27th January, 2024
By Oluwapelumi Oluwayemi
The trending video depicting the late Dowen College student, Sylvester Oromoni Jr., being laid to rest in his father’s compound in Ogbe Ijoh, Warri, Delta State, has stirred reactions.
Recall that Sylvester died in November 2021 amidst allegations of bullying by his seniors at the Lagos school.
However, the school administration refuted these claims, stating that his injuries occurred during a football game with classmates.
This sparked a legal dispute between the deceased’s parents and the school, with the parents contending that their son was in good health prior to the incident.
In 2021, Sylvester Oromoni Sr. insisted that justice must be served before his son’s burial.
An autopsy conducted in January 2022 revealed that the 12-year-old Dowen student succumbed to “acute lung injury from chemical intoxication in a background of blunt force.”
Subsequently, the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP) in Lagos issued a contradictory report, stating that Sylvester’s death was natural, leading to further contention with the family.
After a two-year ordeal, the deceased’s parents finally laid him to rest on Saturday in Delta, attracting dignitaries, including human rights activist Femi Falana.
However, the burial video prompted mixed reactions, with many questioning the lavishness of the event for a young child. Some expressed cultural differences in mourning practices, while others lamented the lack of justice in Sylvester’s case.