The imams of Ogun refuse to hand over the school to the missionaries

…They warn of the religious crisis and demand an immediate reversal of direction

Daud Olatunji

The League of Imams and Alfas has criticized the Ogun State government’s proposed plan to hand over public schools to missionary organisations, warning that the move could spark religious tensions and undermine decades of peaceful coexistence.

In a strongly worded rejoinder signed by its general secretary, Imam Tajudeen Mustafa Adewunmi, the group described the policy as ill-advised, provocative and unjustifiable, insisting that it threatens the principles of fairness, justice and religious balance in the state.

The state governor, Dapo Abiodun, had earlier promised on behalf of the state government to hand over some state schools to missionaries in the state.

Abiodun made this promise to Pope Leo’s representative who visited him at his office, Abeokuta, last week.

Clerics have argued that public schools in Ogun State were nationalized to eliminate sectarian rule and ensure inclusiveness, stressing that reversing the policy would amount to reintroducing religious control in public institutions.

According to the statement, the move represents “a gross misreading of history” and a deliberate attempt to reopen old divisions, warning that it could deepen mistrust between religious groups.

The group accused Governor Dapo Abiodun’s administration of pursuing a policy that allegedly favors a particular religious bloc to the detriment of the broader population.

“This move is discriminatory in effect and unacceptable in its entirety. It signals a worrying desire to prioritize the interests of a particular religious group over the collective rights of all citizens,” the statement read.

The League argued that the Muslim community, described as a significant and historically rooted population in the state, would not remain passive while its rights and sensitivities were ignored.

He warned that handing over public schools – built and maintained with taxpayer funds – to missionary bodies would be unfair and contrary to the ideals of inclusive governance.

The religious, therefore, called for the immediate and unconditional reversal of this policy, warning that any failure to adopt this policy would be interpreted as a lack of respect for equity.

They also warned that any attempt to implement the proposal without wide consultation and adequate safeguards would meet “firm, coordinated and legitimate resistance” from Muslim stakeholders and other interested groups.

“Government exists to unite, not to divide; to protect, not to provoke,” the statement adds, urging the state government to avoid actions that could plunge the state into avoidable religious discord.

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