I gave Chrisland healthy child, they returned her dead, father tackles school authority

• She slumped in public view – Chrisland School

Dr Michael Adediran, father of Whitney, a 12-year-old student of Chrisland International High School, Opebi, Lagos, has demanded a probe into the death of his daughter during the school’s sporting competition last Thursday.

Adediran, in a message shared on social media, said the call became necessary because of the circumstances surrounding the death of the girl.

He said he gave the school a healthy child and was surprised that the girl was returned dead.

He said, “Good day Nigerians. This is a call to all well-meaning Nigerians to come to my aid. All bloggers, all media and all government agencies; Ministry of Justice, DSS and every intelligence agency, all human rights activists, this is a call to all of you. If you are reading this information kindly come to my aid.

“My name is Dr Micheal Adeyemi Adeniran, I am a father of 12-year-old Whitney Adeniran who died at Chrisland International High School, Opebi, Lagos inter house sport at Agege Stadium.

“It happened that my daughter attended Chrisland High School,  and it was their inter-house sport event on Thursday, February 9th 2023 and she dressed up from home, healthy with no health conditions or sickness at all, the school bus came to pick her up to the venue of the event at Agege Stadium.

“To the biggest shock of my life by 1pm in the afternoon I got a call from my wife that she was informed that our daughter slumped at the inter-house sport and she was rushed to the clinic. My wife was at the venue even before she started.

“She was never informed or called until they have conveyed our child out of the venue before they informed her. On arrival of my wife at the health centre where they took my daughter, my daughter was lying dead with her lips black and her tongue black.

“My wife called me urgently, I left my office to the place and found my daughter lying dead on the ground. I asked question about what happened to my daughter and the school authority could not get me any information as to what happened to my child in their care.

“I gave Chrisland School a healthy vibrant young girl what Chrisland returned to me is a dead child. My entire family is in deep sorrow but the school authority claimed they know nothing about my daughter’s death and all they know is that my daughter slumped and died.

“For the general information of the public Chrisland School held such a magnificent event without a simple fully equipped ambulance, no paramedics, medical personnel or no safety corps, no paramedic except a school quack nurse, who later confessed to me that the child died even at stadium but she cannot pronounce her dead because she is not a doctor.

“My question is what happened to my daughter at Agege Stadium. As a father I demand answer from Chrisland International High School. I am in deep pain and sorrow right now. If you are a father you will understand my pain. My daughter is highly loved by us. We cherished her existence and we can never allow any institution to gloss over the death of our daughter.

“I am calling on the Pathology Department of Lagos State University Teaching Hospital, LASUTH, to please be honest with their result. Lagos State government, Nigerian Government, please intervene.”

Meanwhile, the management of Chrisland School has exonerated the school of any culpability in the matter.

While consoling with parents of the student, the school noted that the said student had last month complained of being sick, was taken home by the father, before the recent event that saw her fainted and slumped in the presence of people at the event.

It stated, “The management and staff of Chrisland Schools limited are heartbroken and distressed over the death of our precious student, Whitney Adeniran, whose painful exit occurred on Thursday February 9, 2023.

“Whitney was one of our day students  who opted not to participate in the inter-house sports march past for reasons we were not very sure about. However, on discretion, we respected her decision to err on the side of caution because on the 20th of January, it is in our records that she complained about a not too buoyant health and we immediately contacted her parents. Her father, Mr. Michael Adeniran, came to the school to take her home. We emphasized to her parents to take a critical look at her.

“It is instructive to state that Whitney slumped in public view and not under any hidden circumstances whatsoever. Our immediate response was to take advantage of proximity by identifying the nearest medical facility to take her to, where the doctor on duty administered oxygen and every aid possible on her.

“Even as her family made funeral plans for an immediate burial, we differed politely and reiterated the need to establish a scientific verification of the underlying cause of death as required in circumstances like this. We immediately notified regulatory stakeholders and agencies to allow for a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of the developments.

“In spite of the compelling imperatives to fill any information gaps in public space, we stopped short of making any media sensation out of this because the deceased in question was a minor and is deserving of our unqualified respect. We also prioritized according respect to the privacy of the family and were with them consistently to mourn together.

“As parents, we feel the deep pain of this loss and our thoughts are with the family and friends of this wonderful girl. As we continue to uphold the sobriety of this moment, we resist any urge to join issues or trend her treasured memory on media traffic.

“As we eagerly await the outcome of an independent post mortem processes, we remain unwaveringly committed to supporting the family at this critical moment and pray fervently for the fortitude to bear this painful loss.”