Dowen College Founder, Board Members Step Down Over Sylvester Oromoni’s Death

The Board of Governors of Dowen College including its Founder and Chairman, Dr O. Olumide Phillips, has stepped down over death of a 12-year-old student, Sylvester Oromoni Junior.

Dowen College’s Founder, Board Quit

KanyiDaily recalls that Sylvester Oromoni was alleged to have been bullied, beaten, and fed with a chemical by five students over his refusal to join their cult group, which resulted in his death.

Following the continued outrage tailing Sylvester’s death, Dowen College Parents’ Forum had demanded the sack of the school’s management team and hostel teachers.

A statement by Tomi Borisade, on behalf of Dowen College, said the school’s founder and members of the board had “chosen to retire” as part of its reorganisation.

Borisade said the decision was aimed at reassuring the public of the school’s best intentions towards all parties’ as well as to sustain and grow its 24-year legacy.

The statement titled: “Dowen College Shares Plans Going Forward: a New Chapter,” said in 24years, the school built a strong exemplary educational institution with high moral values and a culture of enviable track record.

It said: “A few weeks ago, the school experienced the unfortunate loss of a promising young student Sylvester Oromoni. May his soul rest in perfect peace and may God grant the Oromoni family the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss. We pray we will never experience such an unfortunate incident in our community again.

“We have worked on enhancing our safeguarding, monitoring processes and policies to ensure better oversight functions within the school. We are also reviewing our policies with our parents, staff and students to ensure strict compliance and best practices are adhered to going forward. As we review our processes, the school authority will not hesitate to relieve anyone responsible for administrative lapses in the duties of their positions.”

The statement expressed the school’s keenness to prevent another similar situation.

It added, “More significantly, the founding members of the Board of Governors, including the Founder and Chairman of the Board, Dr O. Olumide Phillips (PhD, FNSE, FNSChe, FAEng) who have worked tirelessly over the years to develop outstanding children in and out of the school, have chosen to retire and pass the baton of change to a new generation of seasoned professionals who will run with the vision, leadership passion, commitment and values they have worked rigorously to establish.”

“The Board of Governors had also decided to bring in external consultants to work with the school’s management over the next few months to ensure that high standards and best practices are upheld and implemented where they are needed.

“This new chapter promises to be one of collective re-dedication to excellence. We want our students to always be very proud of their school and our community to be assured of our best intentions at all times.”

KanyiDaily recalls that Dowen College was shut down last December by the Lagos State Government following the protests and outcry that greeted the death of Sylvester Oromoni.