Student’s Death: Lagos orders indefinite closure of Chrisland School

The Lagos State Government has ordered the temporary closure of Chrisland School, Ikeja, Lagos.

The development is in response to the controversies surrounding the death of a 12-year-old student of the school, Whitney Adeniran.

This was announced in a statement posted on the official Facebook page of the state government Sunday, noting that the closure was ordered by the Commissioner for Education, Folasade Adefisayo, “pending the outcome of a full investigation into the unfortunate incident”.

“Mrs Adefisayo, on behalf of the State Ministry of Education, commiserated with Mr and Mrs Adeyemi, parents of Whytney, and prayed for the repose of her soul.

“We also note the impact of this unfortunate event on family, friends and acquaintance of Whytney and call for calm as we assure that no effort will be spared in investigating the incident”, the statement reads in part.

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Parents, school disagree

Following the unfortunate death of the 12-year-old student, the deceased’s parents have accused the school management of negligence.

During the weekend, the father, Michael Adeniran, and his wife, identified simply as Mrs Adeniran, took to social media to seek public intervention to unravel the circumstances that may have led to their daughter’s sudden death while taking part in the sporting events held at the Agege Stadium in Lagos.

While the parents have insisted that the student was hale and hearty before leaving home on the said day, the school management has denied any wrongdoing, saying its officials took appropriate steps to save the deceased when she “slumped” at the stadium.

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The parents insisted that the lack of an ambulance or first aiders at the venue of the sporting events contributed to the student’s death.

Mrs Adeniran said she was at the stadium to cheer her daughter but could not locate her among the participating students and that no one informed her until the deceased was taken out of the stadium in a school bus.

School reacts

In a statement signed by the Chairman of the school’s Advisory Board, Ike Ofuokwu, the 12-year-old deceased “slumped in public view and not under any hidden circumstances.”

“Our immediate response was to take advantage of proximity by identifying the nearest medical facility to take her to, where the doctor on duty administered oxygen and every aid possible on her,” said Mr Ofuokwu.

According to the statement, the student opted not to participate in the inter-house sports march past “for reasons we were not very sure about.”

One of the school officials who spoke with PREMIUM TIMES on condition of anonymity said the management awaits the autopsy report on the deceased and that as a sign of respect to the departed “beloved student” it would desist from “sensationalising” the unfortunate development.