News

Dowen College: Oromoni’s Family Alleges Delay Tactics, Cries For Justice

Published

2 years ago

June 26, 2022

Editor

The family of deceased 12-year-old Junior Secondary School (class two) student of Dowen College, Lekki, Lagos State, Sylvester Oromoni Jnr, who was purportedly tortured to death by some senior students that wanted him initiated into a cult group, has raised the alarm that plots of delay tactics at coroner inquest are being hatched in some quarters to frustrate the family at seeking justice for their late son.

While appealing to Nigerians to keep faith with the family in the determination to secure justice for their deceased son, the Oromoni family indicted the representative of the Nigerian Bar Association in the court proceedings, one Bernard Onigah, who it claimed was being used to create confusion at every court sitting “just to ensure that the coroner never arrived at a conclusion to make its final report, based on findings and substantial evidence at its disposal.”

The deceased father, Mr. Stylvester Oromoni, who spoke with newsmen in Warri on Saturday, urged the leadership of the NBA to withdraw Onigah from the court proceedings “in order to allow the coroner to carry out its job diligently, so as to arrive at a conclusion in bringing out its report on the matter early enough.”

The family claimed that any attempt by the NBA leadership to continue to keep the person of Bernard Onigah, as its representative in the court, would be interpreted as complicity on the part of the body to frustrate the coroner proceedings, thereby prolonging its sittings in order to deny the family the justice craved over their son’s death.

While assuring that no amount of frustrations could make the family abandon the cause of justice for their son, Oromoni noted that “the family was determined to seek justice even if it’s going to take them another three decades.”

He said, “From the events of the past few weeks at the Coroner Inquest, we can draw a conclusion that some party in the case have resorted to using one Bernard Onigah, a representative of the Nigerian Bar Association in the matter, to buy more time by causing confusion and unnecessary set back at every of its sittings in order to delay its report and thereby frustrating the family.

“We, the members of the Oromoni family, hereby urge the leadership of the NBA to immediately withdraw its representative, Bernard Onigah from the coroner in order to assist in making the court draw conclusions based on findings and present its report appropriately.

“We wish to state categorically that failure of the NBA leadership to withdraw Bernard Onigah, from the panel after this passionate appeal would be interpreted as complicity on the part of its leadership to continue to frustrate the court proceedings through its representative, who had been causing confusion and dragging the court back.

“We are not unmindful of the fact that the NBA representatives just like other bodies were supposed to play an observer role in the inquest proceedings, but to our greatest surprise, the said Onigah has assumed the role of a defence counsel in the case by raising issues that tend to frustrate proceeding in order to buy time before the coroner.

“However, we want to appeal to Nigerians to keep the faith alive with the Oromini family and wish to thank everyone who stood by us during our trying period last year December when we lost our dear promising son, Sylvester Oromini Jnr, to the cold hand of death as a result of complications from the torture he received while in school.

“We assure everyone that we will continue to remain focused on the case and no amount of plots to frustrate or discourage us would succeed, as we are determined more than ever before to get justice for our late son even if it would take us another 30 years to achieve this, we are prepared.”

PUNCH

News

Nigerian’s Request To Be Buried Alive For 24 Hours Causes Stir Online [VIDEO]

Published

4 mins ago

May 9, 2024

Editor

A Nigerian man simply identified as Young C caused a stir online on Wednesday, May 8, when he embarked on a challenge to be buried alive in a coffin for 24 hours.

In a post shared on his Instagram page, Young C said he intends to broadcast live footage from the coffin at night.

Sharing a video on his Instagram account, he said

“I am going to be spending the next 24 hours buried in this casket. Guys, this is real, not fake. And the most amazing part is that I am going to go live by night.”

In a subsequent update, Young C revealed that he had been buried for over 8 hours and was experiencing physical discomfort, including excessive sweating.

“Guys, I have been buried alive for over 8 hours now. For those of you who saw my first video, I have been down here. As you can see, my camera is still rolling, and I have my light down there, I am sweating, guys.”

