Sylvester Oromoni: 7 Things to Know About Former Dowen College Student

Sylvester Oromoni: 7 Things to Know About Former Dowen College Student

  • Sylvester Oromoni, a Dowen College student, tragically passed away just before his 12th birthday, sparking widespread outrage and calls for justice
  • Accusations of bullying and cultism against five pupils, alongside conflicting accounts and medical findings, highlighted significant issues
  • Despite the public outcry and temporary school closure, the case exposed the need for better medical attention in emergencies

In December 2021, a harrowing video emerged online, capturing the final painful moments of Sylvester Oromoni, a student of Dowen College in Lagos.

The footage showed the young boy writhing in pain, setting off a wave of shock and outrage across Nigeria.

Sylvester Oromoni: Things to know about student
All to know about Sylvester Oromoni. Photo credit: Dowen College/X
Source: Twitter

Sylvester, who was on the brink of his 12th birthday, tragically passed away just a few days later.

His death sparked a fierce debate on school safety, bullying, and the role of institutions in protecting children.

Here are seven key things to know about Sylvester Oromoni and the tragic events surrounding his death:

Read also

Police arrest popular human rights lawyer Farotimi over alleged defamation, video emerges

Sylvester Oromoni's tragic incident in 2021

In December 2021, a video surfaced online showing Sylvester Oromoni, a Dowen College student, in severe pain. He passed away a few days before his 12th birthday, sparking widespread outrage and calls for justice.

Allegations of bullying and cultism

Sylvester's father accused five pupils of bullying his son to death after he refused to join a secret cult. These allegations were supported by Sylvester's cousin, who claimed Dowen College harboured teenage cult members.

Dowen closed after public outcry

The incident led to significant public criticism of Dowen College, with over 200,000 people signing a petition for justice. The Lagos state government temporarily shut down the school to investigate the matter.

Conflicting accounts from the school

Dowen College claimed Sylvester was injured during a football match, not due to bullying. The school stated he was treated by their nurse and initially seemed fine, but later complained of pain.

Read also

Mother of deceased Sylvester Oromoni dies months after court rules in favor of Dowen college

Medical examination and autopsy results

Two autopsies were conducted on Sylvester. The initial autopsy suggested chemical intoxication and blunt force trauma, but a subsequent toxicology report indicated he died of sepsis. Medical experts noted a lack of evidence of physical assault.

Negligence and medical errors

Investigations revealed negligence and reliance on miracle healing over proper medical treatment. Sylvester's family doctor faced criticism for his handling of the case, and experts suggested the boy's life could have been saved with appropriate medical care.

Legal and public reactions

The Lagos State Director of Public Prosecutions stated that allegations against the accused students could not be sustained in court. The case highlighted issues of school safety, parental responsibility, and the need for better medical attention in emergencies.

Mother of deceased Sylvester Oromoni dies

Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that Rosemary Oromoni, the mother of Sylvester Oromoni, who died under controversial circumstances at Dowen College in Lagos in 2021, has passed away.

Read also

One year after, villagers mourn 85 people who lost their lives in Kaduna state

A family source revealed that Rosemary succumbed to complications from a blood pressure-related illness in late November.

Source: Legit.ng

Authors:
Basit Jamiu avatar

Basit Jamiu (Editor) Basit Jamiu is a journalist with more than five years of experience. He is a current affairs and politics editor at Legit.ng. He holds a bachelor's degree from Ekiti State University (2018). Basit previously worked as a staff writer at Ikeja Bird (2022), Associate Editor at Prime Progress (2022), and Staff Writer at The Movee (2018). He is a 2024 Open Climate Fellow (West Africa), 2023 MTN Media Fellow, OCRP Fellow at ICIR, and Accountability Fellow at CJID. Email: basit.jamiu@corp.legit.ng.