The Ogun State Muslim Council (OMC) has issued a statement, signed by Secretary‑General Alhaji Kamal'deen Akintunde, objecting to a reported plan to hand mission‑founded schools back to their original owners. The council describes the proposal as a "politicisation of religion" and an unnecessary "religionalisation of politics" that offers no clear public benefit. OMC notes that previous administrations settled school ownership, encouraging missionary bodies to open new private schools while the public system continued to operate without dispute. It adds that the missionary owners were compensated when the government took over the schools, which have since been maintained, upgraded and expanded using taxpayer money for decades. The council warns that returning these assets could breach public trust, worsen the out‑of‑school children problem and make education less affordable for low‑income families who rely on public primary and secondary schools. OMC also cautions that the timing, near the end of the current administration and after a visit by Catholic priests to the governor, could jeopardise inter‑faith harmony, calling the move "ill‑conceived or advised." The statement urges the state government to reverse the policy to safeguard social cohesion and religious freedom for Muslim pupils.
OMC's alarm over the timing of the school hand‑over underscores how a late‑term policy shift could destabilise the delicate inter‑faith balance in Ogun. By pointing out that the schools serve the bulk of low‑income families, the council highlights the risk that private control would push affordable education out of reach for many. If the plan proceeds, Muslim students and poorer households stand to lose both access to schooling and protection of their constitutional rights. This episode reflects a broader pattern where religious considerations become entangled with political maneuvering at the expense of public services.
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