In yet another update, Young C said he has started experiencing heat and that his fear now is for his rechargeable fan not to run out of power. He also showed a container where he has been urinating since he began the challenge.

Watch video below:

News

Nigerian Emerges First Black Woman To Bag PhD In Robotics At Michigan Varsity

Published

12 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

A Nigerian woman, Oluwami Dosunmu-Ogunbi, has made history as the first black woman to bag a PhD in Robotics at the University of Michigan in the United States.

Speaking at the university’s College of Engineering convocation, Dosunmu-Ogunbi, a daughter of Nigerian immigrants, spoke on the support she received in realising her aspirations.

She said, “I do not stand here on my own two feet alone. None of us got here by our individual merit alone, whether it be teacher, friends, family, mentors, or role models, we each have one or multiple people to whom we are grateful for making this moment possible.”

She added that she wants to be remembered as the University of Michigan’s first black woman to get a PhD in Robotics and she wants to use her knowledge in engineering to improve the lives of others.

She added, “A Michigan Engineer is one who does not just provide scientific and technological leadership, but is also one who is intellectually curious, socially conscious, creates collaborative solutions to societal problems, and promotes an inclusive and innovative community of service for the common good.

“We each have a solemn duty to make positive contributions to the world. Well, my reasons for becoming an engineer were initially frivolous, but they eventually moved into something more meaningful. I want to have a positive impact on the world.”

The University of Michigan Robotics Department website describes Dosunmu-Ogunbi’s journey as one shared by many PhD students who initially lack a clear vision for their final goals.

It added that Dosunmu-Ogunbi has been an active community builder in robotics, earning an MLK Spirit Award from the College of Engineering for mentoring and inspiration as well as being named an outreach ambassador by Robotics for three years, 2021–2023.

The Department also disclosed that she was named a runner-up in the
College of Engineering’s three–minute thesis competition and has been inducted into the Bouchet Society, which recognises outstanding scholarly achievement and promotes diversity in graduate education and the professoriate.

Dosunmu-Ogunbi is currently interviewing for faculty positions, the department revealed.

News

Delta Bloodbath: Relief As Army Withdraws Soldiers From Okuama Community

Published

13 hours ago

May 8, 2024

Editor

Soldiers of the Nigerian Army who have been laying siege on the Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State since March 14, 2024, following the killing of 17 army officers and soldiers on a peace mission, have been pulled out from the community.

Local sources from Akugbene and Okoloba communities in Bomadi Local Government Area told newsmen on Wednesday that “the military troops were sighted suddenly pulling out of Okuama community on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.”

Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, while confirming the troops withdrawal from Okuama community, lauded President Bola Tinubu and the military high command for their interventions.

Oborevwori, at a media briefing, said that with the withdrawal of the troops, the people of Okuama could now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes and community.

The governor said, “My dear good people of Delta State, I have the pleasure to announce to you that, upon many deliberations and collaborations between the state government and the military leadership, the Nigerian Army has agreed to withdraw its officers and men from Okuama.

“I spoke with the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, on Monday, 6th of May, and as of today, 8th of May, 2024, the military has withdrawn from Okuama.

“With this development, the people of Okuama can now safely return to their homes and begin the process of reintegration and rebuilding their homes.”

Although Oberevwori had earlier appealed to indigenes and farmers to move into a rehabilitation camp being set up for Internally Displaced Persons by the state government “for proper welfare as a first step towards their resettlement to their community,” Okuama leaders had reportedly expressed reluctance to yield to the governor’s call regarding IDPs.

The Chairman of the State Government Committee to manage the Ewu IDP Camp, Mr. Abraham Ogbodo, who affirmed that the governor had already released N10 million to the Committee to ease the take-off of the Camp site at Ewu Grammar School lamented the noticeable lack of willingness by the Okuama indigenes to move into the IDP camp despite the efforts being put in place.