Ese Oruru, the young girl whose story once shocked the nation and sparked nationwide condemnation, is now a graduate of the University of Ilorin with a second-class upper degree in education technology years after her story went viralal.
The news of her graduation has generated widespread joy and excitement on social media.
Celebrating the news, former Minister of Education Oby Ezekwesili wrote on X, “I am super-joyful to honor and celebrate the academic achievement of Ese Oruru!
Ese graduated with a 2nd Class Upper Division in Education Technology today at the University of Ilorin and now stands as a testament to what a determined mind can accomplish. Above all, I thank God for Ese. The future holds so much greater promise for this young woman whose life has evolved into an extraordinary inspiration and role model for us all.”
The Abduction That Shook Nigeria
Ese’s story gained attention and became a topic of national headlines in August 2015 after she was lured away from her mother’s shop in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, by one Yunusa Dahiru, a commercial tricycle rider popularly known as “Yellow.”
He took her from Bayelsa to Kano State, more than 600 kilometers away, where she was allegedly converted to Islam and married off without her parents’ consent.
Her disappearance soon sparked a nationwide outcry. Parents, activists, and women’s rights groups demanded her release, while hashtags like #FreeEseOruru and #ChildNotBride trended on social media. Many Nigerians saw her ordeal as a painful reflection of the country’s deep social and legal challenges—from child protection failures to the misuse of religion and power.
For months, Ese’s parents struggled to bring her home. It was only after relentless media coverage and intervention by civil society groups that the Nigerian Police Force located her in early 2016. She was found and eventually reunited with her parents after six months. Ese was discovered to be five months pregnant and gave birth to a baby in May 2016.
The Fight for Justice
Ese’s case moved from public outrage to the courtroom. Her abductor, Yunusa Dahiru, faced charges of child trafficking, unlawful carnal knowledge, and abduction. After years of legal battles, a Federal High Court in Yenagoa found him guilty in 2020 and sentenced him to 26 years in prison.
While the verdict brought some measure of justice, the scars of Ese’s experience were not easily erased. She had become a mother while still a child herself, and her education was abruptly cut short.
Her father, Mr. Charles Oruru, lamented that government promises of support and scholarships never fully materialized. The family struggled to rebuild their lives, with the spotlight of national attention fading as other stories took its place. Yet through it all, Ese refused to be defined by her past.