Ogun State Islamic Clerics Reject Proposed Transfer of Schools Back to Christian Missionaries

The League of Imams and Alfas in Ogun State has voiced its strong opposition to the state government's plans to return public schools to their original missionary owners, deeming the decision ill-advised, provocative, and unjustifiable.

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This development comes after Governor Dapo Abiodun announced on Friday that all missionary schools would be returned to their original proprietors during a courtesy visit from the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Most Rev. Michael Crotty, and other Catholic officials.

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The Governor acknowledged the contributions of religious organisations but emphasized the need for private sector involvement to achieve the government's objectives, prompting a reaction from the League of Imams and Alfas.

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Imam Tajudeen Adewunmi, the Secretary General of the League, described the proposal as a gross misreading of history and a dangerous affront to the principles of equity, justice, and religious balance in a plural society.

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According to Adewunmi, public schools in Ogun State were nationalised to eliminate sectarian control, and reversing this progress would deliberately court division and deepen distrust.

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The League views the policy as discriminatory and unacceptable, signaling a willingness by the government to prioritise the interests of a particular religious bloc over the collective rights of all citizens.

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Adewunmi stated that such a path is not only unjust but also politically reckless, and the League demands an unconditional abandonment of the policy.

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The Muslim community, which constitutes a significant segment of Ogun State, will not stand idly by while its rights and contributions are disregarded, and they categorically reject any policy that seeks to cede public institutions to sectarian control.

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The League has put the government on notice that any attempt to proceed with this agenda without comprehensive consultation and equitable safeguards will attract firm resistance from the Muslim community and all stakeholders committed to justice.

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The Muslim community asserts that the government must unite, protect, and take the state forward, rather than dividing and provoking its citizens, and dragging it backwards into an era of exclusion and sectarian dominance.