When Mrs. Yetunde Ajibola, a teacher at Ewu Tuntun Grammar School, Oshodi, Lagos, decided to wield the rod against a Senior Secondary School 1 student of the school, Modesta Annumba, for lateness and failure to take her turn to sweep the classroom for the week, she had absolutely no inkling of the dimension that the matter has now assumed.
Ajibola is now in trouble for allegedly caning Annumba on her spine while ordering her to remain in a stooping position for a long time to serve a punishment for flouting school rules.
Unfortunately, following the corporal punishment meted out to her by her teacher, the 16-year-old girl, who resides at 22 Assoland Street, Mafoluku, Oshodi, is now battling with her life due to the partial stroke she allegedly suffered after her ‘ordeal’ at the hands of Ajibola.
Annumba’s classmate, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the teacher’s strokes of the cane fell on the spine of the student, who was ordered to “touch her toes” while the punishment lasted.
”Mrs. Ajibola punished her for lateness and for not sweeping the classroom as stipulated by their class roaster by telling her to touch her toes and she complied. The teacher gave her several strokes of the cane on her back before she was finally released. But I think it was during the beating that the cane must have fallen on a dangerous place on her spine,” the student alleged.
She further alleged that it was as a result of the punishment two weeks ago that Annumba had now become critically ill, partially paralysed and now confined to her home in Oshodi, Lagos.
The right part of her body, including her hand and leg, has now been affected, apparently as a result of the strokes she received from her teacher. Another classmate of the victim, who also pleaded anonymity, alleged that she knew Annumba’s health would be put on the line as a result of the prolonged beating and long hours of punishment meted out to her by the teacher.
She added that poor Annumba was already weak and writhed in serious pains from the severity of the punishment after she was let off the hook, as she found it hard to even concentrate in class throughout that day.
“As I speak with you, it is only God that will save Modesta’s hand and leg. She has been absent from school since this incident happened. What I heard about the case is that she has been in and out of hospital since then.
Since then, Modesta’s aunt has been carry ing her from one hospital to the other for treatment,” she said.
Annumba’s guardian, Mrs. Uwandu Evans, told our correspondent that the teacher and the authorities at Ewu Tuntun Grammar School had abandoned the poor girl and her family to their fate since the incident occurred two weeks ago.
Evans alleged that when she took Annumba to the school to find out the circumstances that resulted in her current condition, some of the other teachers made jest of her, asking her whether she was aware that the school was a public institution and not a private one, where parents’ complaints could be easily addressed.
She added that she had to rush her niece to the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba, to seek urgent treatment for her critical condition. Her efforts, she, however, regretted, have not yielded any fruit as there had yet to be any improvement in Annumba’s health even after she was subjected to series of tests at the hospital.
According to her, “I observed that when Modesta got home that particular day, she was restless. Initially, I thought Modesta was pregnant.”
The teacher gave her several strokes of the cane on her back before she was finally released. ButIthink it was during the beating thatthe cane must have fallen on a dangerous place on her spine
She disclosed that she had initially subjected Annumba to a pregnancy test, which turned out to be negative, when she complained of back pains. Evans stated that after further medical diagnosis, she later discovered that the girl had suffered back injury from the punishment inflicted on her by her teacher.
She added that Annumba had earlier been treated for malaria and administered some antibiotics, but she later observed that the girl couldn’t walk again as she continued to complain of excruciating pains in her head and neck down to her spine.
When she could no longer bear the sight of her niece in constant pain and in order not to take chances with her health, she had to rush her to LUTH.
Evans, however, regretted that Annumba could not be admitted in the hospital because she could not afford to pay N25,500 fee charged before her niece could be taken in for treatment.
“I had initially reported to the principal of the school about the incident and the principal promised that the school would foot the bill for her treatment. But to my surprise, the principal gave us only N7,000 and promised that they would provide ingly, the principal did not show up at the hospital and not even a representative was sent from the school, as earlier promised by the principal,” she said.
Evans added that Annumba was scheduled for a full spinal cord scan by doctors at the hospital, who said that her nervous system might have been damaged as a result of the strokes of cane she received from her teacher, resulting in the paralysis of the right part of her body due to shock.
On May 22, 2017, Annumba’s aunt was left with no other choice than to report the matter at the Akinpelu Police station, Oshodi, from where a female police officer was detailed to go to the school with Evans to invite the teacher involved, Mrs. Ajibola, for questioning.
The female police officer in charge of the matter, Inspector Gladys, said she was surprised by the nonchalant attitude displayed by the principal of the school and his teachers over Annumba’s case.
She disclosed that one of the teachers told Annumba’s aunt in her presence that she was merely exaggerating the whole issue and that she should “go to hell.” The police officer added that the teachers also boasted that nothing would happen to the teacher involved, while they also abused and called Evans all sorts of names. She further said that the school teachers threatened to ensure that Annumba failed unless she was taken to a private school.
“This clearly shows that the school and other public schools lack child protection and safety guidance policy,” the police officer said. Further investigation revealed that the teacher involved, Mrs. Ajibola, had an accomplice, whose identity has been shielded. Evans, however, demanded justice for her niece, saying she had been under her care since her childhood.
“I am calling on Nigerians and the appropriate authorities to come to our aid as I want justice to be done,” she said. Evans disclosed that Annumba has been taken back home since she could not pay the hospital bill.
The Vice Principal of Ewutuntun Grammar School, Mrs A. Akhigbe, told our correspondent that the authorities at the School District VI were already looking into the matter. The teacher involved, Ajibola, also declined to make any comment on the matter, when contacted by our correspondent, saying that the school authorities were already on top of the matter.
I had initially reported to the principal of the school about the incident and he promised that the school would foot the bill for her treatment. But to my surprise, the principal gave us only N7,000
The Lagos State Coordinator of the Child Protection Network, a nongovernmental organization championing the cause of abused children nationwide, Mrs. Ngozi Okoro, disclosed that CPN had already waded into matter and would do all within its power to ensure that the offenders were punished legally.
“The school is trying to cover up, especially the principal and the teacher, despite the fact that the matter has been reported to the Educational District V1 in Oshodi.
“The teacher must go in for it because I’m sure they are aware of the Lagos State Child Protection Policy that Governor Akinwunmi Ambode signed in December 2016, that children must not be flogged.
So, if they can flog a child to the extent that one hand is now partially paralysed, then that is abuse”, she said. The Police Public Relations Officer of the Lagos State Police Command, Olarinde Famous-Cole, said that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area where the incident was reported, had yet to brief him.
Famous-Cole, an assistant superintendent of police, said that the appropriate authorities would be informed as soon as his office was notified of the matter.
Also, all efforts made to contact the Tutor- General of the Lagos State Education District V1, Mrs Olufunmilayo Onadipe, were not successful.
Several calls and text messages sent to Onadipe’s phone number were neither answered nor replied
