LATE SYLVESTER OROMONI: BETWEEN COVER UP AND ENLIGHTENED SELF INTEREST
Mike Utsaha, Esq.
Mike Utsaha, Esq.
David Yallop’s “In God’s name”, is probably the most intriguing and perhaps the most fascinating book I have ever read.
I must have been just a little over 15 or thereabout when I read it.
As a young mind, I probably lacked the capacity expected of me to understand, and hopefully appreciate, the gravity of the detailed accounts of the intrigues associated with the highest level of Catholicism, the conspiracy theories and the alleged cover up associated with the death of Pope John Paul 1.
The book nevertheless left me with a deep feeling of regret regarding the practise of my faith as a Catholic.
Much later as an adult I have been confronted from time to time with negative news reports of sexual indiscretion on the part of priests who turned on minors over whom they had to exercise authority or control.
The difference this time around is that in most of these cases not only is the church subjected herself to the oversight functions of civil authorities but the church has been open and transparent in the manner in which these issues are handled internally.
Although the church, particularly in Europe and America, has had to part with humongous sums of money in settlement or in payment of damages to victims of these acts of indiscretion, the truth is that there is a sense in which credibility is gradually been restored to the church and its handling of matters of this nature.
In view of what I may describe as the seemingly very beneficial outcome of the policy decision of the Catholic Church to be open and transparent about some of its internal affairs, I am usually at a loss as to why owners or managers of facilities would rather seek to cover up than come clean when confronted with negative occurrences.
A few months ago we lost Keren Akpagher a student of Primiere Academy Lugbe under circumstances that clearly suggest an attempt at a cover up.
Right now we are dealing with yet another situation in which another teenager has lost his life under circumstances that clearly suggest an attempt at a cover up.
My heart sure does go out to the parents and siblings of Late Sylvester Oromoni a student of Dowen College Lekki in Lagos.
This incident has already drawn national outrage resulting in the immediate closure of the school by the Lagos State government and a commitment on the part of the Delta state government to stop at nothing until the circumstances surrounding the death of little Sylvester is brought to light.
In this age and time when advanced technology has come in aid of medical sciences I really wonder what the school authority was seeking to achieve with that bare faced lie about the lad having injured himself in the course of a game of football, when in actual fact he was a victim of massive brutality.
Certainly, that line of action has turned out not to be in the enlightened self interest of the school authority.
It is my hope and expectation that this particular incident will ultimately lead us to a reform agenda that will not only restore confidence in boarding education but bring back the character formation agenda of our schools.
May the soul of little Sylvester rest in peace. And may his parents, and siblings in particular, be consoled.
