By Okey Ndiribe
Abia State Governor Mr Alex Otti last Tuesday wrote his name in gold when he immortalized the late human rights and pro-democracy activist, Comrade Chima Ubani. Otti named the newly remodeled, digitally equipped 80-bed General Hospital in Obingwa Local Government Area, after the activist who died in a ghastly road crash 21 years ago. Chima Ubani hailed from Obete-Uboma community which is located within the area.
It was from this community that Ubani journeyed to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, where he studied Crop Science and graduated in 1988. It was during his days at Nsukka that Ubani demonstrated his innate leadership traits. As President of the student’s union, his leadership style was revolutionary. He was brutally attacked during his early days in office by thugs believed to have been sent by a suspected business mogul whose bribe Ubani had rejected.
After Ubani with the backing of the Patriotic Youth Movement of Nigeria (PYMN) sponsored Emma Ezeazu to emerge as President of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS), the duo worked tirelessly to transform the hitherto conservative orientation of the student body at Nsukka. They set up the Association of Patriotic Students (APS) which easily mobilized students whenever any relevant issue arose.
For instance, in 1986, the UNN student’s union under Ubani hosted student leaders from universities across the country to deliberate on the killing of Farida Mustafa by the Nigerian Police. The Freedom Square- which was jam-packed by a huge crowd of students – was electrified by Ubani’s speech. The fall-out of the nation-wide student’s protest that year led to the ban of NANS and student unions in higher institutions across the country by the Gen. Ibrahim Babangida junta. The regime also made student unionism voluntary. Despite these obstacles, Ubani and Ezeazu with the help of the APS later that year revived the UNN union as the first in the country.
However, the student’s leadership was faced with more trouble in 1987 after commemorating the first year anniversary of the killing of Mustafa. Ubani and Ezeazu were suspended or expelled from the university while yours truly was suspended from the hostel. This was followed by a violent protest by students. Ubani, myself and several other students were arrested and clamped into police and prison cells for three months.
We were only released from police detention when we became unconscious after embarking on hunger strike. In 1988, we were arraigned before a Military Miscellaneous Offences Tribunal sitting at Enugu. However, the junta was forced to withdraw the charges against us due to nation-wide student’s protest. The unprecedented student uprising had earlier led to the closure of all universities in the country. It was after the withdrawal of the charges that authorities at UNN released my degree examination result which they had earlier seized due to the case at the Tribunal.
After the termination of case, the university administration under the late Prof. Chimere Ikoku resorted to sponsoring cult groups to counter the activities of the students union on campus. Student activists were brutalized. Chidi Omeje had one of his eyes plucked out while Harmony Kunu’s penis was cut off by the cult beasts.
When the June 12 crisis erupted in 1993, Ubani who had been earlier elected as the General Secretary of the Campaign For Democracy (CD) replicated the strategy and tactics of the APS to mobilize the entire country against the annulment of the election held that year. Ubani still died in the line of duty while leading a nation-wide protest against the hike in fuel prices in 2005.
