By By Promise Eze
The management of Chrisland schools has given its own account of the incident that led to the sudden demise of one of its students, Whitney Adeniran, who reportedly slumped and died.
According to Punch Newspapers, the 12-year-old Whitney died during the school’s inter-house sports competition at Agege Stadium in Lagos State, Southwest Nigeria on Thursday.
Sahara Reporters also reported that the father of the deceased, Michael Adeniran, took to social media on the night of Saturday, February 11, 2023, to demand for justice over his daughter’s death.
Adeniran added no explanation was given to him and his wife by the school regarding their daughter’s death.
He said his wife was present at the stadium, but the school did not call her attention to the incident immediately
Adeniran subsequently called on the Lagos State Government and the police to look into the matter and ensure that justice is done.
He asked why the school had no ambulance or paramedics at the event, except for a “quack” nurse whom he said confessed that the child died at the stadium.
In its reaction, Chrisland issued a statement on Sunday, February 12, 2023, in which it responded to the call for justice and also detailed the event that led to the student’s death on the said day.
The statement read: “The management and staff of Chrisland Schools Limited, with a deep sense of loss, announce the death of our precious student, Whitney Adeniran; whose painful exit occurred on Thursday, February 9th, 2023.
“We are heartbroken and distressed. Whitney was one of our Day students who opted not to participate in the inter-house sports match past for reasons we were not very sure of.
“However, on discretion, we respected her decision to err on the side of caution, because on January 20, 2023, it is in our records that she had complained about a not-too-buoyant health and we immediately contacted her parents.
“Her father, Mr. Michael Adeniran, came to the school to take her home. We emphasised to her parents to take a critical look at her.”
Explaining further, the school management said the student slumped in “public view and not under any hidden circumstances,” adding that she was rushed to the nearest medical facility for first aid.
“Our immediate response was to take advantage of proximity to first-aid, by identifying the nearest medical facility to take her to, where the doctor on duty, administered oxygen and every aid possible on her.”
Chrisaland also appealed to the Adeniran family to get a scientific verification of the underlying cause of their daughter’s death before her burial.
The management and staff of the school also expressed their deep pain over the death of Whitney and sent their thoughts and prayers to the Adeniran family.
The statement added: “We immediately notified regulatory stakeholders and agencies to allow for a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of the developments.
“In spite of the compelling imperatives to fill any information gaps in public space, we stopped short of making any media sensation out of this, because the deceased in question, was a minor and is deserving of our unqualified respect.
“We also prioritised respect to the privacy of the family and were with them consistently, to mourn together. This is a painful loss for all of us.
“As we continue to uphold the sobriety of this moment, we resist any urge to join issues on her treasured memory, in media trends.
“As we await the outcome of an independent post-mortem process, we remain unwaveringly committed to supporting the family at this critical moment and pray fervently for the fortitude to bear her painful loss.”
