IKEJA, Lagos, Nigeria – Head Teacher, Chrisland Nursery School, VGC, Mrs. Angela Modebe on Friday failed closeness test at the Special Offences court, sitting in Ikeja, Lagos, Nigeria in the trial of Adegboyega Adenekan for child defilement. She had told the court that she is very much acquainted with the alleged child defiler, Gboyega Adenekan, a former supervisor in the school, whom she described as a reserved man, that hardly talks.
“Do you know how long he has been with Chrisland? Do you know his mother’s name? Do you know his last occupation? Do you know how many children he has? ” She answered no to all the questions put to her the prosecution led by B. T Boye. Asked if the mother of the victim is making up the allegations, she said she wouldn’t know what is in the heart of people as she is just a parent and a neighbor. She also said she would believe her own child in similar circumstances, ” as a mother.
“I won’t take the side of an adult over my child if she makes similar accusations. While also cross examining Mrs Modebe, on what actions the School took after receiving the complaint, she said the school lodged a complaint at the VGc police station but she has no idea if the complaint was acted upon.
“Mr Obobo the special duties supervisor made a complaint to the police in VGc, I don’t know if they did anything about it. When the issue escalated, he went back to inform the police about what is happening and he should know what the police did.”
When Mr Boye asked what demands the victim’s mother made, she said, “she insisted he had to go for a polygraph test which he did but I don’t know the result of the test. She also insisted the alleged defiler, Gboyega Adenekan be sacked and jailed by Chrisland School and jailed.
Mrs Modebe who was the 2nd defence witness spoke after the 1st defence witness Mrs Cecilia Olayiwola also told the court that she was in court to protect the image of the school. Both defence witnesses made this statement in court while being cross examined by prosecution counsel Jide Boye before the trial Judge Sybil Nwaka of an Ikeja sexual offences court.
“Chrisland pays my salary and I would not like to loose my salary. I wouldn’t want anything to affect the image of the School and that’s why I am here.” Mrs Modebe told the court during cross examination. She also informed the court that she knows the defendant as a person that is not outspoken and is reserved reiterating that she doesn’t just observe him but she knows him.
In the same vain, the 1st defense witness Mrs Olayiwola said although she is predisposed to protect the interest of the school, the interest of the school doesn’t supersede that of the child.
“The interest of the school doesn’t supersede that of the child. ” She however went on to affirm to the court that she knows what the defendant is capable of and what he is not. I know him as a colleague and a well mannered person and I can vouch for him to some extent. I know what he is capable of doing and I know what he is not capable of doing. I know him very well. “
Earlier in the case, while being led in evidence in chief by the defence counsel Olatunde Adejuyi, Mrs Modebe informed the court that the victim took them to two spots in the school where she alleged the incident had occurred.
On Saturday 12th of November 2016, one of the pre school supervisor Mrs Bayo Olupohunda that Mrs Olayiwola called her that her daughter was sexually abused by Mr Adenekan. I called Mrs oladapo and asked if it’s true and she said yes. “
“I invited her to come to the school on Monday and she did. She came with a lawyer. We asked the girl some questions, she wasn’t talking initially and we calmed her down. We asked her what happened and she said Mr Adenekan put his wee wee in my wee wee and poured dirty sand. “
“She took us to the assembly ground where the drivers usually stay and a canteen. When we got there she stood. She also took us to the canteen and stood where we have the septic tank. When I heard the story I had to interview the class teacher myself if the child left the class at any point and she said no. Mr Adenekan has no business with what we do in the nursery school. “
During evidence in chief, Mrs Olayiwola a class teacher at Chrisland nursery school who also stays in the same estate with the victim’s mother said the victims mother informed her of the incidence first.
“On the 10th of November 2016, Mrs Oladapo called me around 8:15pm, I was driving back from church so I said I will call back. Around 10pm, I called back and she said she was teaching her daughter sex education and the daughter said somebody touched her private parts and she said it was Mr Adenekan. I asked her if there was a time she came back and complained of pains and she said no. I said maybe all the teachings she is giving is getting to their heads and the girl is just playing on her intelligence. “
“The best day in the evening around 6pm,she came to my house and said the daughter is repeating the same thing and even drawing images and she asked me for Mr Adenekan number and I said I don’t have it but I asked around and got it. I called Mrs Bayo Olupohunda the nursery supervisor to tell her what she told me and she called the head teacher to tell her. “
Adenekan who was arraigned on Jan. 29, 2018 pleaded not guilty to a charge of defilement of a child. mThe prosecution alleges that Adenekan committed the offence sometime in November 2016 at Chrisland School, Victoria Garden City (VGC), Lagos. According to the prosecution, the defendant defiled the complainant by having unlawful sexual intercourse with her.
The offence contravenes Section 137 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State 2011 which recommends a life sentence for anyone convicted of child defilement.
So, head teacher was presented in court with an intent to protect a child molester? Chrisland school showed from the beginning that they were more interested in the good image (or lack of it) of the school rather than protect the innocence of the kids in their care. I hope other parents are following this trend and know that if their kids fall victims of theses mindless people, there’s no protection whatsoever from the school they spend so much to give the best for their kids