Parents Demand N2 Billion from Bishop David Oyedepo over Child’s Death in School

The parents of late Miss Imienfan Omokaro, a four year-old who recently drowned at the Kingdom Heritage Model School, an arm of Winners Chapel in Benin, Edo State are demanding N2 billion as general damages from General Overseer of the church, David Oyedepo, within 14 days.

In a letter by the father, the amount demanded is “for the callous and senseless killing of our client’s daughter, Miss Imienfan Omokaro.”

According to Daily Independent, Imienfan, a Kindergarten pupil of the school was reported drowned in a drum of water in a toilet in the school on November 1, 2012. Her parents were not informed of the incident until late in the day when her mother wanted to pick her from school.The school authority and Winners Chapel had reportedly prayed for the little girl before taking her to Irowa Hospital in Benin, where medical personnel confirmed she was dead before she was brought in. According to a source who pleaded anonymity, the school authorities had kept the girl for over an hour praying for her, before finally taking her to the hospital.

Mr. Omokaro’s lawyers want Kingdom Heritage Model School to tender unreserved apology in three national newspapers, warning that if the demands were not met within 14 days, “we have the irrevocable instructions of our client to commence legal action against the school (Kingdom Heritage Model School) and Church (Winners Chapel) without any further correspondence from this Chambers.”

The events surrounding her death raises many questions which makes the anger of her parents easily understood. How did the little girl get into a drum of water and drown in it? Why should a four-year be allowed to go to the toilet unsupervised without an adult around? Why wasn’t she taken to the hospital immediately? Why were her parents not informed immediately of what had happened to their child?

School administrators should be extra vigilant with the young children put in their care. May her soul rest in peace...amen!