OKEZIE IKPEAZU, A MAN AFTER GOD'S OWN HEART TO LEAD ABIA STATE

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent Spain)

OKEZIE IKPEAZU, A MAN AFTER GOD’S OWN HEART TO LEAD ABIA STATE

The emergence of Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu as the PDP flag bearer for the government house of Abia state has a divine connotation. Most great leaders of the Bible time and in the world have always passed through the low ebb of their society as a preparatory ground, and emerged from the rubbles and dust to glory. The likes of Jesus, Moses, Joseph, and in the modern time, Mandela and Obama went through the rungs as a preparatory ground to acquaint them with the suffering and needs of the people and the down trodden masses they would lead.

According to the lyrics of the song by Bette Midler, “from a distance the world looks blue and green and the snow capped mountains white…God is watching us.” But in the case of Abia, the world did not look blue and green; rather the land looked black, gloomy, and was covered with filth, dirt and refuse. And God was watching the reaction of every Abia person dwelling under the inhuman condition and environment. An environment the deadly Ebola, was scared to enter knowing full well that the filth in Aba and its environs were more dangerous and deadlier than Ebola itself.  Aba and Abians groped under the now giant of a cemetery known as Enyimba city before.

The parable of the Good Samaritan tells a story of a man who was robbed of everything he had and beaten to a state of coma, abandoned to die in a treacherous, windy and favorite hideout for robbers and thieves. The priests and scribes whom by nature of their positions were supposed to have compassion and to help others showed no love or compassion for the man by failing to help him. They turned their eyes elsewhere and passed on the other side of the road so as not to get involved. Aba and Abia state was in that condition. The rich and those who were in position to help, among them are those who are scrambling to occupy the seat of the government house now, non saw the need to help before now. But someone decided to do the odd job without minding. The Good Samaritan saw only a person in dire need of assistance and went beyond common decency and decorum to assist him.

Okezie Ikpeazu, like the Good Samaritan, and Jesus who chose to wash the feet of his disciples, stripped himself of his position in the ivory tower, and picked up his broom, shovel and truck to sweep and carry the garbage for the people. “But among you it will be different; whoever wants to be a leader among must be your servant” Mathew 20: 26. Okezie saw Abia in need and humbly offered to serve the people by becoming a street sweeper, a menial and unattractive job many would not like to do. It takes a man with a humble disposition, discipline, patience ,tolerance and love, which are ingredients and qualities a good leader should have to do that. The things men do tells about them and speaks for them.

While Okezie Ikpeazu became like “onye eburu”, (night soil man)  sweeping the streets of Aba and environs under rain and sun, and carrying the dung and refuse for the rich and poor while others were enjoying the posh comfort of their offices and homes, God was watching from a distance. Just like Moses and David great leaders after God’s own heart were prepared in the bush for years as shepherds taking care of sheep in the wilderness.  Like Moses, Okezie received and obtained the best education, training and preparation that Nigerian Universities could offer. In terms of education, he is sound and well tutored, having a doctorate degree in Biochemical Pharmacology. Armed with that, and as is akin to Nigerians, many would have thought he would have set his eyes only on juicy and plum jobs befitting his status.   

Okezie refused and ran from what the vast majority of people and his contemporaries spend their lives trying to attain riches and fame. He gave up pleasures, treasures and self pride because of love for his people. From the ivory tower, Okezie watched and saw his own Abia people living in a slump. He saw the rot, decay and refuse in Aba and environs. Something stirred within Okezie, like the American philosophy that says, don’t ask what America will do for you, but what you will do for America. He became aware that Abia is his own state and he has a duty to perform for his people. He decided to do the odd job and became a street sweeper. According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “A great man is always willing to be little”.

From a distance, God was watching and observed how Ikpeazu carefully, lovingly and humbly was sweeping the streets for Abians to enable them enjoy a better life. God in his tradition of judging men from heart and not from outward disposition approved Okezie Ikpeazu as the kind of servant He needed to take charge of Abia state.  Okezie Ikpeazu’s story fits in the Biblical portion that says, “He lifts the poor from the dust and the needy from the garbage dump. He sets them among princes, placing them in seats of honour. 1 Samuel 2:8.

