Tears for a dear colleague

A student of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Delta State, Enakeme Ohwojero, has died, throwing the school into mourning on the 27th day of June 2016. The graduating student of Electrical Department fell into a coma and died of diabetes, six weeks to her graduation. GBENGA OJO reports.

•Student dies of diabetes weeks to graduation

Every final year student who participated in the Students’ Week of the Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) in Effurun, Delta State, was upbeat. For the graduating students, it was the last social event they would hold with others as they  had only six weeks to their graduation.

Like other final year students, Enakeme Ohwojero was excited. She looked forward excitedly to her last day on the campus. Alas, the Higher National Diploma (HND) II Electrical Department student would not see the day; she died of hyperglycaemia penultimate Saturday.

Hyperglycaemia is a condition where there is excess glucose in the patient’s blood stream, a condition associated with diabetes mellitus.

Enakeme, 35, died four days after she went into a coma, following a crisis. Her colleagues were shocked by her death. They went round the hostels to inform all final year students of the tragic news. Some bowed their heads for  minutes in grief, battling to cope with the development.

CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Enakeme left the campus for Abuja after the Students’ Week to visit her fiancé, Peter Okeke, also a student in the Electrical Department. Peter, it was learnt, deferred his studies to enable him keep his job at the Abuja office of Nestle Nigeria.

Three days before she left for Abuja, CAMPUSLIFE gathered that the late Enakeme complained of body weakness. She embarked on the journey but slumped on arrival in Abuja. She slumped hours after being stabilised in an hospital, prompting her fiancé to call her family in Warri.

Peter took the late Enakeme back to her family members for attention. The late Enakeme’s close friend and room mate, Queen Longman, who had been trying to reach her on phone, learnt of her health crisis through her  elder sister. Queen, it was learnt, informed the school management, which sent a medical team to Bryant Hospital where she was on admission. She Enakeme died before the school team got to the hospital.

A source told CAMPUSLIFE that the family appreciated Peter’s effort and described him as a good man for bringing their daughter back home.

Queen could not be consoled when she learnt of her friend’s death. She fought back tears, recalling her last moments with the late Enakeme.

She said: “Enakeme never told me she was bidding final goodbye when she left for Abuja a few days ago. I became worried when I could not get her on phone and WhatsApp. I never thought something tragic would happen when I called Enakeme’s phone. It rang for days without response until her elder sister picked and told me she was unconscious at Bryant Hospital in Warri.

“When I got the news, I informed other roommates and the school. We all left to see her at the hospital, but we were told she died a few hours before we got there. This is my saddest moment, because Enakeme didn’t show any sign that she was leaving. I hope somebody can tell me this is not true.”

The atmosphere was gloomy on campus, last Monday. Final year students, clad in black attires, held a procession to mourn their  colleague, who they fondly called Keme.

Addressing them, the Vice Principal, Mrs Emily Ahragba, described Enakeme’s death as “a loss to PTI and Nigeria”, regretting that the deceased did not fulfil her purpose.

She said: “The news of Enakeme’s death came to us with sadness. We wish we got the information about her sickness earlier; we would have tried our best to save her life.”

Mrs Ahragba urged the final year students to take heart and prayed that the school would not record such incident again.

A hospital source told CAMPUSLIFE that the late student was brought penultimate Thursday by “a young man and a lady”, after which different tests were run on her.

“It is unfortunate that we lost her on Saturday to hyperglycemia that has eaten deep into her,” the source said, advising students to always go for regular checkup.

Enakeme’s colleagues described her as “nice, friendly, jovial and intelligent”.

Last Friday, her remains were interred at the family compound in Okpara Inland in Ethiope East Local Government Area.

At the funeral, a drama ensued when one of her classmates announced that she was not dead. The student, described as a born again, claimed that he could wake her up. He aimed to open the brown coffin bearing the late Enakeme’s remains but was prevented by the Students’ Union Government (SUG) leaders.

As the student was being taken away, he was screaming: “I can wake up Keme; she’s not dead…don’t let us lose faith…”

President of Winners Campus Fellowship Daniel Unigwe, who conducted a short service at the funeral, advised students to give their lives to Christ, saying: “Tomorrow may be too late just the way death took away our dear Sister Keme unexpectedly”.

In his tribute, president of the PTI chapter of National Association of Delta State Students (NADESSTU) Israel Osiobe said: “Keme was full of life and energy the last time I saw her. She was looking radiant. Little did I know that it was my last encounter with her.”

One of the late Enakeme’s hostel mates, Joy Ehigiamusoe, a HND 1 Science Laboratory Technology student, said: “She was the most friendly and down-to-earth student I have ever met. She brought smiles to the faces of everyone she came across. The very last day I saw her, she was excited and full of life. I never knew she would never come back to cheer us up again in my room.”

The Ovie (King) of Urhobo Students Union (NUUS), Dominic Onovughe, recalled his last encounter with her. He said: “I saw Keme on June 13 and asked of the Urhobo souvenirs which I told her to share among members. I told her I would deliver the souvenirs at her hostel but I never knew we will not meet again. She was a fine NUUS member and she was loved by everybody. We will miss her.”

