ALUU4::: Toku`s Port Harcourt Burial

Tears flowed freely on the 16th of Nov. 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.

more on this can be found in the sun