Good day dear friends,
Many of you must have read the story of the Benue State University medical student that reportedly committed suicide. As usual, after verification of facts, I am out to set the record straight.
The family of the late medical student has released an official statement that their son did not commit suicide. He was driving on Abu King Shuluwa Road, moving at a pretty high speed and without knowledge of a truck spoilt in the middle of the road. He tried to swerve out of the truck’s way but found himself facing the road divider. Without his belt on, Mr Idoko was flunged out of the car, sustained multiple fractures, a cracked skull and died on the spot. The car also hit and killed another commuter on the road while spinning out of control.
From where I’m sitting the above statement alone disqualifies it as a suicide, at least technically. It was an accident and another person’s life was also taken in the process. Nothing deliberate, no matter the circumstance confronting Nicholas before his death.
The story above is widely different from what lindaikeji.blogspot.com and every other national daily that lifted the story from her site carried as news. It is disappointing to say the least looking at what passes for national journalism these days. Sites like of lindaikeji.blogspot.com have huge readership and gulp up tons of ad revenue it is only fair that they work for their money.
The story wasn’t just wrong, it was disrespectful and poorly researched. The deceased’s name was wrongly reported by Linda Ikeji which cited benue.com.ng as its source even though benue.com.ng got the name right, one wonders where the false name was manufactured from. His death has not been declared a suicide by the authorities or his family as many other national dailies would have us believe.
I am not going to speak against plagiarism and the other numerous crimes we commit in the name of journalism without one iota of care to the consequences, at least not today. But when one of such consequences is spreading total falsehood about the life of a young man, even threatening to denigrate the image of his entire family it is time to put a stop to such lazy practices.
Ejugwu Michael for The Family
DISCLAIMER: It is a personal of the opinion of the name attached with this post.
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