Ikpeazu is a man of the people, with a humble spirit, approachable and gives a listening ear to people. A colleague who had a meeting with him, reported that he was highly impressed with the kind welcome and respect he accorded to him even without knowing him. His aides welcomed him cordially and offered him cola. Okezie greeted him as father when he came to meet him, not knowing who he is. And he gave him a very warm welcome when he disclosed his identity and status. An attitude contrary to his contemporaries who are already playing God before the people they are aspiring to lead could see them. An egg that will hatch into a cock could be spotted from day one.

From all indications, Okezie is set to harmonize the state of things in Abia, and the signs are already echoing through the land. There is the voice of hope, there is the voice of peace and it is the voice and wish of every Abian.  Abians, Okezie has played the Good Samaritan to you before now like Moses from prince to pauper for your sake. “He who sacrifices a whole offering shall be rewarded for a whole offering; he who offers a burnt offering shall have the reward of a burnt offering. But he who offers humility to God and man shall be rewarded with a reward as if he has offered all the sacrifices in the world”. The Talmud. Abians, this is the time to reward Okezie for his service and humility.

With Okezie, the state of Abia will look blue and green, and with him the ocean will meet the stream, and the eagle will take to flight in Abia. With Okezie, Abians will sing a new song, songs of peace, songs of hope and the voice of peace and love will be the voice of every Abian. Diseases will not have a place to dwell as the dirt, dung, and refuse will not occupy the land. Abians will be an instrument marching in a common band, playing songs of hope and peace for our children. There will be a new song in the lip of every Abia man.

Abians like Moses, God has sent a man after His own heart to you, embrace him and you will sing the Lords song in God’s own state.

 

HOW SPAIN MOURNED AGBONEVBARE

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Posted in: Sports

How Spain mourned Agbonevbare

•His deathbed wish •Died wretched •Why he was buried in Spain •Abandoned by NFF

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent, Spain)

 The death and burial of the late Wilfred Agbonavbare, takes one to the biblical verse that says, “a prophet is not without honour but in his own country and among his own kin and in his own house.”  (Mark 6: 4). It is a case of The Road We Traveled: A Memoire of Two Worlds (Uchendu Precious Onuoha 2013).

He was neglected, rejected, and abandoned by one, but cared for, accepted, and received by another.

To Nigeria, the land of his birth, he gave and used his talents for at the time of need, but he was despised and avoided. In his pain and acquaintance with sickness, Nigeria concealed her face from him, and held him as of no account. But for the glory of his country, he received pains and sustained injuries on the field of play; and for his bruises, there were smiles in our faces and our name was written in soccer history. But when he needed Nigeria most, the stately form he adorned was forgotten, despised, and no appearance to desire him. But the love, care, and affection denied him by Nigeria were given to him by Spain.

Agbonavbare, the ex-Nigerian national team goalkeeper, who passed on at about 4a.m on January 27, 2015 in Spain, was born on October 5, 1966 in Lagos and hailed from Edo State. He is survived by three children, Wilson (son); Winthia (first daughter) and Stefani (second daughter). He started his football career in 1983 with the then New Nigerian Bank Football Club. He later moved to BBC Lions, and to Rayo Vallecano Football Club, Spain, in 1990. He featured with the Nigerian under-20 team at the 1983 FIFA World Youth Championship in Mexico. He played for a decade in the national team, and was in the 1994 African Cup of Nations in Tunisia as well as 1994 World Cup in the United States of America (U.S.A). He played for Rayo Vallecano where he was held in high esteem for six years. He is known in the Spanish club side as “Willy the cat, Willy the champion.”

His football career ended with Rayo Vallecano in 1996. According to his children, he was last in Nigeria in 1998 when he relocated his family to Nigeria for them to have their education in Nigeria. They did not see their father again until his death. Their mother returned to Spain in 2001, and died of cancer in Spain about seven years ago. Things went bad for Willy after the death of his wife. He took up a menial job with MRW, a courier company at Barajas Airport, Madrid, in order to survive. In an interview with his boss at MRW before he took ill, he said: “My wife died of breast cancer three years ago. I spent all the money I made playing professional football on her medical bills.”

He also said that his wish was to establish a football academy in Nigeria. Subsequently, Willy was relieved of his job in the company after he was diagnosed of cancer.

