What has the world come to, many of us are wondering, as news hit the headlines last week of a student, Mr. Slyvester Junior, who was a victim of bullying.
Sylvester, a student of Dowen College in Lagos State, lost his life after suffering unbearable pains inflicted on him by his bullies who not only beat him up but also used violence to collect items he brought to school and also forced him to drink chemically disguised lemonade, resulting in a bloated stomach and eventually his death.
Although the school has been closed indefinitely, the public is still demanding that the bullies be brought to justice for such a heinous act.
This leads us to wonder how most children are raised and how the boarding school system works, what measures are in place to protect these children, and why these bullies exist and commit crimes with impunity.
Bullying not only leaves physical scars on victims but is so traumatizing that its mental scars linger for years afterward.
School officials need to take serious disciplinary action against bullies, and Mr. Slyvester’s case should serve as an eye-opener for parents to watch their children closely for any behavior that shows they are being taken advantage of.
Bullying is a vice that must be curbed, and we advocate for justice for Slyvester and for Keren, who was raped and died of sepsis when her rapist left the condom inside her.