9th June, 2011
The Christan community in Ogun State today rejected the resolution of the last House of Assembly led by Rt. Hon. Tunji Egbetokun which reversed the return of secondary schools in the state to the missionary owners.
Addressing newsmen today at the NUJ Secretariat, Oke Ilewo, Abeokuta, Ogun state, Southwest Nigeria, the Bishop of Catholic Church, Rev. Alfred Martins who spoke on behalf of the Christian community in the state, said: “we are aggrieved and angered by the motion passed by Ogun Assembly reversing the process of return of some mission schools to their original owners.”We reject this move with every strength in us as a Christian people in the state.
We reject and condemn such a move in a state that has always known peace and progress.”There is a fear that if this position of reversal of the return of schools is pursued, it might inhibit the continuity of the harmonious relationship the state enjoys.”They appealed to the state governor, Sen. Ibikunle Amosun to build schools rather than taking over their acclaimed schools.
The Christian missions, P.M.NEWS learnt, maintained that they entered into an agreement with the government of Ogun state in 2009 under the leadership of Otunba Gbenga Daniel to administer some of the schools and there is a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), to that effect.
They, therefore, demand unequivocally that the government should respect the agreement.They stated that they will not hesitate to put every legitimate in place to defend their agreement with the state government.”Over the past three years, development and progress have been held hostage and sacrificed at the altar of discord and political crisis. We cannot afford to continue such a legacy. We therefore request that the government of Ogun state steers clear of any action that may clog the wheel of progress in the state. Rather, let all our energies not be spent on conflict management but on progress, development design and implementation,” they stated.