• Don’t destroy our future – Students

The General Mathematics papers in the ongoing Senior Secondary School Certificate Examination being conducted by the West African Examination Council, WAEC, held successfully across Enugu State on Thursday despite threats by the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.

Visits to several examination centres and checks across the state showed that the examination was held peacefully across the state.

This was even as several students, who spoke to newsmen, frowned at the earlier attempt to scuttle the General Mathematics papers and appealed that no one should destroy their future.

Recall that the Enugu State Government had on Wednesday deplored the statement credited to IPOB demanding the postponement of the examinations and asking students not to venture out on May 30th designated by the body as “Biafra Heroes Day”.

The government in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Communication, said “the consequences of candidates of the state and the entire South East region not sitting for their General Mathematics papers were massive and held nothing but gloom for the future, contrary to what their forebears fought for the region.” It urged WAEC and students to go ahead with the examination, as it would ensure adequate security.

The story was the same at Ideal Comprehensive College, Ugbo Odogwu, Enugu, where the principal, Chidera Nnaji and a student, who spoke to reporters after the second paper, Jennifer Eze, said the security arrangements put in place by the governor worked “as usual”.

Miss Eze urged every group in the state to respect the students’ rights to a bright future, which she said was also the future of Ndigbo.

“I am appealing to everybody to not destroy our future because we are the future generation. There should be no need for war or terrorism in this country. Everyone should live in peace and unity; and also be your brother’s keeper,” she stressed.

At Girls Secondary School, Trans Ekulu, Enugu, the principal, Mrs. Ada Onunze said the examination was held peacefully.

“Regardless of the instruction to sit-at-home, we were actually encouraged by the government pronouncement that we shouldn’t fear anybody; that we should just come out; and that there would be no problem anywhere.

“On our part, we listened to the government. Every student registered for this examination is present. They are 203 students in all. No single challenge occurred. We also had a group of security operatives from the Enugu East local government.

One of the candidates in the school, Christabel Chimzurum, said, “We are sitting for our General Mathematics Exam, being the 30th May, 2024. We have written the first paper, the theory part of the exam, and now we are writing the objective part.

“I am also telling the students that there is nothing like sit-at-home, this country is our own, and we have control of it.”

At Akpugo High School, Akpugo, in Nkanu West LGA, the principal, Mrs. Matter Ifeyinwa, said there was no breach of peace.

“By God’s grace our examination has been going on well. We started at exactly 9.30am and God has been so faithful helping us. The examination has been going on free and fair. Nobody has harassed us. The vigilantes from the village are also helping us because you keep seeing them coming to check on us from time to time, asking if there is any challenge.”

The WAEC Supervisor for Government Technical College, Enugu, Felix Nwatuke, also said that the examination was hitch-free.

“The examination is okay. I came in the morning and brought the essay. We don’t have any security challenges. No one came, nobody disrupted us. The students came on time and the examination went on well,” he stated.

A student of Divine Love Comprehensive College, who simply identified himself as Chidubem, said, “So far, so good. Earlier yesterday, there was an announcement that there would be a sit-at-home today and the governor said ‘no’ and assured that there would be adequate security. I thank the governor of Enugu State, Peter Mbah. He has been doing absolutely well. In terms of security, it is very tight,” he said.

Chibudem said “sit-at-home is really destroying our future, and I urge everybody, both our parents and other citizens out there not to adhere to this.”

On her part, the principal of Model Comprehensive Secondary School, Agbani in Nkanu West LGA, where the students were almost done with their second paper at time newsmen arrived, also affirmed the examination at the centre went and thanked Governor Mbah “for providing security in the state.”