A routine school day at Meteorite Standard College in Ayetoro, Itele, Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area of Ogun State turned violent on Thursday, October 23, when the school’s proprietor, Mr. Joseph Omokunle Afolayan, was allegedly assaulted by a parent and his associates.

The incident occurred shortly after the morning assembly, around 9:30 a.m., when Mr. Afolayan, 70, spotted a Junior Secondary School 1 (JSS 1) student, Sodiq Aremu Lawal, arriving late and improperly dressed. According to Afolayan, he attempted to question the 10-year-old about his tardiness and instructed him to kneel as a disciplinary measure. The pupil, however, fled the school premises.

Within 20 minutes, the boy returned accompanied by his father, Mr. Taiwo Lawal, popularly known as Eniba, and six other men. Eniba, reportedly a transport unionist and leader of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) in Alimosho Local Government Area of Lagos State, allegedly confronted Afolayan and accused him of sending his son away from school.

An altercation ensued, during which Eniba and his men reportedly launched a physical attack on the septuagenarian educator. Witnesses say Afolayan was punched repeatedly, sustaining injuries to his head, nose, and ears, and was dragged on the ground in full view of students and staff. The attackers allegedly ignored pleas from teachers to stop the assault.

Senior students eventually intervened to rescue Afolayan, after which the matter was reported to the Ayetoro-Budo Divisional Police Station. However, the suspects fled before police arrived. Afolayan was subsequently taken to the State General Hospital in Ota for treatment.

Speaking to reporters, Afolayan, a University of Ado-Ekiti graduate and former librarian who founded the school in 2000, described the attack as “horrible and irritating.”

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“I have always enforced discipline in this school,” he said. “But I never imagined I would be humiliated in such a manner for simply doing my job.”

Despite the incident, Afolayan said he did not send Sodiq away when he returned to school the following day, stating, “He wasn’t the one who beat me, even though his behavior triggered the incident.”

Afolayan also recounted previous confrontations with Eniba, including one involving a female student caught playing truant and another when Sodiq was sent home for unpaid school fees.

The police have reportedly been unable to arrest Eniba due to jurisdictional constraints, as his residence falls within Lagos State. The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ayetoro-Budo, Mr. Akindele Okunoye, confirmed the challenge, citing operational protocols for cross-border arrests.

However, Okunoye stated that the matter has since been resolved amicably. “Eniba sent representatives to plead with the victim, and both parties later met in my office. Mr. Afolayan requested that his medical expenses be covered, and a settlement was reached,” he said.

A medical report confirmed that Afolayan sustained multiple bruises and is currently undergoing treatment for eye injuries, with doctors warning of potential complications if not properly managed.

Efforts to reach Eniba for comment were unsuccessful. He did not respond to phone calls and only replied to a text message with a terse “Aah!”

The incident has sparked concerns among educators and parents about the safety of school administrators and the growing trend of hostility toward disciplinary measures in schools.