While he was battling with cancer, he appealed to the Nigerian Government and Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) for help, but his appeal fell on deaf ears as none came to his rescue. He suffered and paid the supreme price as a result of neglect and abandonment from Nigeria his fatherland. At the height of his battle against cancer, he sought treatment in Florida, U.S.A. When it appeared that his chances of survival were very slim after five months in Florida, he was flown back to Spain. The Spanish people received him with open heart and arms. They showed him love and affection denied him by his own country during the last stage of his life.

In demonstration of their care and love for Willy, a Spanish old woman had to pay his children’s airfare from Nigeria to see their father in Spain. The woman was ejected from her house due to her inability to pay her rents, and Rayo, Wilfred’s former club, got a flat for the poor old woman, and contributed 21,000 euros for her upkeep. The woman, who learnt about Wilfred’s wish to see his children before he died, while accepting the cheque, donated half of the amount for the children’s flight tickets from Nigeria to Spain for Willy to see them before his death. But sadly, due to some delays, he died before they arrived Spain.

News about his last moments, his death and burial was given adequate coverage in the Spanish media.

During his funeral, members of his club, Rayo Vallecano, Real Madrid FC representatives, MRW, thousands of Spanish sympathisers, a delegation of Nigerian Embassy in Spain, members of the Nigerian Nationals Madrid, representative of the Federation of Nigerian Communities Spain and some other Nigerians were there with his children to pay him their last respect. A football match between Rayo Vallecano and Deportivo FC was organised as a tribute to him. The Spanish people poured encomiums on him as a very good, humble, friendly and talented person. They adorned the stadium with banners bearing his photograph with inscriptions such as Adios Willy the cat, Willy the champion, and lots more. The club went further to immortalise his name by renaming gate 1 of the stadium as WILFRED ABGONAVBARE gate.

The Nigerian Ambassador in Spain, Mrs. Bianca Ojukwu, cut short her trip to U.S.A. and flew back to Spain to attend the funeral.

In her usual manner, to always be on the spot of incidents where duty calls, she led a delegation of the embassy staff to pay homage to Wilfred and to sympathise and empathise with the children and family.

Our correspondent, who spoke to a cross section of Nigerians, his children and the Nigerian ambassador in Spain over his death, observed that many Nigerians felt disillusioned as to why such a prominent Nigerian should be buried in a foreign land.

His children said it was their unanimous decision that their father be buried in Spain alongside their late mother.

They also expressed their desire to stay back in Spain.

“We don’t wish to go back to Nigeria as we have nothing doing in Nigeria, our mother is dead and our father who used to fend for us is now dead, and the Nigerian Government is not ready to help us, so what are we going back to do? We are highly disappointed in the attitude of the Nigerian government towards our late father despite the service he rendered to Nigeria.

“All the promises made to him and his colleagues for making Nigeria proud in the field of football, none was fulfilled until now. The scholarship to tertiary institution that the government promised the country’s Under-20 FIFA youth squad, who played in Mexico 1983, was not given to him. Even the houses that were promised the players, who featured in the African Cup of Nations in Tunisia, and the World Cup in U.S.A. 94, were not given. And since he died, the NFF has not called us or sent any condolence message; even during his burial, NFF did not send any representative,” they said.

However, they singled out the Nigeria Embassy in Spain for commendation, saying; “We are grateful to the embassy, especially to Ambassador Ojukwu; she is so nice, she talked to us and consoled us heartily, and even gave us an envelope and asked us to contact the Embassy for any assistance we may need. And we asked her to help us request the Spanish authority to extend our visas to enable us arrange things and process our stay here as two of us were born here.”

On her part, Ambassador Ojukwu promised that the embassy would do everything possible to assist them, adding that already, the embassy has written to the Spanish government requesting that they extend the children’s stay to enable them arrange how to secure any property their father had or benefits accruing to their father in Spain.She said that on receiving the news of his death, the embassy also contacted the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) but was yet to receive any response. Ambassador Bianca said the embassy contacted his Spanish football club to help and contact the Spanish Embassy in Nigeria for visa to be granted to his children immediately they were informed about his admission in the Spanish hospital and his wish to see his children. The embassy also asked the Spanish authority not to cremate his corpse immediately, but put it in a morgue for a while, to give time to arrange and sort out certain issues prior to his burial. The Ambassador thanked his former club, company and the entire Spanish people for the care, love and tribute they gave the late Nigerian player.

