The League of Imams and Alfas in Ogun State has kicked against the plan by Governor Dapo Abiodun to return public schools to missionary bodies, describing the move as “ill-advised, provocative, and unjustifiable.”
The group warned that the policy, if implemented, could undermine unity and religious harmony in the state.
NOP NIGERIA reports that Governor Abiodun had last week announced his administration’s intention to return missionary schools to their original owners as part of efforts to strengthen partnerships in the education sector.
The governor made this known on Friday while receiving the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Archbishop Michael Francis Crotty, during a courtesy visit at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.
The envoy was accompanied by the Catholic Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, Francis Obafemi Adesina; the Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta, Peter Odetoyinbo; and other church officials.
“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,” Abiodun said.
Reacting in a statement issued on Monday, the Secretary-General of the League of Imams and Alfas, Tajudeen Mustafa Adewunmi, said the policy was a misstep that threatens fairness in a plural society.
“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 statement read.
The group noted that public schools in Ogun State were originally nationalised to eliminate sectarian control.
Adewunmi warned that reversing the policy could erode decades of peaceful coexistence in the state.
“To reverse this progress is to deliberately court division, deepen distrust, and destabilise the fragile harmony that has defined our state for decades,” he said.
He added, “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.”
Demand For Immediate Reversal
The Muslim body insisted that the policy must be scrapped without delay, stressing that public institutions belong to all citizens.
“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 statement added.
It demanded the “immediate and unconditional abandonment” of the plan.
“Anything short of this will be interpreted as a calculated disregard for fairness and a direct challenge to the principles of inclusive governance,” the group said.
The League further warned that proceeding with the policy without adequate consultation could trigger resistance.
“Any attempt to proceed 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,” it stated.
The group emphasised that governance should promote unity rather than division.
“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,” the statement concluded.
