St. Gregory Grammar School
P. M. B. 2026
Yaba
Lagos.
18th May, 1998
The Principal
St. Gregory Grammar School
P.M.B. 2026
Yaba, Lagos.
Dear sir,
LETTER OF APOLOGY.
The recent disturbance in the school started immediately after school hours on 5th May, 1998. The disturbance, no doubt is the culmination of students' expression of dislike of the excesses of the teachers.
The demonstration started from the SS3 block. The students were totally frustrated by the excesses of the teachers and your failure to take actions at the proper time. The students often complained to me and it will be necessary for me to enumerate the factors that led to the disturbance. First, some members of staff took it upon themselves to terrorize the students. For instance, the case of Mrs. Nwandu, the house mistress of the Red House going about every i morning, about 5:30am, to beat the students claiming that they are supposed to wake up early is still fresh in our memory.
Secondly, the students were unable to get water to bath in the morning last week. As a result of this, they got to the dining hall late. The students were flogged severely for this. The matrons who are expected to be motherly too were very tyrannical. They screamed and yelled at us at every simple mistake made. We are children and, are expected to be taught through other more appropriate methods than flogging and yelling.
There is no doubt that I was involved in the planning and execution of the disturbance. As the President of the Press Club, students often come to me to complain about the oppressive nature of the teaching and non-teaching staff of the school. Various measures have been taken by the club to plead with the school authorities on behalf of the students, all to no avail. In a bid to join the recent disturbance, four officials of the club and I resigned from the club. We moved into action to plan the protest. Indeed, I was the master planner. Some books in the library were of great help. These books include: "Standing on the rights of a school child" by Edward Blyton and "Don't oppress them" by David Anderson. These two books enlightened me about the various rights of a school child which the school authority had been infringing upon.
I, therefore, spoke to other students on how and when we should execute our plans which resulted in the violent i demonstration and my eventual suspension from the school. I sincerely feel remorse for my involvement in the demonstration. I did not know that the simple protest march around the school which I planned to drive home our grievances could lead to a violent demonstration during which many school properties were destroyed.
I am very sorry sir, for my involvement in the demonstration. I did not envisage that it could lead to such mass destruction of the school property. I have learnt my lessons.
I would be grateful if you could accept my apology and recall me from suspension.
Yours faithfully.
(Signature)
Gbolahan Adeoye.