NIGERIA IS AT WAR

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent Spain)

NIGERIA IS AT WAR

Nigeria is at war, and there is blood flowing in the land unknown to many, because the societal watch dogs are not blowing the alarm as supposed. Some have a false notion that it involves only a segment of the country, a dangerous and myopic impression. The Government's approach has been in-active, a mockery to its pledge and responsibility to protect the lives, welfare and security of her citizens. My colleagues in pen (the press) has not fared better either, as they have resorted to a journalism of convenience and have refrained from giving adequate coverage and meaningful on the scene report of the war. But I quiet understand their plights. He who plays the piper dictates the tune.  How will they go except they are sent? As they are under the apron strings of their publishers and owners.  And are afraid to report stories that would cost them their jobs even lives.  

A colleague in Nigeria told me in response to my question, why is there no accurate report in the Nigerian media about the Nigeria-Boko Haram war? For any journalist to do that, he must have written his will because the forces that is, will not let you do that he said. Journalism profession stands on a threshold in Nigeria. But for me, knowing that death must come at best postponed,  I have  no property to will and write, my most precious property is my pen and paper which is for my daughter if I am killed or die in the cause of my job. Rather than writing a will, I have already bought my flight ticket to a destination unknown because I don’t know where I am going to after death. If it is heaven so be it, then I will fly in first class to take the front seat as to cover the event of the judgment day. Because for me to live is to write and to die is gain.

According to Lanre Idowu , Editor in chief of the Media review, talking about the Nigerian press reporting on the Boko Haram insurgents said, “No medium invests enough resources to report stories beyond the relative comforts of urban centers”. The media is indispensable in spreading information in a war situation; therefore the Nigerian press should arise to this challenge.

The Nigerian military like the Government seem to have something to hide as they have not shown enough seriousness to their avowed responsibility to protect the lives of all Nigerians and defend their territorial integrity from internal and external threats. Few Nigerians in low and high places have spoken out and expressed their reservations  on the way the Government is going about this war and are not happy the manner our military that is acclaimed to be the best in Africa is losing grounds to the Boko Haram insurgents on daily basis.

General Gowon, the former military head of state in his message to the soldiers during the armed forces remembrance day said, “the Government recently acquired a loan of $1 billion for fighting the insurgency, make demand for equipment from it… I have not lost confidence in our armed forces. I want you to restore your honor by reversing some of these lapses into success, losses into victories; negative opinions into positive opinions. I charge you to go all out to flush those insurgents out of our territories, all the way back to where they came from”.

To the rest of the world, irrespective of race, color country or continent, the war against terrorism is a war for all and goes beyond religious affiliations. It is a war against humanity; it’s a war against a peaceful existence of our world. If Europe, America and the rest of the world should react to the Boko Haram massacre of people in Nigeria on daily bases like they reacted to the terrorists killing of twelve people in France recently, Boko Haram would be put to rest. According to John Dunn, “any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee”. Nigeria, Africa, America, Europe and humanity the death of thousands of Nigerians that have been killed together with the Chibok girls that have been forgotten, tolls for you.

The war against Boko Haram is not just for the North, if truly we are one Nigeria, what affects the North affects the south, west and east. The children, women, youths and elderly ones that are been killed in thousands in the Northern region are our brothers and sisters and fellow Nigerians if truly we claim to be one nation. I believe that Nigeria has all it takes to deal with the Boko Haram insurgents if they really want to. If they could react to the Boko Haram challenge the way they reacted to Ebola, the insurgents would be flushed out. Nobody played politics with Ebola because it was a matter of life and death, and has no respect for the leaders and their followers, rich and poor it had no boundary. All government arms, functionaries became very active and functional because nobody wanted to die.

If the Chibok girls, who today have been forgotten and left to their own perils were the daughters of the President, Senators, Inspector general of police, Chief of army staff, Governors and Ministers, among others, Nigerian government would have found immediate solution overnight and win the victory over Boko Haram. Nigeria is at war, unless all and sundry show true commitment towards that, soon or later, the Boko Haram fire will engulf the whole nation, Africa and the world at large.

OHANAEZE NDIGBO YOUTH COUNCIL (OYC) SPAIN TO HELP IGBO YOUTHS OBTAIN SPANISH RESIDENT PERMITS

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent)

OHANAEZE NDIGBO YOUTH COUNCIL (OYC) SPAIN, TO HELP IGBO YOUTHS OBTAIN SPANISH RESIDENT PERMITS.

