Late Student, Oromoni Still In The Morgue, Father Cries Out; CSOs Lament Delayed Justice

By Akinwale Kasali

One Year after the death of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos, Student, Sylvester Oronomi Jnr. under strange circumstances, his body is still lying in the mortuary.  The burial of the youngster is delayed due to the Coroner inquest aimed at unraveling the cause of his death.

Father of the deceased, Sylvester Oromoni snr. is sad over the delay in the burial of his young and only boy. He blames the Lagos State Government for its alleged lackadaisical  approach to the case.

In a statement released Wednesday, Oromoni said it saddens him on a daily basis that his Son is lying lifeless in the mortuary, stressing that assuming he had been buried, it would have eased the pain they are going through, but knowing that their late Son is still in the mortuary is a bitter pill to swallow every minute.

The Inquest on the circumstances surrounding his began at the Magistrate Court, Epe, now Magistrate Court 20  sitting on January 21, 2022. But till date, sadly, it is yet to be concluded.

The aggrieved Oromoni said that if the inquest is not concluded before the end of this year, he would be compelled to withdraw from it “in order to take a different legal step to seek justice.”

The statement reads:

“Today, November 30, 2022 makes it a year since the demise of my son and the body is still in the morgue, yet to be buried. This one-year memorial being held today is to tell Nigerians and the entire world about the current position of the inquest and the antics of Dowen College.

“I am equally aware that some civil society organisations and NGOs in Abuja and Lagos are equally observing the one-year memorial today to mark his one-year untimely demise.

“May the soul of Sylvester Oromoni (Jnr.) and all departed souls rest in perfect peace. Amen.

“At this point, I wish to call on the Honourable Coroner to please do the needful by urgently bringing the inquest to an end as Nigerians and the entire world are waiting for the dispensation of justice in this case as justice delayed, is justice denied.

“This struggle is not only about my late son, but my own way of preventing the future occurrence of this tragic incident.

“In the same vein, we equally urge the Lagos State Government, as a matter of urgency to charge Dowen College and all the staff who had earlier been recommended for prosecution in the DPP Advice of 30th day of December, 2021 to court.

“Already, Dowen College has since the commencement of this Coroner put a lot of things in order in the school premises which were not available at the material time.

“You may wish to know that the installation of CCTV cameras and a football pitch have been provided as against the former concrete basketball court which was being used.

“I must state categorically that if this inquest is not concluded before the end of this year, I shall be compelled to withdraw from it in order to take a different legal step to seek justice.”

It would be recalled that the coroner had adjourned proceedings twice after Dowen College failed to produce the two remaining witnesses from the school.

The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Men Against Rape Foundation (MARF) and Make A Difference Initiative (MAD) have lamented that family is yet to get closure.

Speaking at ‘a Night of Songs and Poetry’ organised by both organisations, the chairman of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Abuja Council, Comrade Emmanuel Ogbeche said he was troubled that the case has still not been concluded after one year.\

“This delay is unprecedented. Lagos state is famed for expeditious action in cases like this. But in this instant case of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr they have not used same speed”, Ogbeche noted.

He said the Lagos State Government owed the Oromoni family closure in order for them to commence the healing process.

In his welcome remark, Executive Director of Men Against Rape Foundation, Lemmy Ughegbe likened the delay in the Sylvester case by the Lagos state coroner to “an open sore left untreated.”

“It is disheartening that one year after a sore was inflicted in the soul of the Oromoni family, the wound has remained open and untreated. This is unacceptable. The family deserves that the open sore be treated, so they can begin the healing process”, Ughegbe stated.

“When you leave a sore open and untreated it can generate to a cancerous sore. The death of Sylvester Jnr is an open sore that is become a cancer for the family because the Lagos State Government seem to have put this case in abeyance with nothing heard about the coroner inquest for months”, he lamented.

“This protracted inquest is unusual and protracted as we note that even the Coroner Inquest of the Ikoyi building collapse of 2021 where 52 persons died did and the Ojota Yoruba rally where one Miss Jumoke Oyeleke died never took this long and they havesince been concluded their Inquest”, he noted

Ughegbe said “exactly one year today, the Oromoni family was confronted with the tragedy of losing their son in traumatising circumstances. It is not right that one year after, they do not have closure and therefore the healing process cannot commence.”

“Today November 30, 2022, we are using poetry and songs to tell the sad and depressing story of how 12 year old student of Dowen College, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr died while groaning in excruciating pain allegedly as a result of assault by bullies in his school”, he stated.

He noted that “it is exactly one year today that he died and the Lagos State Government and the coroner seem to have gone to sleep.”

He demand an expedited action by the state and their findings made known urgently, adding that “nothing excuses the case lingering for so long. The family needs to heal.”

“The Oromonis have lived for a full year now with trauma. I appeal to Lagos state Government to expedite action with the coroner inquest so that the family can have closure and begin the process of healing”, he appealed.