Iniubong Umoren, the Akwa Ibom job-seeker who was raped and killed a few days ago by a man who had lured her with a fake job interview, has emerged as a top performer in her graduating class in the Department of Philosophy, University of Uyo, Uyo.
Miss Umoren, 26, is seventh among the top graduating students in the 2018/2019 class, with a GPA of 4.12, according to the final result released by the University of Uyo.
Idorenyin Esikot, associate professor and acting head, Department of Philosophy, University of Uyo, who confirmed the authenticity of the result to PREMIUM TIMES, said Miss Umoren, with such remarkable performance, would have possibly been employed as a lecturer in the department after her mandatory National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme.
She was some few points away from making a first class, Mr Esikot said on Saturday in an interview with PREMIUM TIMES, in Uyo.
“She was a very committed and focused student, very hard working. In fact, she was very versatile because apart from her academics, she was a footballer, playing for our female team.
“She was very social and dependable; she wasn’t the kind of student that would play around. Whatever she does, she was very committed,” he said.
Mr Esikot said Miss Umoren’s tragic end was a personal loss to him.
“Anytime I remember it, it’s like a nightmare. Very unfortunate,” he said.
“If she had been alive and wanted to come into the (teaching) profession, she is the kind of student we would encourage to come into the profession. Because that is a student that never failed a course and was always doing well. Those who know my department, before you can come out top the way she did, then you must agree that she was really hard working.
“We have some of our colleagues, who are lecturers (today), who graduated with less GPA than her,” Mr Esikot said.
The police had arrested 20-year-old Uduak Akpan who has reportedly confessed to the rape and killing of Miss Umoren.
The suspect, described as a serial rapist, had buried Miss Umoren’s body in a shallow grave in his father’s compound.
The police and the Akwa Ibom State Government have promised to ensure the slain woman gets justice.
‘I don’t know who to trust’
Uduak Umoh, a coursemate and close friend to late Miss Umoren, said the slain woman knew she was coming out among the top graduating students in her class.
It was Miss Umoh who raised the alarm when her friend went missing. She also inspired Internet users all over Nigeria to deploy Internet technology to uncover and track the suspect, which led to his eventual arrest.
“We already knew that this is what she was coming out with. She already knew her result because she was always keeping records of her scores from day one. She even helped me to calculate mine. We were just waiting for them to release our results so we can leave for (NYSC) camp.
“I feel terrible that she is not here to see what she had worked for – four years!” Miss Umoh said.
PREMIUM TIMES asked Miss Umoh if she believed her friend would get justice.
“I don’t know,” she said with a sob.
“I don’t know who to trust at this point. I just need help, and the only help I need right now is to get justice for my friend.
“I don’t know how it is going to happen because she was an orphan, she didn’t have a mother or father who can push her case. All I need is justice for my friend,” she said.