Before her death, the late Enakeme was theOniemo (mother of all) of NUUS and Assistant Sisters’ Coordinator, Winners Campus Fellowship.

PTI PAUSES TO REMEMBER AFIGO

Thursday, March 7, 2002 will always be a day to remember in the history of Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun,  Delta State where a student was killed and so many others were seriously wounded with properties estimated at millions of naira were vandalized.

The mayhem resulted from a clash between National Association of Delta State Students, PTI Chapter (Nadesstu) and some PDP loyalists at PTI stadium during a political rally of the state branch of the People's Democratic Party(PDP) in 2002 where Chief James Onanefe Ibori, the then Governor of Delta State was present.

The students saw this opportunity as an avenue to make their grievances known to the Governor, over their unpaid bursary allowances. They gathered themselves with play cards and stormed the venue of the rally seeking to have an audience with the Governor.

But they were rebuffed by some armed security men. The students insisted that they must have an audience with Chief Ibori. The police however stood their ground that it cannot happen. The heated argument later ensued between the two factions in what later snowballed into the mayhem that engulfed the entire campus.

First it was the police and the students, but the ensuing commotion was later hijacked by the thugs who unleased terror on the PTI campus. In the process, CHARLES AFIGO was shot dead and many others went away with injuries. 
It was a Bloody Fracas on PTI Campus that will ever remain fresh in the students' memories.

Charles Afigo, today makes it 15 years you lost your life in the struggle. You are indeed a leader with a brave and strong heart. You stood, fought, bled and died for the betterment of your fellow Deltans and Petroleum Training Institute (PTI) students at large.

A fight you did not live to enjoy. Your fight has yielded positive results, the present generation is benefiting from your fight. The unborn generation will still benefit from it. You fought for a just cause.

You are an Hero! You are indeed an epitome of love and comradeship. You will forever live in our Hearts. PTI miss you. The Students community miss u, Nadesstu miss u, Rest in Peace till we meet again.

JAMB TAKES OVER PTI

The Petroleum Training Institute, Effurun, Delta State has been included with other Nigerian institutions in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) admissions brochure. Gbenga Ojo reports.

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board has taken over the admissions procedure of the Petroleum Training Institute(PTI) and other special tertiary Institutions in Nigeria who were not conducting their admissions through JAMB.

This, being a recent development, is a Federal Government directive in order to achieve uniformity and smooth admission processes in all the institutions of higher learning, according to the Public Relations Officer of the Institute, Mr. Brown Ukanefimone.

The Petroleum Training Institute was established by Act No 37 of September 19, 1972, and subsequently amended by Act 52 of January 1, 1975. The Institute provides courses of Instruction, training and research in oil/gas technology and production of technologists and technicians and other such skilled personnel  required for oil production and allied disciplines.

PTI's vision is to become the leading oil and gas technological institute in Africa. While her mission is to provide competent technological manpower through quality training, research, and consultancy for the petroleum and allied industries.

PTI awards National Diploma, Higher National Diploma and other certificate programmes such as General Welding and has been admitting  applicants over the years through entrance examination tagged "PTI Entrance Exam". The exam is usually being conducted in eight (8) states across Nigeria namely Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Enugu, Sokoto, Kaduna, Jigawa and Abuja. While Higher National Diploma (HND) applicants go through interviews conducted only in the Institute.

With the current development, PTI National Diploma applicants will have to apply for admission through the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board and must choose PTI as their first choice. However, those applying for Certificate and Higher National Diploma programmes will still undergo the PTI entrance examinations and interview procedures respectively for their admission.

The student affairs Officer of the Institute Mr. Ajima Jackson told Campus Life that it is a welcome development, "though it will deny the Institute of some internal revenue but it will definitely expose PTI more to the world and also makes NYSC  mobilization processes  easier for the Institute" he added.

The President of the Student Union Government, Comrade Theophilus Ukuyoma said "I don't welcome the idea,  because it will kill the pride of the Institute. PTI is a special school that was established by an Act, and not like other institutions. I believe that PTI admission processes should be different from others."

PTI Alumni General Secretary, Mr. Yahaya Moses said he will  support the development only if other special Institutes  truly joined the list as it was announced.

"JAMB taking over PTI will be a great advantage and open doors to so many aspiring students, but Proper screening should be done after the JAMB in order to maintain the Institute's Glory and Standard." National Association of Yoruba Students PTI Chapter Aare (King),  Oba Olumide Ajifowobaje told Campus Life.

So many questions that linger on the lips of Nigerian students are, where does PTI now belong-- Oil and Gas sector or Ministry of Education? Will the Standard still remain? Is the Institute deviating from the purpose of which it was established?

Mr. Brown Ukanefimone cleared the air when he stated that nothing has Changed about the Institute, and that her purpose still remain the same. "We are only following Federal Government instructions." He said.