Onyeka Nwelue: They killed my friend in Nsukka too

  Today, another UNN student was found hung on campus. People are going to say nice things about him. Everyone will be on his side. He is gone. Those who made sure he died are there. They will praise him in death, but I am very certain that they will die like him.

Pharell died in Nsukka and I heard about it after he had been buried. He was my very good friend. I hadn’t spoken to him in a long time, because I ran away from the University of Nigeria, leaving all my stuff behind. Books and books, bags and bags. Many things – I took off. I was going to die. I was not particularly scared of anything, but I was scared for my future. I had deep fears, which my family totally understood.

People who knew me back on campus, knew where to find me, who they could find me with. I didn’t lack anything. Not at all. I just lacked peace and tranquility. I lacked total happiness. Not sure why, but it bugged me so much. I had to forcefully create a social life for myself. However, there were places I didn’t go to. Fear ruled everywhere. I will tell you what: just few days after my matriculation, a human head was seen hanging at the New Arts Theatre in Nsukka campus. Someone had been killed just few days after my matriculation! I didn’t know this dead person, but my heart wept for him. Stories drivelled, but those who know the true story can tell us later.

Pharell was my very good friend. We drank together, we walked around together, and we made noise like the others together. We created some social life for ourselves, since everyone else on campus studied and studied and concentrated on grades they ended up not getting.

Pharell, too, was deep into his studies. First year, I was so into it, but I had a dream where I attended my funeral and someone at my funeral said something: “Now he’s gone. He hasn’t even done anything for himself.” The moment I woke up, I made up my mind that I was not going to die without doing anything for myself. I won’t stay back to live the dreams of anyone in my family.

Gradually, I made my family members realize that I was going to drop out. I did. Yet, I came back to Nsukka to visit those friends.

Pharell was my very good friend, which is why I’m deeply hurt. He was from Mbaise. I’m from Mbano. One of the Christmas holidays, he visited my hometown and came to my house and he met my parents. He stammered so much. My mom made a joke that I have all kinds of friends. She liked him.

Yes, Pharell found it hard to talk. He channelled most of his energy into doing and not talking. He spoke less and did more. But when Pharell died, I didn’t know. When he was buried, I didn’t know. Another friend called me after his funeral and told me that Pharell was poisoned in Nsukka. I was not shocked.

Today, another UNN student was found hung on campus. People are going to say nice things about him. Everyone will be on his side. He is gone. Those who made sure he died are there. They will praise him in death, but I am very certain that they will die like him. Whether he woke up and decided to rope himself to death or he was driven to it by some pain he must have gone through, nobody knows for sure now. There are too many students in UNN whose job is to make sure they frustrate you, either through their actions or verbal exchanges.

Pharell died, because I was not there. This is what I think. He died, because we didn’t talk for a long time. If he will rest in peace, I am not sure. His death disturbs me a lot. It bothers me. For his death, I chose to forgive every student in UNN who made me feel rejected and completely inadequate.

Pharell died, because he had the opportunity to leave. He wanted something from UNN: his transcript. Then, they killed him. They killed him. They killed him.

 

Editor’s note: Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

Comments (39)

  1. Jerry…College of education is now a place people waist dia God given time on nofin nd yet graduate abi???….stop thinking like a dat…coming to d issue ozones death,I can't still believe he did it because I hv known dat dude far back at school nd I know his religiously,academically and mentally built…he has no reason to do such..let's call a spade a spade…In ma(unizik) student was found dead in her room sm yrs bck…after much investigation,it was discovered dat she was raped and silenced by a lodge mate…you guys shld look into Ozones death nd stop being calm because another might happen..

  2. never commentd but am forced to cos of this write-up.let me start wit apologisin for any typo cos am multi-tasking.i finnised from oau and am sure you all must have hrd our story.finnished pol sci to be precise and this is were we had d akindele,sat,prof wit a wandering bdicks n occultic lectures.in the case of akindele,if he notices you,he must want u n d worst part of it is that its d ladies that will mpay for the hotel room he will fuck you in,you must call himn everyday to ask him if he wants n when he wants so you go and arrange the room for him.if you dont do this he will fail you and the worst is he will sleep with him n do all sorts of nasties and and will still fail you and if you asked him why,he will tell you dat you were boring in bed CHAI.i spent additional 2yrs in oau cos i refuse to go near that dirt bag and mi parents ddnt unstand even when i told them that am not the only one.they felt if i had gon e to eastern skools like mi siblings i wont av bin in that mess.MI POINT IS I SURVIV ED,I NEVER GAVE UP,MI MATES WENT TO SERVICE B4 ME N MI JR FRNDS LEFT ME IN SKOOL BUT HERE I AM,WITH A WONDERFUL HUBBY,TWO BOYZ AND TRIVING BIZ AND I DDNT COMMIT SUCIDE.

