I want to thank two major institutions for their roles in seeking justice for the killing of my brother Mathew Ajibade, the district attorney Meg Heap and Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) Paula Wallace. Thank you for doing absolutely nothing! I’m amazed how these two mothers could sleep well at night. Simply put if Mathew was a white SCAD student, I know in my heart that SCAD would have stood strongly behind my family against this injustice or at least do the bare minimum by sending a mass email. When a kid gets hit by a bus everyone and their step-moms get an email. Mathew was killed in an isolation cell on new years day and 95% of the people that loved and cared for him at SCAD had no idea. I didn’t even get a personal email as an Alumni, like hey sorry for your lost buddy but as you know live’s a bitch then you die.
I reached out to SCAD but the mighty money making machine chose silence. Norfolk State University (NSU) a Historical Black College was my 1st college, if I had invited Mathew to join me at NSU instead of SCAD this joke of an indictment would have never seen the light of day. Involuntary manslaughter are for DUI drivers not public service officials that abuse and torture human beings to death. We had two rallies in Savannah, during planning we reached out to SCAD but the silence continued so I reached out to the African Student Association and the Black Student Union to seek support and we got it. Thank you guys for your love and all of my friends in Savannah white and black that supported our rallies. I urge you not to misunderstand this message these are facts of the so-called institutions that choose to remain silent in minority issues. If you want my minority money? Guess what, police brutality is an epidemic in the black community and it follows me everywhere I go in America. I can't simply take my black skin off.
Essentially, you need power to fight power, Goliath in the bible is a child in relation to the super powers that operates in our nation today. I’ve gotten closer to my powerlessness and reached for God within me to better understand the challenges ahead of me. I know for a fact that if SCAD stood with me, Savannah Sheriff department would have felt a force, an undeniable force that echoes the value of a college student’s life. I must admit that Mathew was only at SCAD for two quarters, okay Mathew didn’t invest a lot of money at SCAD. On the other hand I received two degrees at SCAD so I guess my question for Paula Wallace is how much does one need to invest into your institution before SCAD starts to value black lives?
I believe racism has evolved in America, in 1950's racism was loud and aggressive but today racism is silent and low key, the false notion that only white supremacist support racist ideologies is a major issue we are dealing with today. Honestly, I don't think SCAD is a racist institution but SCAD’s silence on this issue allows the systems created by the racist minds of the founding father to flourish and continue to excel at oppressing minorities. Racism is in every fiber of our great nation and as America ages, you have a choice to make, you either stand against the system of oppression or remain silent because you are in disbelief or just enjoy the powers of oppression.
Now let me engage your mind, perspective is key. Imagine, Paula Wallace received a call on new year’s day that her son was found dead, strapped to a restraining chair in an isolation cell. Take a moment to play out the sequence of events that will happen with the power and relationships SCAD wills in savannah. Now ask yourself do you think it would take 5 months to receive his death certificate? or have no idea of the events that led to her son's death? Call me crazy but I would rather be crazy than think the we get equal justice under the law. I have spent every waking minute since Mathew's killing to understand the circumstances that led to his killing and the situations that allow such circumstances to continue.
Black American students beware of colleges like SCAD because if you happen to get killed by the police you are on you own, although you are probably getting a good education you don't want to be the smartest person in the grave. And if you think your chances of surviving a police encounter is highly probable, then please open your eyes and really get educated about America. My White American students please join Black student unions because we need you to not only be friendly but to stand with us. The fact is majority rules, the 23 students in a Black Student Organization have no power against a university that the majority are whites. Just ask yourself this, under what circumstance is it acceptable for any college to remain silent about the death of a student any student white or black.
Lastly, Savannah District Attorney Meg heap you are a disappointment to your family has a mother.
