Group Writes Makinde. Wants Sack Of Oyo TESCOM Head Over Religious Intolerance

The Concerned Muslim Organizations in Oyo State say Pastor Akinade Alamu, the Chairman, Oyo State Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) should be sacked for fueling religious intolerance in the State.

The group also called for the sanction of the Permanent Secretary of TESCOM, Mrs. Grace Olabisi Oderinde for the pain inflicted upon the Muslims in the State.

The group stated this in a statement signed by its coordinator and Secretary in Ibadan, the State capital on Monday.

“As parents and stakeholders, we are “concerned” about the evangelisation of a carefully laid down plan of a foreign evangelist called Daniel Kolenda under the auspices of GREAT GOSPEL CRUSADE in our public schools across the city of Ibadan and its environs. Therefore, there is no gainsaying in the fact that Pastor Alamu and TESCOM Permanent Secretary had fore knowledge of the said GOSPEL CRUSADE.

“A ‘deep apology letter’ was purportedly written by the organiser of the said crusade on the 10th of November, 2021 to the Chairman TESCOM through the Permanent Secretary claiming thus; “it has come to our notice that one of our team visited a public school in their outreach. We are sorry for this error as it was done without our knowledge”. This letter dated 10th November. 2021, was delivered and acknowledged same day by TESCOM. When a group claiming to be working for God wrote such a letter, a sane man ought to believe that it was actually done in error as claimed and that TESCOM would come out with clear instruction to its work force on the field.

“But to our dismay, TESCOM has done nothing to bring this unholy situation under control. On the contrary, the crusade to public schools continued unabated till Friday 12th November 2021. The Crusaders’ were seen calling out Muslim pupils to abandon their classes and lessons and were encouraged to give their lives to Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Not only is this contrary to the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution, the action of these crusaders constitute open invitation to religious war and the enthronement of anarchy in this state. Propositioning students in public schools and their invitation to abandon the religion of their parents through odious and brazen proselytization constitute an egregious infraction of their rights and that of their parents. It is unarguably the worst injustice that a government agency could perpetrate against the citizens of the state.

“Mr. Governor Sir, Muslims are the most tolerant people as you may also attest to, but for the Christian folks to add insults to our injuries is a privilege taken too far,” the group noted.

The group then listed some of the schools visited by this so called ‘GREAT GOSPEL CRUSADERS’:

1. Yejide Girls Grammar School, Molete, Ibadan.
2. Anglican Grammar School, Molete.
3. Basorun Ojoo High School, Bashorun
4. Community Grammar School, Laniba
5. Aperin Boys’ High School
6. Pegba Community High School, Pegba
7. Olunde Community High School, Olunde.
8. Ifelodun Community Secondary School, Muslim Area, Ibadan
9. Abbey Technical, Odo-ona Elewe, Ibadan
10. Community High School, Sasa
11. Loyola College, Ibadan
12. Government Sec. School, Orita Aperin
13. Government Technical College, Orita Aperin
14. Jericho High School, Ibadan
15. Abadina College, U. I., Ibadan
16. Lalupon Community Grammar School, Lalupon
17. Methodist Grammar School, Bodija
18. Gbekuba Community School, Gbekuba, Ibadan.

“A man of great integrity and deep sense of public service could not dare to be so partisan as the Chairman of TESCOM appears. How could he have allowed an international Christian Evangelist preachers to the unsuspecting Muslim Students in public schools because you are a pastor heading TESCOM. You sowing winds; he who sows wind will reap whirlwind!,” the group added.

They therefore demanded the following:

1. Immediate sack and termination of the appointment of the Chairman Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) in person of Pastor Akinade Alamu as he is not fit to hold a public office in a multi religious environment such as ours.
2. Immediate sack or at worst demotion of Permanent Secretary TESCOM in person of Mrs. Grace Olabisi Oderinde for negligence of duty.
3. Immediate demotion and re-deployment of affected school Principals for their incompetence.
4. Upholding UNESCO declaration on public schools to prevent future occurrence.

Yours in the service of the Nation,

Signed

Alhaji Luqman Onaolapo
Co-ordinator

Abdul Jalil Abdur Razaq
Secretary