Sylvester Oromoni, father of the late 12-year-old pupil of Dowen College, Lagos says the school authorities have not called the family since the boy’s death.
The grieving dad stated this during an interview with Arise TV on Sunday.
Oromoni said the school management had yet to contact the family directly either to offer condolence messages or have any meaningful conversation except when the Principal called to challenge him on why he made public, videos of Sylvester (Jnr) on the hospital bed.
He said, “Let me tell you something, when this incident happened until we brought this boy home till the day he died, nobody called us, the principal did not call, the house masters did not call.
“We were the ones that called, it was only one teacher, JSS1 teacher, I don’t know the name of the teacher, that was the only person who called just to check up on the boy, even his JSS 2 teacher, nobody called.
“As I’m speaking to you, up until today, the owner of the school has not even called. The only time the principal called me was to ask me why the family shared the photos and videos of Sylvester passing through pain, that why did I share those pictures with the public, that the boy is a very handsome boy, that anyone that sees the pictures will be scared, that she was also scared when she saw the pictures.
“I told her ‘Madam, you have children, I read your press statement, you are not telling people the truth, I need thorough investigation, you also have children’. I sent her a text when the boy died that I want a thorough investigation, after all, she has a child.
“I told the woman I read your statement that my boy died as a result of a football injury, if football can injure someone’s mouth, and make one to be in so much pain, I think the government should look at the situation the boy passed through. When he was about to give up, he cried and said, ‘I don’t want to die!’ Even after he died and cotton wool was already in his nose, tears were still coming out of his eyes.”
The death of the 12-year-old has attracted outrage from Nigerians with many demanding justice for the young boy.
Others called on parents to withdraw their children from Dowen following the incident.
The school in its reaction to the incident claimed that the deceased sustained injuries while playing football and was given immediate medical attention by its resident nurse.
Subsequently, the student complained of having pains in his hip and was attended to again by a doctor and nurse and thereafter taken to his house, the school said.
The victim’s cousin released photos and video evidence, showing Sylvester was bullied and beaten, leading to his death.
The video shared by the family of the boy before his death showed him in pain.
The deceased was also said to have been forced to drink an unknown substance by the bullies.
The father of the late student had alleged that the parents of pupils responsible for torturing his son had made arrangements for them to fly out of the country.
On Saturday, despite the boy’s death, his parents and other family members marked his birthday.
According to them, it was the best way to honour him and keep his memories alive.
The move by the family caught the attention of Nigerians, who have continued to offer words of support to the victim’s parents over his demise.