Chrisland Schools Not Prepared For Emergencies During Inter-house Sports, Witness Speaks On Whitney’s Case

A Deputy Director with the Lagos State Ministry of Youth and Social Development, Mr. Yakubu Abisogun, yesterday, told a Lagos State High Court, in Ikeja, that Chrisland Schools, Ikeja were not prepared for emergencies during the Inter-house Sports that led to the death of its student, Whitney Omodesola Adeniran.

Abisogun, a Level-16 Social Wellbeing Officer, said the ministry’s findings showed that the school failed to comply with the state’s Safeguarding and Child Protection Policy.

The Lagos State Government on March 31, 2023, charged Chrisland Schools, its principal and vice principal and two others with the killing of Whitney Adediran.

Adediran, a 12-year-old student, was allegedly electrocuted on February 9, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports competition at the Agege Stadium, Lagos State.

Those charged alongside the school are Ademoye Adewale (a cotton candy vendor), Kuku Fatai, Belinda Amao (Principal) and Victoria Nwatu.

Explaining further on the issue of the policy violation, Abisogun stated that the school had just one nurse and there was no available ambulance to convey any student to the hospital in case of an emergency.

The witness, who was led in evidence by the Director of the Department of Public Prosecutions, DPP, Dr. Babajide Martins, noted that the school’s negligence violated the safeguarding and child protection policy which demanded that there should be a retainer hospital that was close to the venue in case of emergency.

He said the school did not have a designated Child Safeguarding Protection Policy personnel as required by the Safeguarding Executive Order of the state.

“The designated safety protection child policy officer takes the lead responsibility in terms of risk and every other information surrounding the place of event of such magnitude but in the case of Chrisland School, they did not have any.

“We got to know about the incident at Chrisland School through social media.

“We have a Safeguarding and Child Protection Alliance group, it comprises all relevant agencies that ensures child safety.

“We called for an emergency virtual meeting immediately when we heard of the issue,” he said.

The witness also told the court that findings showed the school had over 556 students at the venue of the inter-house sports, out of which 377 were prepared to participate.

Abisogun disclosed that the school transported the pupils to the venue of the inter-house sports without safety clearance which also violated the Safety and Child Protection Policy.

“We concluded to meet physically on February 13, 2023, at the conference room of the Ministry of Education and the meeting was chaired by Mrs. Folashade Adefisayo, and other members.

“After the meeting , we invited Chrisland staff and management the next day Tuesday and they honored the invitation.

“In attendance was the principal, Mrs. Belinda Amoo, the school nurse, the school’s instructor, Mr Kuku, Mrs Adebisi, the Head of GreenHouse, Mrs. Onyema and the legal counsel.

“The meeting was a fact-finding meeting and the intention was for the school to give us firsthand information about what transpired at the inter-house sport and we all asked questions based on our professional knowledge,” he said.

The Judge presiding the case, Justice Oyindamola Ogala adjourned the case until March 13, for continuation of trial.