Osun teacher escapes death by whiskers for scolding students

OSOGBO—For more than 15 years that Osho Bamidele Samuel has been teaching, Friday, October 24, 2014, will forever remain unforgettable, as he escaped death by whiskers, in the hands of some of his students who beat him black and blue because he scolded them for indiscipline.
Trouble started that fateful day, when Samuel, who teaches English Language and Literature-in-English to the SSS2 and 3 students of St. Marks Anglican Grammar School, Kolabalogun area, Osogbo, Osun State, when he scolded a group of students, numbering five, who were not in their classrooms while lectures were ongoing.
Newsmen gathered that it was around 1pm that day, when Samuel, who was assigned to distribute learning furniture (chairs and desks) to other schools, saw the group of students gathered in an empty classroom within the school premises, while lectures were ongoing in other classrooms.
It was when he enquired why they were not in their classrooms like other students receiving lectures, that they pounced on him like angry tigers, twisted his arms to the point dislocation, as well as dragged him on the floor for several hours before other teachers came to his rescue
However, it was also gathered that the assault suffered by Samuel in the hands of the students may not be unconnected to the controversial merging of schools by the Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s administration.
Investigations by our correspondent reveals that this kind of scenario has currently been recurring, because students that were merged with other schools, are usually known to be recalcitrant in taking orders from teachers that do not originally belong to their school.
Narrating his ordeal, Samuel said: “It was around 1p.m on Friday, October 24, 2014, that I was assigned by school authorities to distribute learning furniture to other schools. On going back to my office in Block 5, after I finished, I discovered that lectures were ongoing, in all the four classrooms, except the one close to my office.
“On entering the classroom, I met a group of students there. I asked them what they were doing but they didn’t answer me. I said are you in my school? If you are in my school, go to the class. If you are not in my school, go to your school. I don’t want to see any student disturbing when lecture is going on in the class.
“At this point, one of them came close to me and steering at me in the eyes. I said to him, are you mad? I asked you to go to your classroom and you are coming to me. He came closer and wanted to chest me. I said, definitely you must be a tout.
“When I got angry and held on to his trousers in order to take him out for punishment, his friends pounced on me and started twisting my hands. They pushed me to the wall, dragged me on the floor.
Unfortunate incident
“However, it was when some students who saw the unfortunate incident, ran to call other teachers, we apprehended two of them, while the others ran away and began to throw stones at us.”
Speaking further, the teacher said: “It has been hell for teachers in Osun State, since schools were merged and students began using the same uniform. Before the reclassification programme, the situation was under control, but now, if we call a student to do something, he or she will just walk away saying I am not in your school,”
As at the time of filing this report, the teacher was still unable to move his hands, as he was said to be receiving medical attention.
Meanwhile, while three of the students who allegedly dealt with their teacher have been charged to court, others were charged to juvenile court, as they were not yet 18 years, thus their exclusion from the charge sheet. This is even as their ring-leader known as Rado is still at large.
The police prosecutor, Mr. Isiaka Ajadi, said efforts are on to arrest Rado.