Nigerian schoolboy Damilola Taylor was buried following a private funeral service in London today, seven weeks after his murder.
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Damilola Taylor
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The 10-year-old's body arrived for the service at All Saints Church, in Plumstead, southeast London, in a small, white coffin carried in a flower-draped hearse.
His parents attended the service but in accordance with the customs of the Yoruba people, one of Nigeria's largest ethnic groups, did not attend the burial which took place afterwards at the nearby Plumstead Cemetary.
Former footballer Mr John Fashanu was among around 300 mourners at the service.
A family spokesman said the Taylors had decided Damilola should be buried in Britain as a reminder of the tragedy.
"They want his death to remain a constant reminder of what is happening not only within the black community but in Britain as a whole", he said.
Damilola bled to death on a stairwell on the North Peckham estate in south London on November 27th after he was stabbed in the leg. His attackers struck as he walked home from an after-school computer class.
So far a total of 15 people have been arrested in connection with the crime but none has been charged. Witnesses saw three youths running from the scene. None of them has come forward.
Damilola had come to Britain from Nigeria with his family just a few weeks before he died. His parents believe their son was being bullied at Oliver Goldsmith primary school.
Reuters