Press Statement from Chrisland Schools regarding sexual molestation accusation

We wish to bring to the attention of the public that we were informed of the allegation of sexual assault of a two (2) year old child by Mr. Adegboyega Adenekan at one of our schools at the Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos following the press briefing today Wednesday, 30th November, 2016 by the Lagos State Police Command, Ikeja, Lagos State.

2.     Chrisland Educational Organization is a responsible institution having a history of almost forty (40) years of unblemished records in providing qualitative education and we are at a loss as to the present allegation against a Staff of the School, Mr. Adegboyega Adenekan.

3.     While the School does not hold the brief of the alleged abuser – Mr. Adegboyega Adenekan, who has been in police custody at the Ikeja Division since Thursday 24th November, 2016, we are compelled to state what we know and what we have done since becoming aware of the unfortunate allegation.

4.     The alleged sexual abuse of a child in the Victoria Garden City (VGC) branch of our Schools, filtered to the Management of our Schools. The Class Teacher of the child, Mrs. Adejoke Erherhe, later informed the School Management in answer to a query, that the Mother of the child telephoned her on Thursday 10th November, 2016, to inquire if anyone had touched her daughter’s private part to which she responded in the negative.

5.     The Class Teacher also stated that the Mother of the child came to the School at VGC the next day, Friday, 11th November, 2016 with her child and met with her (the Class Teacher of her child). The Mother claimed that her daughter had been abused, but requested that the Class Teacher should not tell anyone as she did not want her daughter stigmatized.

6.     The Class Teacher could not keep the information to herself and therefore told her line Supervisor, Mrs. Cecilia Layiwola on the same Friday, 11th November, 2016. The line Supervisor informed a senior Supervisor, Mrs. Jumoke Bayo-Olupohunda on Saturday, 12th November, 2016. It was the senior Supervisor who informed the Head Teacher, Mrs. Angela Modebe on Saturday, 12th November, 2016.

7.     On Monday, 14th November, 2016, the Head Teacher invited the Mother of the Child for a discussion to enable her know what was said to have happened. The Mother of the child honoured the invitation. It was on the same Monday, 14th November, 2016, that the Head Teacher informed the School Management and a 3-man team comprising The Head of Human Resources, The Executive Assistant to the Managing Director and The Head of Quality Assurance of the Nursery School all from the Head Office of the Schools from Opebi visited the VGC School and met with the Mother of the child and the Head Teacher.

8.     At the meeting of Monday, 14th November, 2016, the Mother brought a copy of report from The Heritage Specialist Clinic dated 11th November, 2016 addressed “To whom it may concern”, which said report concluded that “this baby has been abused”.

9.     It was agreed at that meeting of Monday, 14th November, 2016, that a second opinion be sought and Kids Care Paediatric Clinic located nearby and used by the VGC School from time to time for the medical needs of students was agreed upon and the child was taken there for examination. A report dated 14th November, 2016 addressed “To whom it may concern”, which appears to be “inconclusive on the subject” was issued.

10.  It was on Tuesday 15th November, 2016, that the Managing Director of the School, having made extensive inquiry as to the best medical facilities for a proper examination of the child, telephoned the Mother of the Child, with view of visiting her at home.

11.  During the telephone discussion it was suggested by the Managing Director of the Schools that an appointment has been booked with Mirabel Clinics at GRA, Ikeja and a Forensic Centre at Ogba, Lagos for Friday, 18th November, 2016 for the examination.

12.  On Thursday, 17th November, 2016, the Managing Director of the School received two phone calls, one from the Mother of the child and the other from the Father of the child who telephoned from the United Kingdom. Both of them objected to a further medical examination of their child at Mirabel Clinics or at the Forensic Centre.

13.  On Friday, 18th November, 2016, the School directed that a Staff of the School, Mr. Emem Obobo should make a report to the Nigeria Police at Ajah at Area “J” Command, and that the said Staff was informed that at the Area Command of the Nigeria Police, oral reports are not accepted and that a letter should be written to the Area Commander for the matter to be handled.

14.  On Saturday, 19th November, 2016, that the Managing Director of the School with 2 Management Staff visited the Mother of the child and assured her that the School would do everything possible to seek to know what happened to her child and reassured her of necessary support in this regard.

15.  On Monday, 21st November, 2016, a formal written report was made by the School to the Police through the office of the Area Commander, Area “J” of the Nigeria Police, Ajiwe, Ajah, Lagos.

16.  It was while the School was waiting to hear from the Police at Ajah, that the School got a request from the Ikeja Division of Nigeria Police to produce the alleged abuser – Mr. Adegboyega Adenekan and that the School promptly did so on Thursday 24th November, 2016 and that one Gloria from the Office of Public Defender who gave her telephone number as 08129460792 was present with the Mother of the Child on that day and every day since then, except on Sunday, 27th November, 2016.

17.  The School has since the 24th day of November, 2016, sent senior Management Staff to the Police at the Ikeja Division of the Nigeria Police and have cooperated fully with the ongoing investigations by producing documents and other Staff members required for interrogation, some of whom were detained and later released on bail to their families.

18.  On Monday, 28th November, 2016, the Police paid a visit to our VGC School in furtherance of the ongoing investigations and we have been made to understand that the Mother of the child has been persuaded to take the child and has since taken the child for medical examination at the Mirabel Clinics.

19.  We remain committed to seeing the process through.

20.  We do not know why it took the Mother of the child over two (2) weeks to notify the School of the matter, we feel concerned as the Mother of child is literate and is said to be a media practitioner and should know that the earlier the matter is handled, the better for everyone.

21.  We are also concerned that the Mother of the child is said to have sent a text message to the alleged abuser – Mr, Adegboyega Adenekan in the following terms –

“Thank you for the audience. As we discussed 1) that one 2) as I said. (3) my daughter must not be physiologically affected. You must remain friendly with her, she must not feel you changed to her as a result of her confiding in me cos I know she hold you on high esteem”.

22.  While we are disheartened by this matter, we once again wish to assure the general public that we as an Institution have no intention to cover-up any person in relation to the matter.

23.  Immediately the School got to know of the allegation, Mr. Adegboyega Adenekan  was made to be reporting at the head office in Opebi, Ikeja in order to enable the School have him within sight and to ensure that he was reporting daily so as to avoid a situation that he cannot be found. We believe that the School has done its best in ensuring that Mr. Adegboyega Adenekan and all other persons who have been invited by Police have been produced and that we shall continue to do our best.

24.  The Police will also inform the general public that we have done nothing to interfere or undermine the ongoing investigations as we are out to get the truth of the matter.

25.  The School Management and the Parents Teachers Association (PTA) of the School who have been already informed of the matter are not adverse to meeting with relevant Government Agencies and Organizations even as we await the report of Police investigations.

26.  The School Management shall continue to do all in her power to ensure the safety and wellbeing of her pupils and students.

Thank you.

Anike Oye (Mrs.)

Director of Administration