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council (OYC) Spain, the apex Igbo youth organization in Spain has called on all Igbo youths in the Spanish territory to identify and register with the youth organization in Spain as to facilitate the legalization of their stay and integration into the Spanish system, especially those without resident permits. Speaking to Igbo youths in a meeting held recently in Madrid, the President Hon. Uchendu Precious Onuoha said that the organization has decided to adopt this measure considering the difficulties and dangers of residing in a foreign land like Spain without having a resident permit, as those without a legitimate permit cannot integrate into the system or pursue any meaningful purpose. As an organization, our objective is to liase with the Nigerian embassy and all appropriate agencies to protect the interest and welfare of Igbo and Nigerian youths in Spain.

Uchendu stated that, OYC as a registered and legitimate organization, having met and obtained all the requirements demanded by the Spanish authorities to operate as an organization in the kingdom of Spain will help Igbo youths to integrate meaningfully into the Spanish system. Therefore all members of the organization will be issued an identity card bearing the identification number assigned to OYC by the Spanish Ministry of Internal Affairs and a membership registration number attached after registering with the organization. The President reiterated that as Spanish regularization process demands that an immigrant must present a proof of his period of stay and activities in Spain prior to residence permit granted, it therefore becomes necessary that all Igbo youths without resident permits should identify and register with OYC, as that would be a proof to help them pursue their resident permits in Spain. Also the organization will help them source for companies that would offer pre-contracts to enable them obtain their papers.

The President also informed that as part of the programs mapped out for the year, OYC will organize and carry out an elaborate enlightenment campaign programs in the media, institutions, and churches, at home and abroad to inform the youths of the dangers of embarking on suicidal immigration adventures to Europe through the deserts and waters as the benefits are not worth the risks involved. For further information contact; email: oycspain@yahoo.com phone: 0034 632971388, 632242303, 632813183

OHANAEZE NDIGBO YOUTH COUNCIL (OYC) SPAIN CALLS ON JONATHAN TO EXTEND AMNESTY PROGRAMS TO IGBO YOUTHS

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent Spain)

OHANAEZE NDIGBO YOUTH COUNCIL (OYC) SPAIN CALLS ON JONATHAN TO EXTEND THE NIGER-DELTA AMNESTY PROGRAMS TO IGBO YOUTHS

The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Spain (OYC) has called on President Jonathan to extend the Niger Delta amnesty programs and benefits to the nonviolent Igbo Youths of the South Eastern states as they are among the oil states of the Niger Delta region. Speaking at the December 10, 2014 end of year  meeting held in Madrid by the organization, the leader Hon. Uchendu Precious Onuoha highlighted on the youth empowerment packages and programs mapped out for the Niger Delta Youths by the president which  include employment by international firms operating in the region, Education Scholarship, special vocational training, and skill acquisition schemes to the youths of the region both home and abroad, and the payment of monthly allowance among others.

The leader lamented that Igbo youths who are among the oil producing states of the Niger Delta are benefiting little or nothing from the President’s amnesty programs to empower the youths to pursue a meaningful life and steer them away from restiveness, crime and violence. Among the packages and incentives given to the youths of the oil producing states, Igbo youths are not benefiting and are not carried along in the scheme of things. He reiterated that while the youths of the Niger Delta states like Rivers, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, and Delta are placed on monthly allowances and are been trained abroad on various skills and professions, their Igbo counterparts are left out. He stated that the non-violent posture of Igbo youths from the oil producing states not to take to arms and violence to disrupt oil explorations and exploitation in their regions should not be taken for granted. The government should implement developmental projects to offer gainful employments to the teeming population of unemployed youths in the region. The leader reiterated that government should not wait until youths take to violent acts before proffering solutions. 

Onuoha stated that about 16,000 ex-militants youths of Niger Delta are currently been trained on various vocations abroad till 2015 while the nonviolent youths spread across Igbo land who are not among these lot  are suffering and roaming the streets without employment. He pointed out that there are oil wells located, and exploited in Abia, Imo, Ebonyi and other states of the South East region. Empowering nonviolent Igbo youths like their counterparts in other states will bring about equity and fairness in the region. The leader therefore called on the special adviser to the President on Niger Delta Hon. Kinglsey Kuku to enlist Igbo youths to benefit from the President’s Amnesty programs as to empower the youths in the region, as that will help to keep the local youths away from crime. Stating that what is good for the goose is good for the gander.

