Rosebud School in the Idimu area of Lagos State has expelled three students after their father, Ayofe Kolawole, violently assaulted a teacher and a sanitary worker on October 10, 2024.
According to Punch, the incident, which has drawn widespread attention, was captured on video and went viral over the weekend.
The school Public Relations Officer, Vivian Shonekan, confirmed the expulsion to Punch during a visit to the school on Monday, stating, “They (the parents) returned to apologise and expressed their regret, requesting a settlement. The school responded that there was no issue with settling but made it clear that their three children could not return. The school firmly decided that the children would not be readmitted.”
The video shows Kolawole, 44, attacking Elizabeth Ogri, a 34-year-old teacher, and Agnes Paul, a sanitary worker, inside a classroom. As Paul was being assaulted, Ogri, fearing for her safety, began filming the incident. Upon realizing he was being recorded, Kolawole turned his aggression towards her, attempting to stop her from documenting the attack.
Recounting her traumatic experience, Paul, a mother of four, explained, “It was closing time, and I had gone upstairs to clean the classroom. I was already sweeping when the man rushed upstairs, shouting and demanding to see his son. He kept yelling, ‘Where’s my son? Where’s my son?’ The teacher, Ogri, told him that the boy was downstairs. However, he kept asking angrily, over and over, so I told him again that the teacher said his son was downstairs. Suddenly, he began hitting and punching me before others intervened to stop him.”
Paul continues to suffer from the effects of the assault, stating, “Since then, I’ve been coughing at night and experiencing chest and body pain. The school has been covering my hospital bills, but I’m still not feeling any better. I need to return to the hospital for some tests.”
Ogri, who has been teaching at Rosebud School for four years, shared that the conflict began earlier when one of Kolawole’s children reported feeling unwell.
She described, “Before the assault, he arrived at the school claiming that I was trying to initiate his child with an unknown substance. He said that his son described the substance as black with particles. I explained that I had a whitlow on my fingernail, and a colleague suggested I apply kernel oil to the affected area.”
Despite her efforts to explain the situation, Ogri was met with hostility from Kolawole and his family.
“They demanded that I sign an undertaking stating that the kernel oil I used was not fetish and that it would not harm the boy. I was shocked, as I hadn’t poured the oil on him or rubbed it on his body. I documented what transpired, but they insisted that I sign their undertaking.”
Attempts to reach Kolawole for comment were unsuccessful, as he could not be located at his residence. Local residents claimed they did not know anyone by that name, and calls to his mobile phone went unanswered.
In response to the incident, ACP Ajeigbe Olayinka, the commander at the Area M Police Command in Idimu, stated, “Based on the video you showed me, the man should be charged in court for physical assault.” Lagos State Police Command spokesperson, Benjamin Hundeyin, later confirmed that Kolawole has been arraigned, saying, “44-year-old Ayofe Kolawole was arraigned this morning (Tuesday).”
The shocking incident has raised concerns about the safety of school staff and the need for stricter measures to address violence in educational environments.
