Allegations and counter-allegations have followed the untimely death, on 16th October 2012, of Miss Blessing Ejiroghene Omadevuae, a Primary Three pupil of Unique International Academy, Bwari, who was reported to have been hit on the head by her class teacher, a serving National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) member. Amaka, the teacher, allegedly hit the girl for eating biscuit during a class, after which she was rushed to the Bwari General Hospital where was confirmed dead.
Late Blessing’s father, Mr. Godstime Atebefia Omadevuae, claimed to have taken news of his daughter’s death with such equanimity that the parents went ahead to celebrate her birthday — which was only two days after her death — as she had earlier requested.
However, things changed after a pupil who witnessed Blessing`s death eventually divulged the circumstances of her passing on, despite stern warnings from authorities of the school. “We had buried my daughter and left our fate to God,” he said. “But on a particular day when we went to print exercise books in her memory and in fulfillment of her requests for a special birthday, the parents of one of her schoolmates asked us: ‘Is Blessing your daughter? Since that day after her death, our baby has been saying: Is that how people die in this world? Blessing was beaten to death by her teacher because she was eating biscuit in class.’” He lamented that the school deceived the family by saying that the deceased died from serious convulsion.
A medical report from Bwari General Hospital, signed by Dr. Shehu Yakubu, negated the claims of the school, stating, instead, that the girl had no history of fever, vomiting, foaming (from mouth) or fecal and urinary incontinence. “On examination, the child was lifeless, with no cardiac activity, no respiratory activity. She also had fixed and dilated pupils,” a part of the report read. But the school has continued to maintain its claim of innocence in Blessing’s death, insisting that the family is only pursuing pecuniary interests in its handling of the matter.
Lawyer of the school, Mr. Taiye Atotileto, speaking on behalf of the proprietor, said the parents were on a blackmail mission. “We feel compelled to conclude that turning Miss Omadevuae Blessing Ejiroghene to a business of money extortion and blackmail is the last thing her parents should do,” he said, urging Blessing’s parents to take the matter in good faith. While the deceased family’s lawyer, Mr. Tony Ejumejowo, has already petitioned the Proprietor of the School and FCT Commissioner of Police, the school’s lawyer is arguing that Blessing’s parents should foot the bill of Police investigations and its lawyer’s services as well as damages for the losses incurred by proprietor due to the matter.