Let us set some facts right. One, the state government owns the Baptist Girls High School that most of the quarrel is about. The state government picks its salary bills, the running costs and pays the WAEC fees of the kids over the years. The Baptist appellation on the school’s billboard and letterhead is historical as the school was founded by missionaries. It was however taken over by the Federal Government following a recommendation of the 1967 Asabia Commission on education.
According to Carl Le Van, Professor of School of International Service in the American University who has studied Nigerian educational system for over forty years, the decision to centralize schools was borne out of the need to address the “vast disparity between private and public Institutions” in the country as well as to curb corruption.
The very influential Simeon Adebo Commission of 1971 later recommended that government tackles the “cumbrous patchwork” that was its definition of the national educational policy at the time and proposed “complete government control for planning, financing and running of the schools”.
The Supreme Military Council responded by issuing a decree in 1972 giving the Federal Government increased authority over education and giving it supremacy in running the schools. Those authorities were ceded to state governments over time especially with state’s counter-party funding of the Universal Basic Education since 1977.
It is important to go this far into the past to make the reader appreciate that the sudden bolt out of the blue from the Baptists that the state government’s action “threatens the foundation of the Christian faith” is way, way off the mark. The schools in question are government schools enjoying government’s generous subventions. And in fact, the Baptist schools that formed the hub of these protests receive more subventions from the government than the Fakunle Comprehensive whose pupils it rejects.
The second point is the state government’s new educational policy merging some of the existing schools and building new ones. A few are already in place and the government just came back from the bond market where its issue of  N10 billion was oversubscribed. The money is strictly for building schools and invigorating the educational system in the state generally.
Now in deciding which school is scrapped and which is retained, the state government took care not to dissolve schools with overt Christian and Muslim nomenclatures. So all the Ansarudeens and the Christ Apostolics stayed, just so as not to stir sleeping dogs.
Fakunle Comprehensive School, a mixed school, was at the onset of this administration met in a sordid state with fallen structures, no thanks to years of neglect .The current administration, as part of its School Infrastructure development programme decided to merge Fakunle and some other mixed schools with the Baptist High in an effort to build a New 3000 capacity Model High School.
This effectively meant a change in the status of Baptist from a girls-only to a mixed school at the same time. Now, the mixed school policy has been the norm in the state since 1980 under the Old Oyo state.
Since then, all government owned schools were changed from single sex to mixed. Ilesha Grammar School was in fact a Boys school until it was changed to a mixed school in the 70s by government fiat.
The Baptist schools in Osun are going through that change now. It could be unpleasant as changes are wont to be and I don’t blame them for reacting. But those reactions should be measured and the language should not be as far reaching as to accuse the government of religious persecution and attempts to “destroy the heritage of Christians”.
Now, some of the Fakunle Comprehensive girls have been wearing their hijab to school while in Fakunle. (The founder of Fakunle named the school after himself. He was paid off when the school was taken over by government and converted to a public school in the 1970s.
I assume the owners of the Baptist High were also compensated. The girls simply continued wearing their headscarf in their new environment.
The Baptists and a few other churches feel offended at this and they think if the kids are going to be in a school with a Christian name, then they should drop their hijab. Well, that argument has a converse that is true, namely, if kids sent to schools bearing Muslim names get there, they should not bring a chaplet  or a cross, much less a Bible to school.
To me, these are outright matters of intolerance. They are so simple that a child can understand it. There is no way you can legitimately find faults with a government policy that makes Sadiat and Sharon sit on the same school bench.
Another point raised is that the Fakunle children are bad to the bones and will corrupt the girls of the Baptist High. They said the boys are already looking at the Baptist girls. I leave the reader to appraise that mirthful one.
When Aregbesola came on in 2010, Osun state was 34 in WAEC results out of Nigeria’s 36 states. Right now the state is number 18. Primary school enrolment has rocketed up to the highest in the country, thanks to the free lunch meal programme (OMEAL) , to 254,000 kids and  The free indigenous and standardized school uniforms for all 750,000 students in Primary and Secondary Schools.
And in fact, the majority of people behind this educational thrust are die-hard Christians. The Commissioner for education who is also the Deputy Governor is a Christian. In fact, she is an MFM heavy with a church in her official quarters. The seasoned Commissioner for Finance and the Attorney General of the state are Christians with Redeemed and CAC roots and who can overestimate the influence of such officials in a state.
Uncle Bola Ige’s son, Muyiwa, is the Commissioner for Lands. In all, there are more Christians than Muslims in that cabinet.I think Christians in the state should demonstrate more confidence in these representatives of theirs in government.
Osun CAN, by acting as they did last week and even issuing an ultimatum to the government, they put their brothers and sisters in government to shame by suggesting that they cannot be trusted to defend crucial Christian interests in the government. And that means they are thought of as either traitors or idiots or both, and I know that they are neither!
Osun is a state where the two religions have incredible harmony. If you are a religiously hostile person, I advise you rid your mind of such bias before you come to Oshogbo because chances are that you might say something silly, and quite unwittingly too, against the religion of someone who respects you.
There is no way of telling Christians and Muslims apart at first sight in that environment. It is disturbing to read comments on social media from people who don’t know what is really going on there and they are talking of the governor being a Muslim extremist and so forth. It is just nonsense. The man’s brother-land sister are Christians and they relate pretty well.
Well, it could be that leading a state of such religious diversity must be accompanied by this kind of the religious equivalent of opposition politics and maybe it is inevitable. Maybe it is a natural means of creating constant religious checks and balances. Today a Muslim is there, the next it will be a Christian and he will take his flak too.
But whatever the season and however we seek to balance the scale, we should know that we have to preserve our dignity as a people  and not set the house ablaze because we want to get rid of infesting cockroaches.  Governor Aregbesola is doing well in that state. He should be encouraged to do better and not be attacked with virulent politics couched in incendiary religious language.
JOHN OGUNLELA (johnogunlela@gmail.com)

