The death of Sylvester Oromoni, a 12-year-old pupil of Dowen College, Lekki, last week has triggered public questioning of the worth of some so-called elite private schools without a guarantee of students’ safety under their watch.
Social bullying and endemic cultism, which culminates in lack of safety in schools, is publicly perceived as a dominant feature of public tertiary institutions and secondary schools.
But it has come as a rude shock to Nigerians that a college that charges millions in school fees in highbrow Lekki could watch bullying and cultism degenerate to the point of costing the life of Oromoni’s, a junior secondary two (JS 2) pupil.
“The school is not supposed to be a danger zone for children. Unfortunately, no serious investigation is conducted to unravel the truth of what transpired and for the right decisions on those responsible. How will there ever be deterrence?” Aondoasee Gwa asked, responding to a tweet by Amnesty International Nigeria calling for justice.
Seeking the best secondary-level education in a high-end neighbourhood of Lagos, where the concentration of wealth is expected to pervade best practices, Oromoni stumbled on his death.
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The reports which first emerged in pieces across social media alleged that the young and cheery lad was beaten to death by some colleagues forcing him to join cultism.
However, the school management had first said injuries sustained from the deadly beating came as a downside of playing football in school.
Adebisi Layiwola, Dowen College principal, in a statement, reportedly denied any form of bullying or attack on the student.
But the sore confessions of Oromoni on his death bed countered the claim, firing up rage in his parents, who then took to social media to demand justice for their son.
Oromoni’s parents said he explained that he was beaten to a pulp by a gang of senior colleagues for refusing to join a school cult. He was also ingested with a black liquid content and his peers were warned to wade off or be treated worse.
Many Nigerians have personalised Oromoni’s death and his pains, with parents and guardians pushing for more light to be shed on the circumstances leading to the death of the young chap.
More public outrage has followed the attempts of the cover-up by the school management and the letting loose of suspected actors. In fact, people are calling for the school operations to be grounded until pupils who inflicted the fatal injury are fished out.
It is still confounding to many that a private boarding school failed to contain bullying and promising life was lost to an avoidable situation.
A dormitory mate of Oromoni confirmed that the deceased was killed by his seniors, according to a report by Daily Trust.
While the school initially denied that Oromoni was killed, it later said the matter was being investigated.
In a thread of social media messages, the student, whose identity was not disclosed, narrated how six seniors attacked Oromoni.
“Sly got beaten up on Saturday, 27th of November by the boys that the ring leader was Favor; Aslem and Michael are more of followers…they beat him up and he fell from his bunk and after they were done they called us back to the room and Aslem said the school rules piss him off and if we snitch the way Sly did, they would do even worse to us. Sly was still on the ground and Favor kicked his head again before they left,” the message read.
The Lagos state has ordered the school to be shut as investigations go on.
Meanwhile, the parents have hired Femi Falana, a senior advocate who has called for a corona inquest into the case.
