Parents of students of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, have condemned the death of Sylvester Oromoni and called for justice over the incident.
The parents who spoke on Tuesday, also called for the sack of the school management.
The parents who said that “justice for Sylvester is justice for all” insisted that whoever was responsible or might have contributed in the death of the 12-year-old Sylvester must be brought to book.
“This will not only bring this unfortunate incident to a closure for the family, but will also serve as deterrent to other juvenile delinquents in all schools in Nigeria,” the Dowen College Parents said.
The aggrieved parents also called for a change of the school management and hostel teachers, installation of Closed Circuit Television cameras in all strategic places and overhauling of the school security system.
Sylvester allegedly died from injuries he sustained after he was brutalized by senior students of the College.
Police on Tuesday disclosed that three out of five of the alleged culprits have been arrested with two still at large.
On Tuesday, the parents under the auspices of Dowen College Parents’ Forum bemoaned the tragedy while urging “the school management team and other stakeholders to fully cooperate with the authority in the ongoing investigation.”
The parents in a statement said they will organise a candle light on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 by 6 pm at Dowen College, 18, Adebayo Doherty Road, Lekki, Lagos State.
The statement which was signed by Aituaz Kola-Oladejo, Waheed Adeoye, Oluwaseun Bolanle Ajila and Kingsley Kema Agu on behalf of the Dowen College Parents’ Forum reads:
“As parents of Dowen College students, we are still in shock and could not come to terms with this incident and the accounts so far provided by the school management, students and the media.
“We are, however, temporarily relieved by the swiftness with which the authorities intervened and commenced investigation towards unravelling the cause of Sylvester Oromoni’s death.
“We urge the school management team and other stakeholders to fully cooperate with the authority in the ongoing investigation. While we would have loved to bring Sylvester back, if humanly possible, unravelling the cause of his death and bringing whoever was responsible or might have contributed in whatever way to book, will not only bring this unfortunate incident to a closure for the family, but will also serve as deterrent to other juvenile delinquents in all schools in Nigeria.
“We, therefore, say justice for Sylvester is justice for all.
“On our part as parents, we will work more closely with the school (management/board) to ensure that necessary measures are put in place to prevent recurrence of this unfortunate incident and stamp out bullying in any form from the school.
“We will also continue to appeal to parents, through all available means, to show more interest in what their children do and who they associate with in school and at home.
“We appeal to the public to see this incident as an inflection point, not only for Dowen College but also other schools in Nigeria, as recent events have shown that bullying, molestation and other vices among students are common in our schools.
“Therefore, we rely on the authorities for justice regardless of the social status of whoever is involved.
“Dowen College parents need this more, as we are currently in a fix and our children traumatised.
“What happened to Sylvester could have happened to any other child in the school. To many of the traumatised students, Sylvester was a classmate, a roommate, a schoolmate or a friend.
“We, therefore, earnestly ask for a resolution that will bring some relief to the bereaved family, other parents, students of Dowen College and the public. These should include a change of the school management and hostel teachers, installation of Closed Circuit Television cameras in all strategic places and overhauling of the school security system.”
