It Was a set up episode 12 – finale

IT WAS A SET UP (EPISODE 12)

“If all what we have here is true, then this institution is so doomed. However, we shall have enough time to investigate all these claims”, the Vice Chancellor said.

“I have something to say”, said Dr Mike.

“Not at the moment”, refuted the Vice Chancellor.

“I should be given a fair hearing. I have the right to fair hearing”, Dr Mike protested as he stood up, hitting hærd on the table. “You don’t expect a refract from nowhere to come and heap insults on me while I keep mute.”

“Sit down Dr and stop hitting the table”, said the Vice Chancellor. “Nobody has said anything yet. You will have enough time to defend yourself. But before then, Professor Ekpo, you have something to say?”

Professor Ekpo was a very wicked lecturer. Not wicked in the sense that he witch hunted students, but because he will never add even half mark for you. If you scored thirty nine and a half, he will never give you the remaining half to complete forty, which was the pass mark in the university. It was that reason that made students nicknamed him “The wicked Prof”. It was time for him to speak.

“I am Professor Ndem Ekpo. Ahhhhmmmm! I have earlier introduced myself. Ehhhm! I want to ask the young girl if there are other evidences to tender.”

“I have over a million pieces of evidence, but that will be all for now”, Linda responded.

“Very well then”, Professor Ekpo continued. “My VC, it is very disheartening that one of us has been involving in such unholy acts. I suggest we take a careful an-lysis of these evidences first, before we continue.”

“We shall resume in thirty minutes. At this point, the two parties are not permitted to leave this building. You must not make any use of electronic devices whatsoever, and you must not exchange words with each other. Let me remind you that we have CCTV cameras everywhere in the building, and that any violation of these rules will attract a severe sanction. We may dismiss.”
With that, we put our phones in Linda’s bag as we await the Senate to complete their checks on those evidences.
Linda and I were asked to wait outside the hall, but careful not to leave the building.

Dr Mike was shown another direction to follow.

Barrister Adewale joined us.

“You did well”, said Barrister Adewale, to Linda. “That was good. I don’t know what you are doing in Civil Engineering Department. You should be studying law. I told your mother but she said the choice was yours.”

Linda smiled.

Deep down me, I was wondering where Linda borrowed such courage from. She was too sure of herself.

Thirty minutes later, the house reconvened.

“Thank you all for your patience. This is a very delicate matter. I have never seen or heard things like these. Not even in the movies. Well, being as it may, we will now give Dr Mike the chance to ask Miss Linda some questions. But if he has no questions, then he should proceed to refute these allegations. Dr Mike.” The Vice Chancellor gestured to Dr Mike.

“Thank you very much my VC. Thank you members of the Senate. It is a slap for me to stand before you all in defense of the crimes I did not commit. It is an insult to my wife and kids for their husband and father to exchange words with a student before the Senate over what I perceive as political witch hunting.”
“Dr Mike, sorry I have to cut you. Please stay on the track and to the point”, interrupted the Vice Chancellor. “We want you to ask these two students questions based on what you have been alleged to have done. If you do not have any, then you tell us. You may continue.”

I had forgotten that I was part of the case. I thought I was no longer part of it because everything Linda said earlier was so strange to me. It was when the Vice Chancellor told Dr Mike to ‘ask both of us questions’ that I came to the realization that I was still part of it.

‘What would I answer if Dr Mike chooses to channel his questions to me?’, I wondered.

Well, let us listen to him first.

“Ok”, Dr Mike continued. “Since you all have decided to sweep the case I brought before you under the carpet, and chose to pursue…”

“Dr Mike I have to cut you again. Let me set the record straight here. Your case is not swept under the carpet. You accused your students of stealing your phone, an act punishable by outright expulsion from this institution. They denied the allegation, telling us that this wh0le thing is a set up. According to the girl, you have been s€×ually harassing her, touching her inappropriately. She said that since she did not consent to your “lustful desires”, according to her, you set them up so as to have your way. The Senate after hearing her, demanded for concrete proves of her allegations against you. She did not have a good one, but she pleaded with the house to permit her to lay before the Senate other concrete proves of your activities which will help her prove that you have been doing these all along. It might interest you to know that we have examined those evidences about an hour ago. Please serve our time by going straight to the point. Thank you Sir.”

“You see, we all know that this institution frowns at unholy display of affections between students of the opposite genders in,side this campus. I want Miss Linda to tell this house, the Senate, the nature of her relationsh¡p with Ezekiel Umoren.”

I almost had heart failure when I heard my name being mentioned.

If it was possible for the ground to open at someone’s wish, I would have wished the ground to open for me. But since I was innocent, I summoned courage.

“My relationsh¡p with Ezekiel is both cordial and official”, Linda responded.

“Are you telling the Senate that you both have not been displaying courtsh¡p behaviors right in,side this campus?”, asked Dr Mike.

“We have not done that before. Not here or outside the campus”, said Linda.

“I will prove otherwise. But now, let us go to your allegations. I want the house to know that Madam Ebani is evil. There is no doubt that she is a powerful politician. She wanted me to do her bidding in the last election. As the returning officer for the Senatorial District, who swore to uphold my integrity, I refused to be bought by her and her party. She told me she was going to deal with me, and I guess this is all her ploys to get back at me. All these are lies from the pit of hell. She is using her daughter to get back at me. I have integrity.”

