Dont reopen Dowen College, Ijaw youths Warn
Aisha Abass
Authorities have been warned not to reopen Dowen College marred by reports of widespread negligence leading to the death of a student last year.
The Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) in a statement made available to Irohinoodua warned the Lagos State Government not to make the mistake of reopening the school.
The school is located in Lekki, Lagos.
Hundreds of Ijaw nationals staged a protest against Dowen College this week over the death of Syvester Oromoni. He was believed to have been tortured by bully peers.Some parents attested to the savage culture in Dowen amidst authority complicity or outright nonchalant attitude of the school owners.
Sylvester’s death could have been prevented if only the school had acted to deal with several cases of students being tortured by fellow students of the school.
The Directorate of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Lagos had absolved some students and staff of blame.
The JSS2 pupil of the school, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.
Oromoni died on November 31 few days before his 12th birthday.
There were reports that he died after he was compelled to swallow poisonous chemicals in an attempt to initiate him into a secret cult.
The Lagos DPP report had cleared five student suspects named in connection with Oromoni’s death.
Some staff of the school were also named as accomplice.
The IYC spokesman said: “We are here today to express our anger and grievances with the fake and corrupt report released by the Lagos State Director of Public Prosecution that this school where cultists are being trained is cleared.
“They cleared the same people that killed our son without trial, without concluded investigation; they said they cleared this school to reopen.
“If they open the school, the whole Ijaw youths will come here on Monday with our school bags, feeding bottles and join we that are already on ground.
“So now, we want to send a message to the governor of this state; I believe he is a well-trained person, if he supports injustice, then this school will not have peace.”