Ex-student of Olashore International School claims she was sexually assaulted by 13 students

Obiamaka Chidinma Azubike, the ex-student of Olashore International School (OIS) in lloko-ljesha, Osun state, has called out the school for allegedly denying her justice after being sexually abused about 17 years ago.

In a now-viral letter to the school, Chidinma said she was a student of OIS between September 1998 and July 2004 during which she served as public relations (PR) prefect.

The lady recalled that on May 1, 2004, the school had held its entry exams and as the PR prefect, she was tasked with coordinating the day’s activity.

She said around 8 pm later in the day, she and four of her female friends had left their hostels to the school’s hall where a debate was held.

Chidinma said on getting to the hall, however, she and her friends were told that SS3 students were excluded from the exercise since they had exams to prepare for at the time.

The lady disclosed that she contemplated staying back at the hall — since it was late — but decided to return to her hostel to continue her preparation for her exams.

She said on her way back, she was allegedly assaulted by 13 of her male classmates who left her writhing in pain until she managed to escape to the principal’s apartment inside the school.

Chidinma disclosed that when she arrived at the principal’s house, she was cross-examined by the principal and his wife and was later taken to the school’s clinic for treatment where the nurse confirmed that she had “vaginal trauma” as a result of the alleged assault.

She said the night of the incident was “blur to her” until Chiamaka nee Azubike, her sister, who was also a student of the school, came to pick her.

Chidinma said the principal, who made her write several statements, promised that he would call her parents to inform them of the incident but allegedly failed to do so.

She alleged that three days after the incident, she was attacked and beaten by some boys on her way back from the principal’s office — where she had gone to ask if he had called her parents as promised.

Chidinma claimed that one of the boys who beat him was not among those who sexually assaulted her but was persuaded by her abusers to join them because his guardian was a monarch.

The lady said the school had convened a special assembly the next day and her abusers were “punished (sentenced to junior house for their exams with the prefects amongst them de-badged).”

She said to her surprise, Oladele Olashore, the monarch, allegedly “turned to me and declared that I would have the same punishment. I was punished for talking about being sexually assaulted.”

“I was also banned from PROM and the Valedictory service. The girl that was with me that night but escaped being assaulted was also given the same punishment I was given,” she added.

The lady said she and her sister managed to call their parents after the incident but the principal allegedly “attempted to tell a different story from what happened.”

“I was grateful for my parents for defending me till the last even at PTA meetings were my name and theirs was dragged in the mud,” she said.

Chidinma also said she has been traumatised by the experience, adding that even after 17 years and seven months, she’s still “healing from it.”

According to her “it is unfair to expect survivors of sexual assault and rape to live with lifelong consequences while the people and the systems that damaged us go scot-free.”

She called on the school’s management to revisit the case, apologise to her, and ensure that justice is served.

“My ask today is simple, correct the injustice you served. Publicly apologise in print and on social to me (Obiamaka Azubike), the now young woman who you punished with me (name Withheld) and our families who were humiliated,” she said.

“Reinstate the records to show that both Chiamaka nee Azubike and I Obiamaka Azubike were school prefects.

“Grant a zoom ceremony where Chiamaka Azubike and I are both awarded our honours which we earned.”

All efforts by TheCable Lifestyle to get the school’s response to the allegation proved abortive as of the time of this report.

Message sent via the school’s Instagram page was not delivered as the school appeared to have automatically disabled its message request button.

Three phone numbers found on the school’s website were not reachable while text messages were not replied to.

A similar message sent via the school’s official email has also not been replied to.