NSUKKA: Tragedy struck at the University town of Nsukka, Enugu State,
weekend, when a madman allegedly stoned a popular (artist) to death at
Odenigbo in Nsukka local government area of the state while aimlessly
throwing stones at different locations in the area.
Vanguard
gathered that the madman whose identity could not be ascertained as at
press time stays mostly at Odenigbo axis of the town where he often begs
for alms and feeds from refuse dumps in the area without harrassing
people but suprisingly, he was seen, weekend, in the afternoon throwing
stones at different locations while traders, passersby at the small
business nerve of the town scampered to evade the stray stones of the
lunatic.
The sign writer simply identified as Edwin a.k.a Eddy
Arts who hailed from Affa in Udi local government area, Enugu State was
said to be busy working in his shop at Odenigbo round about when
suddenly the madman’s stray stone hit him at the jaw leaving a very big
wound. Meantime, the lunatic continued with the throwing of his stones
with sweat all over his body oblivious of the fact that his stone had
already wounded the popular Odenigbo artist.
An eye witness
account informed South East Voice that immediately the artist shouted
and collapsed, people who rushed and met him in the pool of his own
blood, rushed him to a nearby hospital for treatment but unforturnately,
the artist gave up the ghost the next day at an undisclosed hospital in
the area.
The deceased was said to be one of the leading choir
masters at St. Theresa’s Cathedral of the Catholic Dioceses of Nsukka
and composer of songs at different Catholic parishes of Nsukka where he
assisted to build up choir teams.
The lunatic was allegedly found
roaming Ogurugu and Odenigbo axis scavenging for wastes and crums as
means of livelihood while his victim laid dead at the hospital morgue in
Nsukka.
A visit to the shop of the artist showed that it was
sealed with palm frond as a sign in Igbo tradition and culture that the
owner of the shop is dead while at his residence at Ofulonu street,
Nsukka sympathisers wore mournful looks discussing the tragic death of
the artist who stayed at Odenigbo for over ten years as a sign writer.
A
family source who would not want his name in print said that the
remains of Eddy Arts as he was popularly known and called has been
deposited at Bishop Shanahan Hospital, Nsukka.