The youths who were in high spirit, commended the leader for his visionary leadership and fighting spirit for the cause of Igbo youths both in Diaspora and at home. And they resolved to raise a communique to all the five Igbo state governors appealing to them to tender their demands to the president. We are not asking for the moon, all we are saying is that what is good for our counterparts in other states is good for us.

WE ARE THIEVES FROM NIGERIA, DRAMA AT LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent Spain)

WE ARE THIEVES FROM NIGERIA, DRAMA AT LONDON HEATHROW AIRPORT

A man sometimes is ensnared by the words of his mouth. Differences in tongues, mispronunciations and misunderstanding of the similarities of certain words have landed people into trouble in the past and continues unto present time. In the Holy book, the mispronunciations of the word “Shibboleth” as “Sibboleth” costed the lives of 42,000 Ephraimites. (Judges 12:6) refer. Not quite long ago, a group of travelers from Nigeria who identified themselves as Tivs from Nigeria at the busy London Heathrow Airport were mistaken as thieves from Nigeria by the Heathrow airport immigration officers. 

The incident which looked like a pelicula started when the passengers who were traveling as a group for an event in London arrived at the immigration control and was asked for identity. The leader of the group responding said, we are Tivs from Nigeria and we are going for an event in London. The immigration officer who was startled asked, you are thieves from Nigeria? And they responded in affirmative. Immediately their travel documents were collected from them and they were taken in for further interrogation.

The immigration officers wasted no time to contact the Nigerian Embassy in London informing them that they have in detention a group of thieves from Nigeria and they should come and take custody of them for appropriate measures to be taken. The embassy officials arrived, but to their amazement discovered that the detained travelers were free and innocent citizens of Nigeria from the Tivi clan of the Northern region of Nigeria. And the British immigration officers were meant to understand at last that they were not thieves but Tivs.

Such drama or incidents may occur due to words classified as, Homophones by linguistic scholars. Homophones are words that have different spellings, different meanings, but the same pronunciation. It is well known that several people, tribe and nations cannot pronounce certain letters. The sound and letter ‘R’ cannot be pronounced the same, but is pronounced as ‘L’ by certain people and that could cause embarrassment or problems especially to some travelers who pass through the eye of the niddle at foreign immigration control points. The group of Tivs from Nigeria was not thieves. But the Holy book says, “For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned”. (Mt.12:37) Refer.

THE SAVE AFRICAN YOUTH FOUNDATION (SAY-F) EXPRESSES SYMPATHY OVER THE DEATH OF A SPANISH POLICE

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha (Special Correspondent Spain)

THE SAVE AFRICAN YOUTH FOUNDATION (SAY-F) EXPRESSES SYMPATHY OVER THE DEATH OF A SPANISH POLICE.

“Any man’s death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; It tolls for thee” (John Dunn).  

Truly the recent bell toll of the death incident of a Spanish police officer caused by an African immigrant tolls for all of us. The Save African Youth Foundation (SAY-F) has condemned the death of the Spanish police officer, Francisco Javier Ortega who died after he was pushed down to a train track by Ali Raba Yode, a delinquent African immigrant from Ivory Coast. The incident which was widely reported by the Spanish television and papers occurred in Madrid on December 2, 2015. 

According to the report, the ugly incident occurred when the security agent was investigating the documents of the African immigrant who was purported to have had records of various criminal antecedents before with the authorities. The Ivorian who struggled to resist control by the police, pushed down the security agent on the railway track where he was hit by a moving train which led to his death. The assailant who equally fall down with him remains in a critical condition in the hospital.

The President of the Foundation, Hon.Uchendu Precious Onuoha lamented over the incident and the bad image it may portray African immigrants before their host. On behalf of the Save African Youth Foundation (SAY-F) an organization which was formed to save vulnerable African youths and steer them away from violence and crime, he expressed his sympathy to the Spanish government and the family of the deceased police officer.  He said, it is not only when it affects us as immigrants that we should raise our voice, in incident like this, we should equally rise and condemn unruly and violent acts by our citizens towards their host community as to enjoy a peaceful relationship with them. He called on African youths and immigrants in Spain to always respect and obey the laws of the land as to enable them enjoy the peace and security many of them were denied in their home countries.