Na’eem Wilkins is an honor student and a man who knows how to work hard for what he wants. So, you can imagine the surprise when he ended up in handcuffs.
According to WRAL.com, the Shaw University student was arrested for refusing to leave the library after it closed. The 21-year old is also a drum major for the school band, meaning that he keeps a full schedule. He is also motivated to reach his goals. But it turns out that this is enough to get you taken away in handcuffs.
“He was like, ‘Can I have an extra ten minutes just to finish this exam,’” said Tina Akunwafor, a Shaw student who was in the library at the time. “He was calm. It wasn’t like he created a ruckus or he was arguing back and forth. She just said ‘I’m going to call security’ and after that the police came and arrested him.”
The student was charged with second-degree trespassing for asking for the few extra minutes in the library. School officials say that he was given an extra 30 minutes, but refused to leave even after that.
Odessa Hines the university spokesman, is working to save face for the campus and make sense of the issue.
“It’s unfortunate that he allowed the situation to escalate to that point,” she said. “I think obviously we never want to have to arrest a student, ever, on our campus.”
Students have protested on behalf of Wilkins and demanded that the charges be dropped. The school has agreed to extend library hours during finals week.
Dr Boyce Watkins, author of the book, “Everything you ever wanted to know about college,” says that young people can learn a lesson from Wilkins’ determination. He says that this sort of maniacle commitment to studying is what allowed him to become the only African American in the world to earn a PhD in Finance during the year 2002.
“I could have easily ended up in handcuffs for the same thing,” says Dr. Watkins. “I remember a woman telling me that I had to leave the library or else and I was so hungry to keep going that I just couldn’t get up. This kind of determination is admirable.”
Watkins also says that he’s proud of the way the students responded to the charges.
“While the university’s reaction may have been somewhat rational, the students should be proud of standing up for a black man who was working to better himself,” said Dr. Watkins. “I hope the university learns from this and opens the door for spirited determination among students. People love to leave the gym open when black men want to keep shooting jump shots, so we need the libraries to be open so they can finish mastering Particle Physics and Black History.”
Yes… black people fighting for the chance to study. Things are looking up. Maybe they should be nice to Wilkins, since his obsession will one day make him into a wealthy alum of the university.