  3. I didn't know Mbano is now in Owerri? The accuracy of you story is ironically amazing!

    1. Ehime Mbano is in Imo State. Goodluck with your amazing UNN brain!

  4. So what's your point? Onyeka, u be first class ZUWU……………..heavy OP.

  5. A deep reflection on personal experience, it may not be the same story for everyone, but this writer told his well…

  6. Some pple come to nsukka n after flexing all their time drinking n womanising,carry overs pile up for them..d next thing as cowards they blame it on evil spirits..lol..these pple deserve to go to colleges of education where they can play n graduate n not UNN coz if u don't have it,u will surely not graduate…

  7. Onyeka is always controversial when it comes to UNN…that was how he said crap about the Theatre Arts Department not having any facilites without checking…mtschewww

  8. Mr. Nwelue, I too am a graduate of UNN and unlike u, I wont waste words trying to create phantoms wastelands as u have done in trying to depict Nsukka as being a place of no return. I'll only say this. Nsukka only gives u the best when u apply 2 ingredients: put in tangible effort and activate your efforts through prayer and being close to God. If u apply 1 and leave the other, @ best u'll be left with acute disappointment. At worst…..well, I do not wish to speak ill of the dead but u know where I'm driving at. I pray prospective jambitos don't read this your write up. it'll serve to just put unnecessary and false fear in their hearts.

  9. Onyeka said his friend Pharell was poisoned, and this time a 'guy' hung himself, and he implies that UNN is responsible for that. Does it make sense? Whether he hung himself or not, the point I'm making here is that there are two different sorts of experience: individual and collective. The incidents we are talking about are purely personal, that is individual; whereas the anti-Bartho riot held when I was an undergraduate of the school is a collective experience. And it's uncalled for if one blames the public, that is the collective (the institution or students or lecturers) for his/her bad individual experience(s). One ought to sort it by oneself as a brave fellow rather than blame certain factors. And remember when you start blaming some factors as I said people will start looking down @ you as a mere coward. Yes, it's possible the guy did not hang himself but how does it make UNN or Nsukka or all her students or lecturers bad? How? I see no point in this sentimental judgement! May be tomorrow someone on extra year who couldn't graduate because of many carry over courses would cook up something of this sort in order to find an excuse for failures as an undergraduate…it's uncalled for.

  10. Nd Obi, did you just say "if UNN people had brains"? Sorry for you! Ndo! I'm ashamed on your behalf… But let me school you; You'll call it what it looks like first before calling it what it doesn't look like. You must not go to school to understand these things… Puuuuh

  11. Onyeka
    I understand you are a writer from my findings.
    Could you please use your number 6 to write than writing like you live in pluto. Your write up pleads to insult we UNN graduates who went through the system and are ready to stand up for it.

    It may not be 100% perfect, but the same UNN is what my mum, me, my cousins passed thru, and still some of my cousins are still there. You are writing like UNN is even 1/10th of what Ekpoma used to be in terms of cultism which is quite apalling.

    Your writeup as far as I am concerned is completely empty. Empty! Empty! Empty! It does not reveal anything apart from the fact that you were a failure at UNN. A failure because of the reasons you gave for leaving.

    OThers have left UNN for better reasons some going to open companies as they felt UNN constricted their abilities. Others left to go to other universities to study other courses, others left to go outside the country to pursue dough.

    In your own case, your reasons of 'fear ruling everywhere' (lol) and dreams you had (rotflmao) are plain dumb. Please tickle me more with other reasons I beg of you.

    Is it not the same UNN that I went through, that people are still there. Na our fault say you no fit handle your fears? Omo shun, fear has always been in UNN right from time. Its not the first time, someones heard has been severed in UNN, yet people are still fighting to get into the university. Your story of your nightmare making you to run leaving your books na pikin talk. You are meant to still be in primary school because its only kids that act that way. Men take charge of their destiny and pray shit out of their dream.

