Management of Chrisland School confirms Whitney Adeniran’s death

The death of 12-year-old Whitney Adeniran, a student at Chrisland School, Opebi, Lagos, has been confirmed by the management of the school.

The incident happened on Thursday, February 9th, 2023, during the school’s inter-house sports competition at Agege Stadium in Lagos.

According to Whitney’s father, Dr Michael Adeyemi Adeniran, Whitney was hale and hearty when she was picked up for the event. He raised concern over the lack of explanation provided by the school in respect of his daughter’s death and called for an investigation by the Lagos State Government and the police.

Also, Whitney’s father asked why the school had no ambulance or paramedics on ground at the event but only had a nurse who allegedly confessed that Whitney died at the stadium.

He said: “To the biggest shock of my life by 1 pm 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 the event 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 12-year-old daughter lying dead on the ground. I asked questions 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.

“My question is what happened to my daughter at Agege stadium? As a father, I demand answers 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 an institution to gloss over the death of our daughter.

“Since we started asking this question. The school has been asking us to back down from the autopsy and I know they know their way into the system. I am calling on the pathology department of @lasuth to please be honest with their result. Lagos State government, Nigerian Government, please intervene”

The school management revealed that they are heartbroken by Whitney’s death and expressed their condolences to the family. They made it known that Whitney had chosen not to partake in the inter-house sports match due to concerns about her health and that her father came to the school to take her home. The school reported that Whitney slumped in public view and not under any “hidden circumstances.”

While responding to Whitney’s death, the school management acted immediately by seeking medical assistance and informing regulatory agencies for a comprehensive evaluation. They stated that their priority was to respect the privacy of the family and offer support during this difficult time.

Meanwhile, Whitney’s mother has claimed that the school did not provide proper first aid management and that Whitney was not taken to a hospital but instead to an immunization center. She expressed her pain over the lack of proper care given to Whitney.

Chrisland International High School first made the headlines after an alleged rape of one of its female pupils during a trip to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) last year.

Later, videos of the students engaging in sexual activities at their hotel in Dubai, where the school had taken them on a trip, emerged on social media.

Lagos State Government suspended the school for a thorough investigation into the incident but the suspension was lifted one week after.