SaharaReporters has further confirmed that
Festus Iyayi, a well-known Nigerian novelist and
activist academic, was killed when a car in the
convoy of the Kogi State Governor, Idris Wada,
rammed into his vehicle near Lokoja in Kogi State.
A police source as well as an eyewitness told
SaharaReporters that Mr. Iyayi died instantly at
the scene of the ghastly accident. Mr. Iyayi was on
his way to Kano to attend a meeting of the
Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU)
whose members have been on strike since July.
The union's meeting in Kano was called to decide
on a possible calling off of the strike and a return
to teaching.
With today's accident, Governor Idris has further
consolidated his reputation as having one of the
most reckless convoys in Nigeria where drivers
attached to governors and other top officials are
known for driving dangerously. In late December
2012, Governor Idris's convoy was also involved in
a deadly accident that claimed the life of his aide
de camp. Mr. Idris was hospitalized at the National
Hospital, Abuja where he was treated for serious
injuries.
In a brief telephone conversation today, Kogi's
Deputy Governor, Yomi Awoniyi, confirmed that
the governor's convoy was involved in an accident
earlier today. But Mr. Awoniyi said he had not
obtained the details of how the accident
happened, telling our correspondent that he was
away in Uyo, capital of Akwa Ibom State, on
official duty.
In the early and mid-1980s, Mr. Iyayi broke out of
the confines of his academic discipline and
emerged as one of Nigeria's most radical writers
with such novels as Heroes, Violence, and The
Contract.
Mr. Iyayi studied economics and business
management in the old Soviet Union as well as in
the UK, and became a career-long professor of
business at the University of Benin (UNIBEN).
A fearless, outspoken member of ASUU, he was at
one time a leader of the union's chapter at
UNIBEN before becoming the group's national
leader in 1986 during the dictatorship of General
Ibrahim Babangida. In the early 90s he was
elected as the President of the Committee for the
Defence of Human rights (CDHR).
His death will be seen as the biggest individual
casualty of ASUU's prolonged strike as well as the
history of accidents caused by the deranged
driving by convoys traveling with Nigerian state
governors.
ASUU President Nasir Fagge confirmed his death
to SaharaReporters. He said the sad news was
broken to the union a few hours ago.
A lawyer in Abuja told SaharaReporters that he
hoped Mr. Iyayi's family would sue Governor Idris
for failing to restrain the recklessness of drivers
attached to his convoy. "This madness by the
convoys of governors will not stop until citizens
affected by it start rising to say a big no," the
lawyer said. www.oseni9ja..com/2013/11/iyayi-killed-by-kogi-governors-convoy.html?m=1 www.saharareporters.com/news-page/iyayi-killed-kogi-governors-convoy

So sad If true!

Okay, have we made any arrest YET?