Nollywood female stars who are mostly mothers themselves, are speaking up against the latest tragedy that has hit a boarding school in Lagos, where they condemned the school where a pupil identified as Sylvester Oromoni was said to have died after allegedly engaging in a football game at the school.
The Nollywood female stars who took to their separate social media handled on Friday to register their condemnation about the sad news, posted a photo of the deceased Sylvester Oromoni with a caption questing the way and manner he school he died. They also question the school management on their story which allegedly led to the student’s death.
Nollywood female stars such as Mercy Johnson, Chioma Chukwuka, TV presenter, Morayo Brown, Dakore amongst others spoke about the sad news.
See their reactions:
Morayo Brown: “The truth is, this has got to be one of the most heart-breaking stories we are going to tackle. We waited to hear from all sides so we can have a robust conversation.
There are so many angles to this story: bullying, private school administration, first-aid, healthcare delivery and parenting a bully. Can’t wait to have this show on Monday,” she said.
Nollywood actress Dakore said: “My heart hurts for this young boy and his family why? Has it come to this now? We put our children in school, work hard to ensure they’re well taken care of then the boy ends up dead??? @dowencollegelagos how far? We need answers #JusticeforSylvester
Pls parents be close to your kids, believe them when they tell you they’re being bullied or harassed. I had a personal experience this term but I won’t disclose it here. School administrators have to do better as well, don’t cover up bad deeds, call it out and punish the bad eggs to serve as a deterrent. This is indicative of the wider problem we have in this country. People do bad and get away with it. Please God let that not be the case again.
THEN we parents let’s do better and actually RAISE our kids, teach them right from wrong and values!!! If not your kids will DISGRACE you! The parents of the kids that took this young boy’s life how far???? SMH,” she added.
Another Nollywood actress who is also a mother, Mercy-Johnson speaking on the incident, said: “I could not bring myself to post the video, I haven’t even been able to watch it twice.
I can’t imagine the pain this child felt, I cannot imagine. Sylvester’s life cannot be in vain, he cannot go like that,” she adds.
Chioma Akpotha on her part, said: “Stories like this particular one takes sleep away from my eyes !
My heart is broken
@dowencollegelagos how do you say to the world that #Sylvester died from injuries he sustained whilst playing football? HOW ???
What kind of football game is that? Why did you allow that kind of game in the school? OR are you the one playing games with us ?
Please say the truth @dowencollegelagos
How do you begin to console his parents? How do you send your child to school ALIVE, and they bring him back to you LIFELESS to bury?
Obi agbawagom ! How much more the parents
@dowencollegelagos NAMES WERE MENTIONED !!! . HOW ABOUT WE START FROM THERE ???,” she said.
Uche Jombo on her part, said: “Children need to be alive before they can receive an education. TAKE YOUR KIDS OUT.the lives of the other kids there are not safe. This is so heartbreaking Dowen college should give real answer to this.
Every single student involved in the murder of Sylvester must be arraigned. Dowen college must provide them or face the law!. #Justiceforsylvester @dowencollegelagos @lagosstategovt
What The Family Said About The Death Of Sylvester Oromoni:
On Wednesday, the late Master Oromoni’s ‘cousin’- Perrison Oromoni, had taken to social media to call out the names of some students of the school whom he accused of being responsible for the harassment and the eventual death of the junior secondary school student.
Mr Oromoni took to his Twitter handle @Perrisonoromoni to narrate how his late cousin was allegedly battered on Friday, November 26 at the school before he eventually died on Tuesday, November 3.
He said a series of tests and X-rays conducted on him showed that he sustained internal injuries from beatings he received from the students.
The accuser listed some students (names withheld) whom he accused of ‘mistreating’ the late student’ over his refusal to join an unnamed cult group.
Explaining further on social media, Mr Oromoni said the Dowen School management then called Sylvester’s father, Sylvester Oromoni, telling them that his son sustained injuries while playing football at the school.
School responds
Meanwhile, a statement that also went viral on social media on Wednesday, and which was allegedly signed by the school principal, Adebisi Layiwola, expressed surprise at the allegation.
The statement reads in part; “On the 21st day of November 2021, one of the Hostel Parents reported to the 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.”
The statement claims that in accordance with the school’s policy, “the resident doctor called the deceased’s mother reporting the incident and requesting that she should come for him so that he could get further medical attention”.
“The mother, however, said she was not in Lagos while she 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.”
‘Medical report’
According to the school, “the guardian later showed up and took the deceased for X-ray, the result of which it said revealed that no part of the boy’s 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 Principal also spoke with the mother on the phone to enquire about his progress and she reported that he was having a massage and gave the phone to him to speak with the principal,” the statement added.
Mrs Layiwola reportedly “it was therefore with a rude shock that it received the news of the student’s death and the accompanying allegations”.
“We immediately commenced investigations and invited the students allegedly mentioned for an interview. His guardian was also present during the interviews, which revealed that nothing of such happened,” the statement said.