The Ogun State Muslim Council has faulted the planned return of mission-founded schools to their original missionary owners, warning that the move could undermine public trust, disrupt religious harmony, and worsen the out-of-school children crisis in the state.
The council, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Abeokuta and signed by its Secretary-General, Asiwaju Kamal’deen Akintunde, described the proposal as a “politicisation of religion” and an unnecessary attempt to inject religious considerations into governance.
The Muslim body argued that the issue of school ownership had long been resolved by successive administrations, noting that a workable arrangement had encouraged missionary organisations to establish private schools alongside government-owned institutions.
According to the council, reversing the policy at this stage raises serious concerns about public interest and equity.
It stated that the original owners of the schools were duly compensated at the time of government takeover, adding that the institutions had since been sustained and developed with taxpayers’ funds.
“Handing over such assets to private entities amounts to a breach of public trust and an unjust transfer of collectively owned resources,” the statement read.
The OMC also warned that the proposed handover could increase the number of out-of-school children in Ogun State, stressing that public schools currently serve as the primary access point to education for children from low-income families.
It noted that converting such schools to private control could make them unaffordable for many parents, thereby excluding a significant number of pupils from formal education.
On religious implications, the council expressed fears that the policy could strain the existing inter-faith balance in the state.
It cautioned that introducing missionary control over formerly public institutions may heighten religious sensitivities and threaten the peaceful coexistence among adherents of different faiths.
The council further raised concerns about the rights of Muslim students, warning that a return to mission ownership could expose them to enforced religious practices inconsistent with their beliefs.
It maintained that such a development would amount to a violation of constitutional guarantees on freedom of religion, particularly within an educational framework previously regarded as secular and inclusive.
Questioning the timing of the move, the council linked the development to a recent visit by Catholic clerics to the state governor, suggesting that the policy might have been influenced by external pressures or political considerations.
While acknowledging the government’s position that it cannot solely shoulder the burden of education, the OMC insisted that partnerships with private or religious bodies should not come at the expense of public assets.
The council, therefore, called on the state government to reconsider its stance and prioritise policies that promote inclusiveness, social equity, and sustained religious harmony.
It warned that failure to reverse the decision could erode public confidence and destabilise the longstanding peaceful coexistence in the state.
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