Lagos reacts to report that student was sent home over campaign poster

The Lagos state government said it had launched an investigation following a parent's report that his 10-year-old daughter had been expelled from Odomola Secondary School, Epe, in cause of an election campaign poster.

The mother had claimed in a viral post that her daughter, Marvelous Barinaadaa, had been sent for using the poster of Labor Party presidential candidate Peter Obi to pack her notebooks.

However, in a statement signed by the Deputy Director of Public Affairs of the Lagos State Ministry of Education, Ganiu Lawal, on Thursday, the government noted that “all its agencies will never direct any principal school, staff or teacher to act in such manner.”

He noted that Education Commissioner Folasade Adefisayo reassured that the matter will be dealt with "within our strict regulations, as the reason for sending the student home is unacceptable - if it is true".

"Student found selling election posters"

The Child Protection Network (CPN) Epe coordinator, Togun Olusegun, has confirmed that the organization is on the issue. He said his organization had already spoken with school authorities and would visit the school on Friday for further information.

According to Mr. Olusegun, “the student was not suspended but was asked to leave the school when she was caught selling the election poster for N50 at the premises of the school."

Mr. Olusegun explained that the principal took the decision to avoid the crisis, noting that political activities are not allowed in the school.

In the viral post, the student's mother accused the school of sending her daughter home without telling the parents. She referred to a short letter signed by the headmaster of the school, which reportedly read: "Student is allowed to return home to campaign for Peter Obi against the wishes of Lagosians".

"This girl is only ten years old, she didn't know anything about politics, but she was kicked out of school without telling her parents because they say we support Peter Obi and the Labor Party" , said the mother.

"Please, is this act of the headmaster any good? Do you see what the headmaster of the school wrote in this letter? And after saying we are a Nigerian", she said.

Lagos will sanction defaulters

Also, in the government statement, the commissioner suggested that another school principal in Odonguyan who was filmed promoting his political choice to students was subject to appropriate disciplinary measures .

Ms. Adefisayo reiterated that the Lagos State Ministry of Education “promotes and operates a public school system free from politics and political innuendo”.

"The matter will be fully investigated and anyone found guilty will be subject to disciplinary action in accordance with civil service regulations," she added.

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