MESSAGE TO ALL PARENTS; How I lost my 13-year old child to British Spring College, Awka Negligence
By Mrs Odera Ezeani
With a heart shattered beyond repair, I write these words not as a writer but as a broken parent crying out for justice.
My name is Mrs Odera Ezeani and my son, Oscar Ezeani, was only 13 years old when the world failed him. He was bright, cheerful, full of dreams a child with a future. But today, instead of watching him grow, I am left staring at his picture, wondering how everything went so wrong.
On the afternoon of Monday, October 20th, 2025, i received a call from British Spring College, Awka, telling me that Oscar my son was coughing. Like any caring mother, she quickly advised the school to give him cough medicine. But the school’s clinic doctor insisted that he be treated for malaria instead.
I clearly told them to use Coartem, the anti-malaria medicine our family always uses. But they refused. They said they preferred to use Amatem. I said NO loud and clear. I warned them not to give him that drug.
But they didn’t listen. They ignored a mother’s voice.
The next morning Tuesday, October 21st between 6:30 and 7:00 a.m., I received a call that shattered my world.
They said, “Ma, your son is not responding to treatment.”
My heart stopped. My husband rushed to JoyVille Hospital, Awka.
When he arrived, what he saw was something no parent should ever see. My son my innocent, beautiful boy was lying tied up, his hands, legs, and even his head bound from jaw to head. His body was cold, and fluids were coming out from his mouth, nose, and eyes.
He was gone.
My 13 year-old Oscar full of life, laughter, and dreams was gone.
And as he stood there in disbelief, he realized he had waited over an hour before the doctor even came to attend to him. My son was isolated, unattended, and abandoned in that room as if his life didn’t matter.
Since that day, I have been asking one question after another:
• Why did the school ignore my wife’s clear instruction about his medication?
• Why did no one call us when his condition got worse during the night?
• Why was there no proper medical supervision?
• Why was my child tied up like an animal?
• Why are the school doctor, the JoyVille hospital doctor, and the school owner Lady Uju Dike all telling different stories?
The truth is simple they failed my son.
This wasn’t an “accident.” This was negligence. This was carelessness. This was a failure of duty, compassion, and humanity.
Oscar’s elder sister also in British Spring College testified that some days before Oscar’s death, Oscar complained to her that he went to the school clinic severally and they kept driving him away not attending to him that very soon the school will go on holiday that made him not to accept to visit the clinic again until the sister forced him.
That same day he went to the clinic 20th October , the sister also said that she watched him play football and basketball, he was full of life. Oscar’s death was a big shock to her.
What hurts even more is what happened after.
A week after my son’s death, the school owner, Lady Uju Dike, came to my home not in mourning, not to apologize, but to boast about how good her school is. Dressed in heels and a perfect wig, she stood in my space talking about her school while my child’s body was still cold in the ground.
My husband looked at her and asked one simple question:
“What happened to my son?”
She had no answer. Only excuses.
That was the moment I realized if I stay silent, they will bury the truth just like they buried other matters in the school .
My people visited the school and found out they tampered with the CCTV footage deleted and disconnected some cameras that covered the clinic and the hostel areas living us without information at least to have a closure.
So today, I am speaking out.
For my son.
For every child whose safety depends on schools that don’t listen.
For every parent who trusts a system that doesn’t care.
I am calling for:
- A full investigation into Oscar’s death.
- An independent medical review to uncover the truth.
- Accountability for every person whose actions or inactions led to this tragedy.
- A public apology from both the school and the hospital.
- Stricter policies to prevent this from ever happening again.
Oscar’s death must not be swept under the carpet.
He was only 13.
He had a name. He had dreams. He had parents who loved him more than life itself.
If you’re reading this, please share Oscar’s story. Let the world know what happened. Let this not be another tragedy forgotten in silence.
Because no parent should ever have to bury their child due to negligence.
Because Oscar’s life mattered.
Because we must not rest until justice is served.