    Make una see this boy o. So because I dream say accident go happen on my way to go sign $1B contract, I no go come go sign the contract. Something wey I go simply pray over the thing. Mscheew abeg I advice you to delete this blog and repost another leaving out this yr yeye dream.

    No matter what, I always say it, irrespective of the reasons, its 110% plain foolishness and cowardice for someone to take his life. There are people that the school UNN has held down even when they were meant to graduate, yet they still are hustling to leave the school even if it will take many years they fight and fight to be able to graduate. Why because they are soldiers WHO SEE THE SUN AT MIDNIGHT!

    1. On point! Go easy on the guy though, u are taking it too personal sha. Still on point though.

    2. Kach easy for the guy na. You na see say the guy na smallie wen no sabi wetin e dey yarn?

    3. Mr. UNN you are a typical example of Nigeria… always afraid to say it as it is because like you said you be soldier who dey see sun for the midnight called Nigeria… UNN is just another sub-strata of a society that describes the living hell that Nigeria is and how people like you that have become part of the system and blind to it wrongs… Let's ask ourselves in truth and honesty is UNN or any other university in God forsaken country run the way an international standard university should administered? Can your great UNN compare to any university in South Africa or Egypt or Libya or even Ghana? Tell me honestly Mr. Bsc. UNN is the way you were examined the way a student of a university should be examined? We are all part of a failed system and still praise a system we should be condemning and looking for a way to straigthen… there is no light now so I can write more like I would like to but I promise to do so when PHCN brings light….

  12. …then the Lions began to roar:.

    Onyeka's fears were personal.he saw,felt and envisaged what we all might never encounter..

    I am still to find where he has accused UNN of all the murders.

  13. And who is to say that he hung himself? Was anyone there went it happened? How come no one is thinking of foul play wen the boy's story gives no reason for suicide? The previous one in Unn was certainly not suicide and if UNN people had brains they'll stop calling it that wen they look at the circumstances and position of the murder! Then again, Wat can one expect from naija? *sighs*

  14. Oga Onyeka,
    Its painful when one loses a friend. Very painful, but we must not in the middle of the pain begin to make accusations against abstract people.

    For one, your article is empty. Its completely empty as it just only gives us a feeling of how you love your friend, plus the fact that you left the university. Apart from those, your article is just empty!
    I had like to point out a few things here:
    1. You are not the first that has left UNN neither will you be the last. During my time at UNN, a couple of people left for different reasons. Reasons such as opting for another path in life, or to another university. Some left because they believed they could open companies and end up better-off than going through UNN. So in your own case, your reason of you having a dream of your own death is quite funny (forgive me if its the wrong word). Its funny when you consider #2.

    2. I do have dreams too of scenarios that are not palatable at all. I've had these sort of dreams right from when I was a kid just like am sure everyone does have nightmares whether as a result of malaria (lol) or stress or more popularly – spiritual stuff. But what do I do when I have these dreams is what matters? Do I go hiding under a rock or run leaving my 'bags and books' behind? Capital NO. I simply pray about it and bring to submission every evil intent. Of course it depends on what level you are operating. How can for heavens sake will someone allow dreams affect his destiny. No way bruv!

    3. UNN has always been UNN that's why its a university. A university comprising of all sorts of people. Certainly badt guys go dey just like good guys go dey. Your yarns say 'Fear ruled everywhere' is even more funny. WHy? Because fear has always ruled UNN attimes esp during matriculation, graduation or at any time because of cults. Cultism no start as you enter UNN oga. Its been there as an option allowing you to choose between it, or being a normal 'ju-man'. Yet as everyone has said, plenty people don pass thru the same university without any shaking. My Mama pass thru the same university yet nufin do am. Me pass thru am, my cousins just graduate last year from the same university, others still dey there, so as far as I am concerned you are just looking for an excuse to justify your leaving UNN. There are better excuses bruv.

    4. He is not the only one who has been a lecturers favourite, neither is he the first one that will be under two scholarships.

    There are plenty people who have been or were frustrated in UNN o either of their own doing or someone failing them continuously. Yet they still soldiered on or are soldiering on. They didn't run leaving their books and certificates behind.

  15. @Onyeka its a good thing yu've shared your opinion, but its also worth remembering dat UNN as it's often called 'the lions den' it is meant for brave-hearted men & women who are ready to face their worst nightmare rather than runaway or go and hang themselves.

