Ogun Muslim Council, League of Imams and Alfas Kick Against Ogun Government's Plan To Return Public Schools To Missionaries

Ogun State Muslim Council and the League of Imams and Alfas in the state have jointly rejected in the strongest possible terms, the plan by the Ogun State Government to return public schools to missionary bodies, describing such move as ill-advised, provocative, and unjustifiable 

Governor Dapo Abiodun had on Friday April 10, 2026 during his meeting with 

the Apostolic Nuncio to Nigeria, Michael Francis Crotty, who paid him a courtesy visit at his office in Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, alongside the Catholic Bishop of Ijebu-Ode, Francis Obafemi Adesina, the Catholic Bishop of Abeokuta, Peter Odetoyinbo, and other church officials, announced the plan of his administration to return schools to their original owners, as part of government's efforts to strengthen partnerships in the education sector.

But the State Muslim Council (OMC) has expressed strong reservations regarding the planned return of the mission-founded schools—previously acquired by the government—to their original missionary owners

Secretary-General of the apex Muslim organization in the state, Asiwaju (Balogun) Kamal’deen Akintunde,Esq. in a statement made available to Edu-biznews on Monday, described the move as a troubling "politicization of religion" and an unnecessary "religionalization of politics" that serves no clear public interest.

The State Muslim Council in the statement, argued that the school-ownership matter had been effectively settled by previous administrations. 

"The established consensus encouraged missionary bodies to establish new, private schools to operate alongside the existing public school system—a model that has functioned successfully until now", the Council stated 

While acknowledging the Governor’s pretext that "government can not do it alone," the OMC maintains that partnership with missions should not involve the surrendering of public heritage.

The State Muslim Council then enjoined the State Government to have a rethink, prioritize the overall public interest, and reverse the planned policy to prevent a breakdown of the social contract and the harmonious coexistence of the "Gateway" people.

Similarly, the League of Imams and Alfas in a statement by its State Secretary General , Imam Tajudeen Mustafa Adewunmi says the 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 reads in part:

"Public schools in Ogun State were nationalised to eliminate precisely the kind of sectarian control the government now seeks to reintroduce. To reverse this progress is to deliberately court division, deepen distrust, and destabilise the fragile harmony that has defined our state for decades"

"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"

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.

"We therefore demand the immediate and unconditional abandonment of this policy. Anything short of this will be interpreted as a calculated disregard for fairness and a direct challenge to the principles of inclusive governance"

"Furthermore, we put the government on notice: 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", the organization stated 

The League of Imams and Alfas urged the government to do everything to unite the people of the State and not to divide the people, saying History will not be kind to policies that trade unity for appeasement and justice for expediency.