Abdulrahman Abduraheem, the Commissioner for Education, Science, and Technology in Oyo State, has refuted rumors that the state government intended to give back some schools to their original owners, whether they were missionaries or private citizens.
The Commissioner stated that the government never expressed a willingness to hand up the control of schools to their original owners when it clarified the State Government’s position in a statement over the weekend.
He asserted that Governor Seyi Makinde had only recently urged members of the Old Students Association to submit their request to the Ministry of Education at Loyola College, where a hall bearing the name of Ondo State Governor Arakunrin Rotimi Akeredolu had just been donated to the school.
The statement quoted the Commissioner as saying: “There is clearly no truth to the story making the rounds that the government of Oyo State was about to return schools to their original owners.
“The government does not have such intention and there was nowhere His Excellency, Governor Seyi Makinde made that statement.
“For the avoidance of doubt, the governor was confronted about a possible return of the Loyola College, Ibadan, to the Old Students Association and he asked the association to direct its request to the Ministry of Education for necessary engagement. “He did not give any directive on the return of the school or any school, whatsoever. The Honourable Commissioner added:
“It is true that the state has developed a proof of agreement with the Incorporated Trustees of GCIOBA, but that does not in anyway amount to a blanket return of all schools to their original owners.
“While the state will not shy away from productive partnership with stakeholders in the education sector to support its policy of free and qualitative education, it will not take any step capable of upsetting the cord of alliance already existing in a highly treasured sector like education.
“Let me use this opportunity to address some interests who appear bent on twisting the submission of Mr. Governor on this subject upside down to look for other things to do as it is clear they will not succeed in the inglorious path of attempting to whip up religious sentiments on this issue.”