remote causes of the riot. Watch out till then.
Comr. Ogar, Emmanuel Oko.
The undisputable Baba50 and the controversial campus pressman as known and called then.
