Buruji Kashamu’s son has no hand in Oromoni’s death, says family

The family of Buruji Kashamu, the late senator, has dismissed claims that Adewale Kashamu, son of the deceased, had a hand in the death of Sylvester Oromoni Jnr.

Oromoni, the 12-year-old student of Dowen College, died a few days ago after he was allegedly attacked by “some senior colleagues” for refusing to join a cult group.

The student was said to have mentioned the late lawmaker’s son alongside four other students before he died.

But in a statement signed by Mutairu Kashamu, Adewale’s family said he did not beat or bully Oromoni as alleged.

According to the family, Adewale knew Oromoni in his first session at the college during which he served as his school father as requested by the late boy’s sister, who happens to be a student of the school.

The family said Adewale’s interaction with Oromoni reduced in the 2021 academic session after he was moved to a different floor in the boarding house.

The statement said Adewale was not aware of the alleged beating of the deceased that eventually led to his death.

The family added that their son saw Oromoni earlier in November limping. The statement said Adewale thought that he was injured while playing football and advised him to visit the school’s clinic.

It also claimed that other students who knew about Oromoni’s leg injury testified that he was injured during a football session with his colleagues.

The family said its initial delay on the incident was to enable it to conduct a proper check before reacting to the “insults” coming its way since the news of Oromoni’s death broke.

“Since the news of the unfortunate incident broke, we have made our own private enquiries and carefully questioned our son about his involvement,” the statement read.

“This is why we did not rush out to respond to the cyber-stalking, name-calling and negative commentaries that have taken over the social media about our son’s alleged involvement in this sad incident.”

The family enjoined the public to await the outcome of investigations by the Lagos state government and the police before arriving at a conclusion on what led to Oromoni’s death.

“We feel and can relate to the pains of the Oromoni family and all those genuinely concerned about this unfortunate incident,” it added.

“That is why we wish to express our readiness to cooperate with the parents of the deceased, the Police, the Lagos State government and other relevant stakeholders to get to the root of this matter so that the cause of justice will not only be served but manifestly seen to have been served.

“However, it is regrettable that of the five names that were mentioned in relation to the incident, it is only Kashamu’s name that seems to ring a bell. Consequently, the family and its late patriarch (Senator Buruji Kashamu of blessed memory) have been the butt of irresponsible, falsehood-based and unwarranted attacks even when the full details of the incident are not yet known.

“There is no denying the fact that Adewale Michael Kashamu is one of the children of the late Senator Buruji Kashamu. But, no family or parent will send a child to school to be involved in any form of crime or criminality; just like no parent would be happy to be informed that a child he or she sent to school to learn has been molested or killed under any guise.

“That is why we wish to appeal for restraint on all sides. The cyber-bullying of our family will not help in any way to solve the bullying in schools that society through the ages has desired to stop.

“On our part, we have continued to engage our son, Adewale Michael Kashamu, and he has continued to maintain his innocence.”