Ogun State: Muslim Students Society Rejects Proposal to Revert Schools to Missionary Control

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Ogun State Area Unit, has urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to rethink his decision to return public schools to their original missionary owners, citing potential far-reaching educational and social repercussions.

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This call was made in response to Governor Abiodun's announcement, made during a meeting with Catholic leaders, including the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, which the group received with "profound alarm and unrestrained indignation".

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According to the MSSN, handing over missionary schools to their original owners undermines the principles of fairness, inclusivity, and constitutional responsibility, as stated in a press statement by the group.

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The society argued that returning public schools to missionary bodies would be detrimental to the educational welfare of Muslim students, harm inter-religious harmony, and contradict the government's constitutional obligations to serve all citizens regardless of their faith.

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The MSSN appealed to Governor Abiodun to reconsider his decision "in the interest of peace, unity, and sustainable educational development in Ogun State".

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The group disputed the state government's characterization of the move as a "partnership", claiming it amounts to the outright transfer of publicly funded institutions to religious organizations, which they described as "a unilateral surrender of public assets built with taxpayers' money".

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Instead, the MSSN maintained that a genuine partnership requires mutual contribution and shared accountability, and that the proposed policy is actually "privatisation of public education along religious lines".

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The group questioned the legality of the proposed policy, noting that public schools were taken over by the government to ensure equal access to education for all citizens, regardless of their religious background.

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According to the MSSN, Governor Abiodun lacks the constitutional authority to transfer publicly funded institutions without legislative backing or a clearly defined transition framework, citing Section 18 of the 1999 Constitution.

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The student body warned that returning schools to missionary control could expose non-Christian students to discrimination and compulsory religious practices, and also expressed concern that school fees could rise beyond the reach of low-income families.

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The MSSN raised alarm over the potential impact on teachers, many of whom are civil servants with long-standing entitlements, stating that "transferring these schools does not transfer government obligations to teachers".

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Instead, the group claimed that the transition could threaten job security, career progression, and pension rights, and also disrupt academic activities, including examinations and record-keeping, particularly for students in critical classes.

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The society further warned that the move could erode the long-standing tradition of peaceful coexistence in the State, as "Ogun's public schools have historically been neutral grounds fostering unity across religious lines".

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The MSSN cautioned that this policy risks "institutionalising division and breeding generational resentment", and demanded the immediate withdrawal of the declaration.

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The group reaffirmed its commitment to pursuing the matter until a "satisfactory resolution" is reached, insisting that public schools "belong to all citizens, irrespective of faith".