Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State’s plan to return public schools to missionary bodies, has been rejected by the League of Imams and Alfas in the State.
They described the step as “ill-advised, provocative, and unjustifiable” in a statement their Secretary General, Imam Tajudeen Mustafa Adewunmi, issued on Monday.
It said the plan was against the principles of equity.
The Imams and Alfas said “this policy is not only a gross misreading of history but a dangerous affront to the principles of equity, justice, and religious balance in a plural society,” the body said, adding that public schools in Ogun State were nationalised “to eliminate precisely the kind of sectarian control the government now seeks to reintroduce.
“To reverse this progress is to deliberately court division, deepen distrust, and destabilise the fragile harmony that has defined our state for decades.”
“Let it be stated without ambiguity: This move is discriminatory in effect and unacceptable in its entirety. It signals a troubling willingness by the government to prioritise the interests of a particular religious bloc over the collective rights of all citizens. Such a path is not only unjust but also politically reckless.
“The Muslim community, which constitutes a substantial and historically rooted segment of Ogun State, will not stand idly by while its rights, sensitivities, and contributions are disregarded. We categorically reject any policy that seeks to cede public institutions that were built, upgraded, and managed with the resources of all to sectarian control under any guise.”
The body demanded the “immediate and unconditional abandonment” of the policy, saying “anything short of this will be interpreted as a calculated disregard for fairness and a direct challenge to the principles of inclusive governance,”
They said going ahead with “this agenda without comprehensive consultation and equitable safeguards will attract firm, coordinated, and lawful resistance from the Muslim community and all well-meaning stakeholders committed to justice.”
The clerics said government exists to unite, not to divide people., adding that “Ogun State must not be dragged backwards into an era of exclusion and sectarian dominance under the watch of those entrusted with leadership. History will not be kind to policies that trade unity for appeasement and justice for expediency.”
It would be recalled that Abiodun had last week said his administration plans to return missionary schools in the state to their original owners to strengthen partnerships in the education sector.
The governor revealed this on Friday when he hosted visiting Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
“We will return all missionary schools to their owners. It is not our policy to do it alone. We need to join hands with private individuals, and we encourage further partnership with the Church to expand development,” the governor said.
The Catholic Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, Francis Obafemi Adesina, the Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta, Peter Odetoyinbo, and other church officials were on the team during the visit
