Tragedy struck in front of Lafenwa Comprehensive High School, Ota, Ogun State, last Thursday, when a 15-year-old pupil, Miss Kemi Obanla, was crushed to death by a truck driver.It was learnt that Kemi was killed while running errands for her class teacher.

It was alleged that the teacher had asked Kemi to go and buy cooked ‘ofada’ rice for her around 10am on the day.

An eyewitness, who craved anonymity, said the SS1 pupil was knocked down by a truck while crossing the road.

He said Kemi died while she was being rushed to the hospital.

“The girl was knocked down when she was crossing the road. After hitting her, the driver of the vehicle attempted to escape but the youths around apprehended him.

“It was when the girl was being taken to the hospital that she died. When we inquired where she was going at that time, we were told her teacher, whose name was not given, sent her to buy ofada rice for her.”

The father of the deceased, Mr. Peter Obanla, said the death of his daughter, dealt a devastating blow to the family.

He said when the girl left their Ajegunle Close, off Mefun Road, Ota, home, she was full of life.

Obanla said about two hours after his daughter left for school, someone informed him that she was involved in a fatal accident.

He said, “The accident happened on Ahmaddiya Road, Ota. By the time I got there, I learnt that they had taken her to an hospital. She died on the way to the hospital.

“Since then, we are yet to come to terms with the fact that that she is dead. I still cannot believe it. Kemi was very industrious, respectful and brilliant. Her death has dealt a blow to us.”

Obanla, who works with Dangote Group of Companies as a driver in Ibeshe Plant, said the school was shielding the teacher.

“It is only the Principal of the school that has been showing up. We do not know the teacher that sent my daughter on an errand. Though many teachers from the school have been coming to our house, we do not know who among them sent her on errand on that fateful day.

“The driver that killed her and the school authorities have been begging me to drop the case. They said what happened was the will of God.”

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer, Ogun Police Command, Mr. Muyiwa Adejobi, promised to get the details of the incident.

However, as of the time of going to the press, he did not get back to our correspondent.

Subsequent efforts to speak with him were not successful as his phone rang out many times without him picking it.

http://www.punchng.com/news/truck-crushes-15-year-old-pupil-while-on-teachers-errand/

What is even sadder than this little girl's death is the reaction of the school authorities asking the fam to drop the case and accept it as the will of God. To make it worse, the comments made my heart bleed. Why would anyone in their right mind support teachers sending students on errands that are not school related and even outside of the school building at creaking 10am in the morning too! I mean I know the education system is failing but really, has it come to this?

The teacher didn't kill the student, the truck driver did. However, the teacher, just like the driver, needs to be held responsible for his/her actions.

Btw, why do we continue to claim all the bad things that happen as God's will? If only we will put religious sentiments aside for once and see that it is we humans that are the cause of our own problems! Like one of the comments mentioned, there is no enforcement of any child protection laws. But I ask myself again, is there any enforcement of any law (generalization but mostly true)

Here are some of the comments:

Gossyman - The death of your daughter is the will of man(the teacher who sent her on an errand) and not the will of God.God doesn't force his will on men,every man wills his own will.Call in the Police to pickup all these teachers calling you to drop the case.Evil people hiding under corrupted superstitious believes.

Dan Kano - I think it's case of truck wants to go & late Kemi wants to go too. If there had been some traffic light it would have determine who goes and who stays, I schooled in nigeria, there should be nothing wrong in teacher sending a pupil on errand. However, it will be a concern if that time is when Kemi should Be in class studying. May her soul res in peace.

Chioma - Dan Kano, if you do not see anything wrong with the teacher sending the girl on an errand I have to tell you that everything is wrong with it Tell me the part of the world you live in and I will tell you that it is against the law in the part of the world where I live for a teacher to send his or her pupil on an errand outside the school. A teacher left her home without taking breakfast along with her and cannot go and get one herself. Anytime the school children are crossing the road there is always somebody to cross them whether they are crossing alone or in group. The teachers in Nigeria turn their students to slaves during school hours and some will even send hem to go and work on their farm and do one domestic work or the other for them it is against the law and no teacher will ever try that rubbish with a student in the part of the world where I live.NEVER

Save Nigeria - are you not a Nigerian just like he rightly said there is no big deal in a teachers sending a pupil on errand specially in a public school which I also attended. we went on several errands in fact sometimes there is competition on who to go.The simple truth is that Government have failed us and have not put he necessary infrastructures in place. period

Dublak - The teacher can send her on an errand but not during school hours. The girl died when she was supposed to be in class.

Tboy - While I have respect for the dead, sending Kemi errand wasn't solely responsible for her death. She is a teenager and must have been plying that road to school herself. Its one thing sending her to school while she ought to be studying, that i oppose vehemently but I was born in Nigeria, had both my primary and secondary education in Nigeria and it wasn't anything if a pupil runs errand for a teacher at free period. That it doesn't happen here doesn't make it wrong morally or otherwise. I sincerely sympathize with the family of this young lad. May her soul rest in peace.

Perhaps, this should be in the family section.. I dunno.