…Court fix April 5 for trial of suspect.
From Maurice Okafor,Enugu.
The murder of a Nigerian Vendor, Mr Alika Ogorchukwu,in Rome Italy,has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for three creative writers, in as much as the suspect Mr Phiiipe Ferlazzo is in detention and will be parraded in court,April 5.
Reports have it that Alika Ogorchukwu, a 39 year old physically challenged Nigerian,who have lived in Italy for over a decade, proved that there is ability in disability by hawking on daily newspapers as a vendor,being a just means of fending for himself and family,until he was killed by the suspect,Philipe Ferlazzo.
Ogorchukwu Alika,the disabled Nigerian vendor in Rome,met his untimely death on July 29,2022,while in the street of Civitanova Marche,North of Italy,as the suspect(Philipe Ferlazzo) walked up to him,seized his clutches and used same to beat him to death,while passers by never came to his rescue. Thereby,infuriating assersions that his killing was a deliberate act of racial prejudice.
Fumed and angered by the ugly incidence,thousands of Nigerians and other Africans residing in Rome embarked on peaceful protests across the streets to demand for justice.
Consequently, the prime suspect,Philipe Ferlazzo was arrested by the police, has remained in detention and will be parraded in court on April April 5,2023.
But while the search for justice for the family of the bereaved lingers, Nigeria’s head of Consular and Immigration services in Rome,Mr Ugochukwu Onuzulike,initiated a global poetry competition as a measure of immortalizing Alika Ogorchukwu and also promoting peace and tolerance among people of different races,not minding colour.
The 2023 edition titled’ALIKA OGORCHUKWU 2023 INTERNATIONAL POETRY COMPETITION with theme.LIFE,HUMANITY,LOVE AND RACIAL HARMONY’has been concluded, with Mr Gordon Egeonu winning the coveteous first prize of 1000 euros and a plaque with his script titled,’The street Vendors farewell’.
The second prize of 400 euros and a plaque was was won by Peculiar Obi.Her work is titled,’Hearts of pure red’.While the third prize of 200 euros and a plaque was won by Ekpensi NwaJesu with poem titled,’Breaking down coloured walls’.
It was gathered that the literary competition drew participants across the globe.Most of the poems were anchored as tributes and eulogies in honour of the late Nigerian physically challenged but active vendor, Alika Ogorchukwu.
Mr Ugochukwu Onuzulike,Nigeria’s head of Consular and Immigration services in Rome, who sponsored the competition,proved that he remains a great poet with his captivating poem titled,’LET LOVE REIGN’even though he did not compete.
He is a literary icon, who in 1977 won an award of poet’s Outstanding Achievement in Poetry.
