A 12-year old student of Dowen College, Lekki, Sylvester Oromoni has joined the growing list of victims who have lost their lives tragically due to alleged bullying at school. The sad event has left Nigerians recalling similar occurrences that have happened in recent times many of which have been discovered to still be without a justifiable conclusion. The hashtag #JusticeFor Sylvester has trended on social media since the tragic news of his passing broke as Nigerians passionately lend their voices to the cause to ensure that justice is served and the alleged perpetrators are brought to the book.

Perrison Oromoni Broke The News

The sad news of Oromoni’s passing first broke on Wednesday, the 1st of December 2021, when a Twitter user with the handle, @perrisonoronomi who claimed to be a cousin of the deceased took to his Twitter account to post that Sylvester Oromini had died as a result of injuries sustained from beatings he had received from a group of boys in his school Dowen College.

Alongside a photo of Oromoni, the handler wrote that his cousin had been beaten to death in a school that cost over a million naira per year. He revealed further details including a video showing Sylvester Oromini in excruciating pain, unable to walk with a bloodied mouth. He explained that Oromoni had been severely beaten because of his refusal to join a cult group. Perrison added that the results of an X-ray carried out on Sylvester Oromoni showed that he had internal injuries.

The post immediately went viral and prompted a response from the management of Dowen College who put out an official statement the following day, the 2nd of December 2021, refuting Perrison Oromoni’s claims as “social media tales” and claiming that the deceased Sylvester Oromoni’s passing was due to complications from injuries he sustained while playing football. A conclusion they claimed to have come to after speaking to the boy in the presence of his guardian. The school authorities added that the school had “effective anti-bullying policies and consequences are well spelled out to all the students” while concluding that the claims made by the social media user came as a shock to them.

The Management of Dowen College Refute The Claims

The statement released from the school management reads thus;

“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.

In accordance with school policy, the resident doctor called his mother reporting the incident and requesting that she come for him so that he could get further medical attention. The mother however said she was not in Lagos, spoke and prayed with him on the phone, and promised to send the guardian to pick him up immediately for further medical attention.

When the guardian failed to show up, the next day on the 23rd of November 2021, the doctor called the mother again and this time, she assured that his guardian would pick him from school. His guardian showed up and took him for an X-ray after which the guardian informed the school management that the results of the investigation revealed that no part of his body was broken or injured. The resident doctor also called the mother later in the week to check up on his progress but she informed the doctor that he was sleeping at the time.”

The school management in their statement also added that the school Principal made time to call Sylvester Oromoni’s mother to check on him and that “she reported that he was having a massage and gave the phone to him to speak with the Principal.”

In conclusion, the management said that;

“As a result, it came as no small shock to us to read wild social media tales that he was beaten by some students and that he specifically mentioned some names. We immediately commenced investigations and invited the students allegedly mentioned for interview. His guardian was also present during the interviews, which revealed that nothing of such happened.

The whole incident was strange and unbelievable because: The school has effective anti-bullying policies and consequences are well spelt out to all the students. The preliminary investigation showed that there was no fighting, bullying, or any form of attack on the boy.”

The Deceased’s Father, Slyvester Oromoni Snr Speaks Up!

With the public seeking more answers, the deceased’s father, Sylvester Oromoni who shares the same name as his late son spoke up with more details of what had led to his son’s death in an exclusive interview with TheCable.

He revealed that his son had been bullied constantly at school and on one occasion, one of the boys whom his son mentioned on his death bed as one of those who beat him up, forcefully took his food items from him. Oromoni Snr said that the previous incident had been reported to school authorities at the time. The school did temporarily suspend the boy after Oromoni’s elder brother took the matter up, his hostel was changed, however, the bullying never ceased.

Oromoni Snr revealed that because of past occurrences, his son lived in fear and when he was asked to explain further what he was going through he would simply dismiss the question by saying “they will kill me.”

His dad added; “this way, we didn’t know what to do. I considered removing him; reconsidered since his sisters were still in the school.”

“I have two daughters; one of whom earlier graduated.” Oromoni’s father narrated. “I had to remove the second after this incident. They asked this boy to describe the sister’s privates and this got to us.”

Giving more details on what led to his son’s death, Oromoni Snr said that his son was fed with a poisonous chemical and intimidated to keep mute lest he’d be killed.

The deceased father also refuted some of the claims made by the school authority in their initial statement, pointing out that what occurred when his guardian came to pick him up was completely different from what the school recounted in their official statement.

Sylvester Oromoni’s Father’s Account

“The new incident came to my knowledge on November 21 after the school called my wife to notify us that our son was in the school clinic, injured.

My senior son, who was to make a London trip, came to see us in Warri. “The next day, we sent a family friend to help pick up our son since he was the only person in Lagos and take him to the hospital.

When he got there, he panicked, pointing out that he doubts it’s a football injury as the school claimed. He said the boy couldn’t stand because his waist was bent and swollen along with one side of his belly.

His mouth was black. I asked, ‘is this really a football injury?’ He was taken to my house in Lagos but couldn’t sleep at night.

I asked my eldest to fly to Lagos on November 24, while I took a trip to Asaba, from where I’d also make for Lagos. On getting there, he screamed. ‘This is beyond football injury. Come to Lagos now,’ he told me over the phone.”