“Excuse me Dr Mike. You seem to have veered out of track. Is it true that you have been conducting examinations at hotel rooms, restaurants and bars, private residents and offices?” asked Professor Ekpo.

“It will be unthinkable to do so”, answered Dr Mike.

“Then what do you have to say about the photo that was tendered showing two ladies writing what appeared to be examination in a hotel room with you present? And do not forget that ehhhmm, Miss Linda said one of those girls is still alive and is willing to testify against you.”

“They are all doctored. Not true.”

“And have you ever cajoled any of your female students into succ-mbing to your lustful desires as put by Miss Linda?”, asked Professor Nnamdi.

“No Sir. I have not.”

“What if it is proven beyond every atom of doubt that you have?”

“I have not Sir. There will be no such prove,” Dr Mike claimed.

“And let me show the house that there is”, interrupted Linda. “Please forgive my manners. I am sorry for speaking when not spoken to. Permit me to show the Senate that there is yet another prove contrary to Dr Mike’s claims.”

The Vice Chancellor nodded.

“Thank you Sir. With due respect Sir, can you tell your colleagues why you sent your nursing wife abroad just three weeks after delivery? Tell them also why she has not visited Nigeria for the past five years.”

“That is my private life. It has nothing to do with this,” said Dr Mike.

“And who is Miracle Stephen Michael?” asked Linda.

“There are many Miracle Stephen Michael”, responded Dr Mike.

“Indeed. You are right. But I am referring to the Miracle Stephen Michael who stays at number 412B Railway Line, Port Harcourt. A four year old boy and a pupil of Saint Theresa’s Academy. Will you be bold enough to deny your own son?” Linda asked.

Dr Mike’s eyes popped out as if he was going to make Linda disappear with his looks.

He never saw that coming.

To me, it was the last straw that broke the camel’s back.

However, he did not respond.

“Dr Mike, say something”, implored the Vice Chancellor.

“I won’t stoop that low to engage this little girl in a debate”, said Dr Mike.

“Little girl indeed”, responded Linda as she stood up. “Let me stand at this point. The Vice Chancellor, Deputy Vice Chancellors, Senior Professors and all members of the Senate. Miracle Stephen Michael is the biological son of Dr Stephen Sunday Michael. He got the boy from the relationsh¡p he forcefully initiated against the wish of a 300 level beautiful young female student in this school. The poor girl became pregnant. Her parents got disappointed at the girl and vowed to deal with Dr Mike. The matter was reported to the then VC through a letter, but somehow, the letter was intercepted and the case died an automatic death. Dr Mike then went to the girl’s house and promised her parents to take care of the girl. The parents, out of anger sent the girl parking. Dr Mike rented an apartment for her at number 412B Railway Line. His wife almost discovered the issue, so in his bid to keep it away from his wife, he made arrangements immediately and had his three weeks old nursing wife sent to France. The wife has not been allowed to come back since then.”

Linda paused, took a sip from her water and then concluded: “Sirs and Madams, these are facts and are open for verifications. The decision is yours. At this point I will say no more.”

She sat down and whispered to Barrister Adewale.

It was then that Professor Iniobong Akpan decided to make known his view;

“My VC, Senior Professors, I don’t think we should continue dwelling on this issue. It is crystal clear that Dr Mike could not deny any of the allegations leveled against him when he was given the chance to do so. Rather, he compounded the issue by raising more dusts. I think we should find a way of unraveling the truth. That is my humble suggestion.”

“Thank you Professor Akpan”, said the Vice Chancellor. He continued; “But before we officially close, let us give the floor to Barrister Adetunje Adebisi Adewale SAN, the legal representative of these students. Please Sir.”

“Let me stand”, said the Barrister as he stood up. “We like standing while talking. Without wasting time, with me here is the arrest warrant from the Federal High Court Abuja, authorizing the arrest and subsequent detention of Dr Stephen Sunday Michael, until all investigations are completed.”

With that, the entrance door to the Senate Chambers was opened and about eight masked heavily armed DSS officials entered.

They had Dr Mike whisked away. The council closed and we went back home.

About a month later, Dr Mike was charged to court.

All the evidences Linda brought were genuine.

Many more evidences were presented in the court.

Most of his former victims came to testify against him.

The court proved that Dr Mike forged his certificates.

He was a rapist.

A murderer.

A cultist.

An extortionist.

Exchanged s€× for grades.

Indulged in examination malpractices.

After many months of legal battle, he was sentenced to 129 years in prison.

Linda and I were sent to study outside the country. I was formally adopted by Linda’s family.

My first family was properly cared for.

LESSON

Our students in the higher institutions are facing a lot of challenges.

Most times, the people we revered so much are the ones victimizing these young people.

Some of our girls are subjected to s€×ual harassment.

s€× for grade is becoming the norms in our institutions.

Our boys are lured into cultism for many reasons.

Most of them are unable to speak up.

Some are caged in a perpetual fear of the unknown.

Most times when a child drops out of school, it is not because he/she could not meet up with the required grades.

It is not because they can no longer pay their fees.

It could be because they have refused to be used by those who are supposed to look after them.

Next you see them, do not mock them.

Do not laugh at them.

They have chosen the honorable path.

If you can, talk with them.

Encourage them.

We now have frequent news of students committing suicides in our universities.

We have no idea what they have been battling with.

And you students, who have been abused, never resort to taking your own life.

Be rest assured that one day, nemesis will surely catch up with such evil people.

Speak up. Speak up. Speak up.

Never die in silence.

© Ezekiel Umoren