Lawrence Nwimo, Awka
The Anglican Diocese of Awka, Anambra State has condemned media reports that a gateman impregnated three female students of Queen’s Convent College, one of its flagship schools in Awka, Anambra State.
News that went viral on Thursday had it that a gateman of Akwa-Ibom State origin employed by the school authorities allegedly impregnated three SS-2 students of the college.
The reports also said one of the girls attempted to commit suicide by trying to jump down from the upstairs of the hostel after discovering that she was pregnant, but was prevented by fellow students and teachers.
Reacting in a statement signed by the Director, Media, Publicity and Communications, Diocese of Awka, Province of the Niger, Comrade Odogwu Emeka Odogwu, the school Management denied such thing existing in the school, noting that it was an act of mischief makers who may have been paid to tarnish the image of the school.
The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to rumours making the rounds maliciously and calculated to tarnish the image of our Convent, Queens’ Convent, Awka, Anambra State.
“Queens’ Convent students are on holidays and will resume next week. Before the closure for last term, there was nothing of such unless in the imaginations of such paid peddlers of the malicious, pedestrian and denigrating information against our school.
“Let’s reiterate that the school only hires the service of a professional security company which posts trained personnel to the school.
“The school’s gatemen are four, two elderly and two young men posted by their company FEDA Securities and they have nothing to do with the students but their duty posts. Our students are prohibited from going to the gate and being seen with the security men. They have nothing to do with where students reside.”
The school also debunked reports that one of the affected students attempted to commit suicide by trying to jump from two- storey building, saying that such thing never existed in the school.
“Those who are peddling the malicious propaganda to run the school’s image down should be ready to present the three pregnant girls at the appropriate time when called upon. We are not interested in knowing those used to run negative commentary about our school, but the medium (media) should be able to present the three pregnant students when called upon,” the statement said.
Reacting, Principal of Queens’ Convent Awka and wife of the Archbishop, Province of the Niger and Anglican Bishop of Awka, Mrs Martha Ibezim, said there was not, and can never be such pedestrian story from the school she presides over.
Mrs Ibezim expressed disappointment that the publishers of the story are resident in Awka and Anambra with unrestricted access to the Archbishop, the Principal, other officers of the school and the Diocese including the Director of media and Communications of the Diocese, yet failed to seek information before going to the press to publish the story.
She encouraged journalists as partners in progress and societal development to get the other sides of any story before rushing to the press, stressing that character assassination is actionable.
Speaking further, she noted that no teacher of Queens’ Convent can malign or speak to the press on such foul language but enemies of the feats recorded by Queens’ Convent recently in local, state and international competitions and examinations where our students are breaking new records.
She reiterated that the staff are on duty 24 hours in Queens’ Convent, Awka, making it impossible for such thing to happen.
The Principal further said that “Matrons have their apartments in the hostels for close monitoring” and that “no male Staff has access to the girls’ hostels.”
She said the school has continued to maintain sound teaching and learning with a zero tolerance for immorality and ill- behaviours.
