The management of Rosebud School in the Idimu area of Lagos has expelled three students after their father, Ayofe Kolawole, assaulted a teacher, Elizabeth Ogri, and a school cleaner, Agnes Paul, on October 10, 2024.
Vivian Shonekan, the school’s Public Relations Officer, confirmed the expulsion during an interview on Monday at the school’s premises in Igando. The incident gained widespread attention after a video showing Kolawole, 44, attacking Paul, 34, inside a classroom, went viral over the weekend.
As the assault unfolded, Ogri, fearing for her safety, filmed the incident on her phone. Realizing he was being recorded, Kolawole attempted to stop her, but the footage was already captured. Following the attack, the school administration decided to expel Kolawole’s children.
Shonekan explained, “The parents returned to apologize and requested a settlement. While we are open to resolving the issue, the school has decided that their three children will not be readmitted.”
Agnes Paul, a mother of four, recounted her traumatic experience to PUNCH Metro. “It was closing time, and I had gone upstairs to clean the classroom when the man rushed in, shouting for his son. After we told him the boy was downstairs, he suddenly attacked me,” Paul said. She has been receiving medical treatment for chest and body pains caused by the assault.
Ogri, who has been a teacher at Rosebud for four years, revealed that the conflict began on October 8, when one of Kolawole’s children complained of feeling unwell. She offered the boy basic first aid, but days later, Kolawole returned, accusing her of trying to “initiate” his child with a “black substance,” which turned out to be kernel oil she had applied to treat a whitlow on her finger.
Despite Ogri’s explanation, Kolawole and his wife demanded she sign an undertaking to ensure the oil was not harmful or fetish. Although Ogri agreed to sign under pressure, the situation escalated when Kolawole attacked the cleaner and confronted Ogri over the incident.
Police involvement followed, and Kolawole was arraigned in court on Tuesday, according to Lagos State Police spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin.
The school’s decision to expel the children has added to the fallout from the shocking attack, as the institution seeks to restore order and ensure the safety of its staff and students.