  16. I wish he can come back to life again so i can kill him one more time for being so facking stupid

  17. Whatever happened to Pharell or this 'guy' is an individual streak, and must not be coated in a collective skin. They are not the first and would not be the last that have and would walk the face of rigorous academics in the UNN and scale through. There's nothing wrong with the school or the town which has produced most great men in Nigeria today. Let's be guided.

  18. Dear Onyeka, you sound so contemptuous. And I've seen your point. However, like I said, it's an individual issue. There's nothing in the school or town that kills anybody. And again incidents of this kind did not start and does not occur only in the town or school. If it's repeatedly occurring in a particular fashion it could be a coincidence, not that there's an element in the school that's determined to deal a death blow to students by making it look as if they are tired of life. No! We can't be sure of anything anyway but one thing we are sure about is that even as these things seem to happen, students matriculate and graduate every year from that same school. So it's more of an individual issue.

  19. Onyeka! Seems like you are taking this whole thing personal. From your write up, it seems like you have scores to settle with UNN. First of all, I believe life is a gift and we as custodians of our lives have no right to throw it away, no matter the frustration. The world is a jungle, and the rule of the jungle is "survival of the fittest and elimination of the weak". If sojourn in UNN didn't work out well for you, don't blame it on UNN. UNN has impacted positively on the lives of many people and the people who didn't succeed didn't because they were lazy and I think you were one of them. The system here might be faulty, but a lot of people passed through here and scaled through all the hurdles and came out successful. If you want to know what killed Pharrel, order for an autopsy! The guy that got beheaded during your Matric was a cultist and he had it coming!

    1. I would like to know how successful you are! That goes to show a lot.

    2. Arecanimore Barsea You are on ground right now. When are u going to be online so I can get the 411 from you

    3. Onyeka Nwelue We see the world the way we are and not the way it really is. If you came to UNN, and could not achieve your purpose of coming(if you had any?) then, it means your mission was not successful. So what you should do is to ask yourself why you failed? Don't put the blame on the school, that is so cowardly, just like the young man who hung himself on Wednesday! A lot of people came to UNN to get a degree, and they were successful and you were not! Thats the success i am talking about! And please don't make this issue a personal one, where we start blowing our trumpets. Stick to the topic . And for your information UNN DOES NOT KILL PEOPLE. To get B.?, UNN no be do or die affair. If you cant handle the pressure of handwork, determination, persistence and discipline, LEAVE AM!!!!!

    4. The question is, how successful are you? You haven't even answered!

    5. The answer is that i came to UNN to get a degree and i succeeded and you came and you couldn't, you even ran away with your tails between your legs! This thread is not a personal! Its simply a response to your shallow viewpoint of frustrated students dying or killing themselves while in UNN. Stick to it!

  20. We are not talking about anyone scaling through your so-called rigorous academics. I am talking about how pertinent these murderous acts are! They are childish and unintelligent, made to look like these guys are tired of life. I've been more tired of life, but never took my life. They had no reasons to.

  21. My Brother and friend Onyeka Nwelue, you should have tried finding out what happened to this guy before publishing this… The University nor Nsukka as a community has got nothing to do with his 'hanging himself'. He was his lecturers' favourite, the class rep and was on 2 different scholarships from leading oil companies, his GP was above 4.1 already. Let's take it home.

    1. Please, tell us what happened to this 'guy'. I don't know. I'm only talking about my own Pharell.

    2. Whatever happened to Pharell or this 'guy' is an individual streak, and must not be coated in a collective skin. They are not the first and would not be the last that have and would walk the face of rigorous academics in the UNN and scale through. There's nothing wrong with the school or the town which has produced most great men in Nigeria today. Let's be guided.

  22. Beautiful piece Onyeka Nwelue….nicely written, but what I don't get is…..these people you have talked about, what do they get from frustrating other students? Is it a race for academic excellence or plain old sadism?

  23. I feel this young writer knows what he's talking about.But it didn't really help me the reader because he speaks in abstract.No one can point a finger as to the reason he left school or his friend being killed in the quest of collecting his transcript.

    I pray he finds peace with himself.

  24. My thoughts exactly. Most people will wave this off but this dude knows what he's talking about….

  25. all sorts of deep stuff going on in this article but many will not understand. Nigeria when will you stop eating your young?

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