It Is Very Shameful That Young Girls Could Lose Their Lives In This Kind Of Situation -Queen's College Alumni Drags FG To Senate,

Queen’s College Old Girls Association has dragged the Federal Government to the Senate over the disease outbreak in the Queen’s College, Yaba, Lagos State, which left three pupils dead and several others hospitalised.

The association specifically called for criminal prosecution of the case.


President, QCOGA, Dr. Frances Ajose, who led other alumni of the school on a visit to President of the Senate, Senator Bukola Saraki, on Wednesday, alleged that the association was prevented by the management of the school when it intervened in the crisis in 2016.

Nigerians had called for the sacking and prosecution of a former principal of Queen’s College, Dr. Lami Amodu, who transferred to another unity school in Uromi, Edo State, after the incident.

Speaking to our correspondent after the meeting, Ajose said the association sought the intervention of the legislature to cause speedy and drastic action on the incident.

She said, “These are the lawmakers of this country and a lot of the problems in Queen’s College have arisen from the failure of the laws and failure of compliance with the laid down rules and regulations governing the school’s system. They are the ones who can correct the flaws and that is why we are here.”

Speaking on the redeployment of the former principal of the school, Ajose alleged that the alumni had had issues with Amodu before her redeployment.

She said, “Her redeployment was just coincidental. Her redeployment was not as a result of the problem. Her redeployment was a culmination of previous offences. It just coincided with this problem and it was God ordained because there had not been a change in the headship (of the school) at that crucial moment, we may not have been able to achieve what we have achieved so far.

“The former principal was blocking all efforts by the old girls’ association. By this time last year, precisely April 2016, the association wrote to this woman – the former principal – and copied the Ministry of Education that the sanitary situation at Queen’s College was a tragedy waiting to happen. But she went to the ministry and blackmailed the old girls; that we were interfering in the running of the affairs of the school. She instigated that the old girls be driven out of the school.”

Ajose lamented that of action had been taken on the letter by the association, the crisis would have been prevented.

“If she had not blocked the response from the ministry, they would have take action from as far back as last year. We would not have lost these three children. That is where she is guilty; that she blocked the opportunity to effect a corrective procedure last year,” she added.

The association, in a PowerPoint presentation, called for a public hearing on the matter.

Saraki, in his remarks, described the epidemic and deaths as “a very unfortunate situation.”

He said, “Let me assure you that this Senate is very much ready to give our total support. In a very civilised society, it is very shameful that young girls could lose their lives in this kind of situation. Let me on behalf of the Senate express our condolences to the family and management of the school. And the best we can do is to make sure that this kind of incident never happens again. And also those who are responsible must be held accountable.

PUNCH