Tears flowed freely yesterday as remains of Lloyd Toku Mike, one of
the four University of Port Harcourt (UNIPORT) students, who was
brutally murdered in Omuokiri community, Aluu clan, Rivers State, on
October 5, 2012, were buried in Port Harcourt City cemetery, opposite
Free-Town Street, off Aggrey Road, Port.
Toku was a 200 level engineering student and first son of his
parents, Mr. & Mrs. Toku Mike. His dad is an Assistant Director of
Programmes, Rivers State Broadcasting Service. As early as 8am,
mourners and sympathisers had started gathering in their residence at
No. 29 Captain Amangala Street, Town, Port Harcourt. Some
sympathisers, who wore black T-shirt with Lloyd’s picture on it, moved
straight to mortuary, as they wanted to capture every bit of the
action, while other waited patiently at the residence.
At exactly 9:59am, the ambulance, a Ford Sports Utility Vehicle
(SUV) with a Lagos registration number, BDG 485 AS, bearing the corpse,
arrived the family house for the last time. “My baby is here,” the
grieving mother muttered, as she touched the ambulance bearing the body
of her cherished son. After about five minutes, the body was moved to
the field, where an open church service was held, before the remains
were taken to the Port Harcourt City Cemetery for internment.
After some soul-touching songs and choruses by members of Salvation
Ministries, one of the pastors of the church, Promise Jeremiah,
preached a sermon, taking his theme from Luke Chapter 16:22-30, which
talked about a beggar and Lazarus. He said in life, people must belong
to, either, Lazarus’ camp or beggar’s camp, heaven or devil’s camp. The
pastor urged his listeners to repent and to turn to God, as they might
not have another opportunity to make amends, when they die, just like
the rich man, who among others pleaded that Lazarus be sent to his
father’s house, to tell the members of his family to live righteous
life. In his tribute, Mr. Toku Mike, regretted that his son never spoke
to him for the last time before life was snuffed out of him.
He said: “Lloyd, you called and wished me happy birthday on Thursday,
October 4, 2012. You promised you would come home on Friday, October
5, 2012 after lectures but you never did. Little did I know that your
birthday wish was your goodbye to me, your mother, and your younger
brother. “Lloyd, why, why and why did you abandon us the way and manner
you did? Lloyd, we loved you so very much. Word alone can’t explain how
much love we had and still have for you even in death.”
He said if money and tears were enough to bring him back to life, he
and his wife wouldn’t have stopped crying, and would have gone extra
mile to borrow without hesitation. Mr. Toku, who later spoke to Saturday
Sun said he was sad that he would only be seeing the still picture of
his beloved son, instead of seeing and speaking with him in person.
Most of the people who spoke on the occasion condemned the federal
and Rivers State governments, for not sending representatives to the
burial ceremony. They also urged the security agencies to fish out the
suspected killers now at large. The students union leaders also
condemned the authorities of University of Port Harcourt for not doing
enough to ensure that the slain students get justice. As result of the
tension and uncomplimentary remarks made against UNIPORT authorities,
the representatives of the Vice Chancellor of the institution,
Professor Jospeh Ajienka, Professor Bellgam Henry, left the scene
without making any comments or remarks. But in the burial programme, the
condolences of the Vice Chancellor of University of Port Harcourt, sent
to the Toku’s family on October 11, 2012, Professor Ajienka, was
published. He described the circumstances leading to the gruesome murder
of the students as unfortunate, regrettable and condemnable.
“The entire university community is yet to recover from the shock of
that dastardly act. May I, on behalf of the Governing Council, Senate
and student of the University of Port Harcourt deeply commiserate with
you and your family on the sudden death of your son, Mike Toku,” he
wrote. Also, in a condolence message, dated November 1, 2012, and signed
by the commissioner, Ministry of Women Affairs, Mrs. Joeba West, Rivers
State government expressed shock over the death of Lloyd. West said as
a student of Family Support Primary school, Lloyd was hardworking and
promising.
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