The Muslims in Oyo State have written a petition to the Governor of Oyo State, Engineer Seyi Makinde, over what was described as the conversion of public schools to churches after series of videos showing how Muslim students were forced to attend church services during schooling hours went viral on social media.
In the letter signed by the Ameer of the Oyo State Muslims Students Society of Nigeria, Mallam Abdulkabir Al’Yekeen, it was stated that the petition was written to call the attention of the Governor to “the recent Christian evangelism mission perpetrated by the Ministry of Education, LIA and Principals of public secondary schools in the name of Kolenda Crusade”.
According to the Muslim body, some Principals of public schools have given their unalloyed support to the Christianization agenda of the “Kolenda Crusade” causing them to interrupt student classes and call for emergency assemblies to listen to their evangelism. It was also alleged that the Principals appointed Muslim students as members of the Evangelization publicity committee forcing them to distribute flyers, leaflets and booklets that are against their religion.
The video below shows one of the emergency assemblies convened at Yejide Girls Grammar School. Watch:
The Oyo State Muslim students body thereafter charged the Governor of Oyo State to melt sanctions on the Principals and heads of some of the schools mentioned, including: Yejide Girls Grammar School, Sasa Community High School, Gbebuka Community School among others.
The Full petition reads:
Kolenda Crusade: Petition Against Principals for Recent Church Assembly in Secondary Schools in Oyo State
“Members of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) have drawn our attention to the recent Christian evangelism mission perpetrated and jointly corroborated and embraced by the Ministry of Education, LIA and Principals of public secondary schools in the name of Kolenda Crusade.
“Kolenda Crusade is a program organized by Daniel Kolenda the President and CEO of Christ For all Nations (CFAN) Ministry. The mission of this evangelist is not unclear, which simply to convert many into Christianity. While the leadership of the Muslim Students are not against Kolenda’s evangelism, it is surprising, insulting and derogatory to turn secondary schools in Oyo State to Churches and pre-crusade arenas in broad day light.
A background to this disgusting incident has it that foreigners and members of the Kolenda’s evangelism team have approached several secondary schools in Oyo state with the aim of inviting and explaining the Kolenda’s mission to students. Surprisingly, their presence was given a presidential treatment by principals stopping classes and instead calling an emergency assembly to welcome and listen to the Christian missioners, indicating an unalloyed acceptability by Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) chairman, the Ministry of Education and Principals of secondary schools.
Some schools affected by this insensitive call are Yejide Girls Grammar school (The video of this already in circulation), Sasa community High School, Gbekuba Community School, Saint Anne’s School Molete, Methodist Grammar school bodija and many others. We keep getting more calls. Flyers, leaflets and booklets (are) were given to students and by extension the missioners have incorporated secondary school students especially Muslims as members of their publicity committee as booklets are already in the houses of many Muslims.
It is also imperative to specifically mention Community Grammar School, Owode Apata where the principal have turned the weekly Wednesday assembly into a church service by calling an external Pastor to conduct church service and sermon for students weekly. What is more?
It is therefore not out of place to call your attention to this as we believe you understand the dichotomy between your role as Chairman of TESCOM and being Pastor.
While we won’t relent in calling attention of the government to open discrimination of Muslim students in Oyo state, we would charge the State Governor H.E. Engr. ‘Seyi Makinde through your office to properly melt sanctions hence our demand is as follows;
1. Principals of the affected School should be made to explain how the government work turn to evangelism or under whose instructions are they acting on.
2. If they are acting on their own volition, the affected Principals should either resign and go to church for proper evangelism or re-shape and focus on their official assignment. The later should be in writing to assure us that they are not getting this directive from above.
3. A directive in clear terms must be given to all School placing an Embargo on the Kolenda visitation forthwith.
Any attempt of overlooking this is a clear indication of acceptability by Oyo State Government and MSSN won’t hesitate to do the needful if this continues.
We do hope our petition is given an ultmost and immediate attention as religious crises don’t have any better start than this.
Signed
Abdulkabir Al’Yekeen
Ameer MSSN OYO Area Unit
08069635366
Misbaudeen Salaudeen
General Secretary
Hassan Adepoju
PRO
Source: Intelregion
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