Since the death of a 12-year-old Sylvester Oromoni, a promising student, all hell is let loose in the Nigerian educational system. By all standards, Dowen College, Lekki could easily scale through in Nigeria as an elite school, where many Nigerians should have struggled to enlist their children for sound and valued education. However, the death of Sylvester Oromoni has cast doubt on the presumed ethical standard in some of the elite schools in Nigeria.
The management of the Dowen school had noted: “On the 21st day of November 2021, one of the Hostel Parents reported to management that the young boy was injured while playing football. The resident registered nurse immediately administered first aid on him and after he expressed relief, was released to return to his hostel room.
“He was in class on Monday 22nd day of November 2021, but during school hours one of his friends accompanied him to the Sick Bay where he complained of some pain in his hip. The doctor examined him and prescribed Ibuprofen for the pain, while the nurse massaged his leg, after which he felt a bit better.”
An easy glance at the above statement would create the impression that the statements were credible. But contrary information from the parents and relatives of the deceased left many questions to be answered. “In an interview with BBC Pidgin, his father said that Sylvester was beaten up after refusing to join a so-called “cult group”, echoing claims made by the boy’s cousin on Twitter.” It was said that “the cousin’s Twitter feed alleged that five boys had accosted Sylvester, locking him in his hostel and giving him a chemical to drink.”
Assuming that the above allegations were true, the pertinent questions to ask are who were the five students accused of perpetrating the terror? Were there registered cases of bullying in that school before the Sylvester Oromoni incident? What were the moral standards and reports of the alleged five students in the school? Were they sacred cows? Why did the school management conclude that it was an accident from the football play? Assuming that it was true, who were those that played such horrified football with him? Was there a surveillance camera to collaborate with the school authority position? Did the school management do a thorough independent investigation from the students to unravel the true picture of the incident? Did the school management give false claims to protect the image of the school? What type of first aid medication was given to Sylvester at school? If truly that Sylvester was given a liquid to drink by the alleged perpetrators, what was the content? What was the laboratory test result of Sylvester? Has an autopsy been done on him? Until these questions are answered, the truth of Sylvester Oromoni’s death may be shrouded in mystery.
For the safety of other students in the school and other schools, law enforcement agencies should work to unravel the truth. Unethical and irresponsible students should never be allowed to have their ways in Nigerian schools.
#JusticeForSylvester
Photo credit: koko.ng