Sylvester Oromoni passed away a few days to what would have been his 12th year birthday. In his interview, his father promised that he was going to celebrate his son’s birthday even in his absence and he did.

Celebrities also took to social media, celebrating the late boy’s posthumous birthday.

Sylvester Oromoni’s family celebrating their son’s posthumous birthday

Reactions From Social Media

Social media was taken to a whole new level of rage following new details from Sylvester Oromoni’s family. One user, a popular YouTuber by the name SisiYemmie said that parents who had their wards in the school should immediately withdraw their wards as a form of protest.

You underestimate the selfishness and self "centredness" of Nigerians! They believe Insha Allah it will not happen to them and they are covered by the blood of Jesus.
They will do thanksgiving and move on.
How many school children have died so far in school this year yet nothing! https://t.co/DnFBUJoJKx

— Aisha Yesufu (@AishaYesufu) December 3, 2021

Comedian, Mr. Macaroni (@mrmacaronii:) wrote;

“I deeply sympathise with the family of Sylvester Oromoni. I Just saw the video that was recorded before he died. He couldn’t move, mouth swollen, teeth bleeding. Football injuries don’t cause that much pain!!! Dowen college, there are a lot of questions begging to be answered.”

As a parent, I am heartbroken and outraged at the murder of young Sylvester Oromoni. Sylvester’s parents trusted the school with him. The school has failed in its duty of care and must take responsibility. Everything necessary must be done to get #Justiceforsylvester.

— Dr. Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) December 4, 2021

The tragedy that befell Sylvester is a reflection of the tragedy that befalls his generation;this is a violent country devouring its young. #Justiceforsylvester

— Senator Shehu Sani (@ShehuSani) December 4, 2021

Police Promises To Deliver Justice

On the 4th of December 2021, the police released a statement via their spokesperson Adekunle Ajisebutu, saying that investigations had begun on the case, though they had not formally received a report of the incident.

“The Command wishes to inform the public that, although no formal report of the incident was made to the police, the Commissioner of Police, upon hearing about it instantly directed the Divisional Police Officer, Maroko Division under whose jurisdiction the place of incident is to immediately visit the school to carry out an initial investigation into the incident,” the statement read.

The statement also added that the case, due to its severity had been taken over by the Homicide Section of the State Criminal Investigation Department, Panti.

While on his death bed, Sylvester Oromoni mustered the courage to mumble the names of those who beat him up. They are;

1. Michael Kashamu
2. Angel Temile
3. Favour Benjamin
4. Edward Brown
5. Agboro Emmanuel

The public was able to identify one of the suspects, Michael Kashamu as the son of late Senator Buruju Kahamu who for years was wanted in the US for drug-related crimes. The notorious drug runner passed away in 2020. It has been established by the public that upon Michael’s naming by the deceased, his family flew him abroad to ensure his safety.

Read Also: #EndSARS: Lagos Judicial Panel Finally Submits Report One Year After

Late Sylvester Oromoni with parents

Lagos State Government Shuts Down Dowen College

The Lagos State Government has ordered that Dowen College be shut down indefinitely. The announcement came following a meeting between the school’s management and the Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo.

“The Lagos State Government has ordered the indefinite closure of Dowen College, Lekki, pending the outcome of an investigation into the death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, a student of the school,” a statement from the ministry said.

The statement added that the “Commissioner for Education, Mrs. Folasade Adefisayo announced the closure after a meeting with the School Management and Staff. The Commissioner called for calm, saying no effort will be spared in getting to the root of the incident.”

The announcement from the ministry comes after Dowen College had announced a two-day break on Friday the 3rd and Monday the 6th of December.

Past Similar Occurrences

The news of Sylvester Oromoni’s bullying and death was not a strange incident to the Nigerian airwaves as similar occurrences seemed to have been on the rise. Some of which still sadly remain without justice being served. In mid-2021, news emerged of the death of a 14-year old boy in a school in Abuja with hazy details of the cause of death.

Around that same period, a 14-year-old student of Premiere Academy Lugbe, Abuja, named Ms Keren Akpagher died due to sepsis after a used condom was found inside her. She was molested by her teacher. The school pushed back allegations of sexual harassment and the perpetrator is yet to be punished. The mother, however, remains relentless and continues to call for help in order to seek justice for her dead daughter.

Investigative journalist David Hundeyin was able to uncover that the reason why the case has been swept under the carpet was that the school is owned by the influential and powerful Akinsola Akinfemiwa, who is the former CEO of Skype Bank and Chairman of Heritage Bank.

Hundeyin was also able to uncover that “Premiere Academy hired the public relations arm of marketing giant, CenterSpreadGrey to distort the public story with sponsored articles.”

Her mom is on my WhatsApp and I lose the will to live everytime she puts up a story, because it's always about her daughter.

This is her current profile picture where she is pleading with fellow parents and other students to speak up. So far, nothing. pic.twitter.com/25rE8mUGd8

— David Hundeyin (@DavidHundeyin) December 3, 2021

A case more similar to Oromoni’s occurred back in 2020 at Deeper Life High School, Uyo, Akwa Ibom state where an 11-year-old student was sodomized and starved by senior students as punishment for bedwetting. Thankfully, the young boy made it out alive. The case has since been in court.