Ila Orangun is an ancient town and holds prime place in the history of Yoruba. It lies to the north east of the State of Osun quite near the border with Kwara State on 8° 1′North and longitude 04°54′East. It is the more populous sister-city (and sister-kingdom) of Òkè-Ìlá Òràngún located about 7.5 miles (12 km) to the northeast. Ila enjoys rainfall ranging from 45 to 55 inches annually. It is the headquarters of Ila Local Government.
Ila- Orangun has a distinct, autonomous cultural group of Yoruba speaking people known as the Igbominas. It could be rightly assumed that Igbominaland is that area of land currently occupied by the people called Igbomina
Saw-milling is the most common industry in Ila. Others include carpentry, blacksmithing and welding. Commercial activities also keep a large section of the population busy. Popular tourist attractions include the Ila-Oke Spot where an Oba was said to have disappeared, the Community Fish Pond and Idi Ogun Oja. The traditional title of the Oba is the Orangun of Ila .
Ila hosts the State of Osun’s College of Education and a State Hospital.
For more on Town in the State of Osun…visit www.osun.gov.ng

The vision of this present administration under Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola before coming to government was to radically increase access to Universal Basic Education in our society. This is in furtherance of the vision of the former Western Region Government under the late sage Chief Obafemi Awolowo. This is also in line with Millennium Development Goal Two (MDG 2) of achieving Universal Primary Education, which goes in consonance with Aregbesola’s programme of promoting functional education.

(From L-R) The Deputy Governor, The First Lady, The Governor and Professor Wole Soyinka
The government of Aregbesola in February 2011, two months after assumption of office, organized a world-class education summit to chart a new way forward in the educational sector of the State of Osun in conformity with the evolving trends in the field. The summit which was chaired by Nobel Laureate, Prof Wole Soyinka had in attendance other experienced stakeholders who proffered solutions to the perennial problems being experienced in the country and Osun in particular.
Stakeholders agreed on having three classification of schools under basic education , these  are elementary, middle and high rather than the existing primary, junior and secondary levels. A comprehensive overhaul of physical and human component of the education system was also recommended.
As observed, the physical infrastructure component of these reclassification is being carried out systematically with the building of elementary, middle and high schools. The human and social component such as recruitment of teachers, provision of instructional materials, psychological and social support through value re-orientation, revival of ideals of hard work, honesty, discipline, determination, revival of Boys and Girls Clubs, calisthenics activities are simultaneously being introduced.
For a concise report on government efforts so far on education reforms, please visit www.osun.gov.ng

Photos of the Governor, State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, acknowledging cheers from the crowd,  during the celebration of Ileya Festival at Oke Baale area of Osogbo, Osun on Tuesday 15-10-2013

Osun State Governor, Mr. Rauf Aregbesola, has debunked insinuations in certain quarters that the ongoing education reforms in the state are aimed at obliterating the heritage and changing the identities of the affected schools.
Aregbesola said the school re-classification of government hinges on total re-engineering of the state education sector to make it functional so as to be able to produce a total man.
 
The governor said contrary to insinuation in some quarters that the identity, heritage and tradition of some institutions are at risk of being distorted or totally changed, his administration has no plan, either in the immediate or remote period of time, to change any school’s tradition.
 
The governor, who spoke in Osogbo, yesterday, at this year’s World Global Hand Washing Day Celebration, said government would not relent in its effort at providing the best education system for the state.
 
He reiterated that government would retain identity and heritage of the schools regardless of their previous inclination.
 
He said: “Let me state categorically that our administration has no intention whatsoever to change the character, heritage and the identity of any school.
 
“A good example, which is not far to seek, is the recently completed school in Alekuwodo. We have retained the name of the school, Salvation Army Middle School.
 
“I don’t think that anybody, even the founder of the school, would be dissatisfied with what we have done to that school.”
 
Aregbesola averred that the example of Salvation Army Middle School, which name is retained by government, was a testimonial that all the negative campaigns by some individuals amounted to sheer hypocrisy and pure lies calculated to derail the good policy of government.
 
Meantime, Aregbesola, has called on all adherents of Islam to live in peace and exhibit religious tolerance towards people of other faiths.
 
This is contained in a message the governor sent to Muslims across the country on the occasion of this year’s Eid el-Kabir celebration.
 
Aregbesola, in a statement by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said what the nation needed at this critical moment were peace, security and cooperation among the diverse people of the country.
 
VANGUARD
 
 

Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, has called on all adherents of Islamic religion to live in peace and exhibit religious tolerance towards people of other faiths.
Aregbesola, in a statement signed by the Director, Bureau of Communications and Strategy, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, said what the nation needs at this critical moment is peace, security and cooperation among the diverse people of the country.
The governor called on adherents of all religions to uphold the sacredness of human life, saying God did not command or appoint anyone as judge in all of the revealed scriptures to take the life of another in the guise of protecting any faith.
Aregbesola said he wondered why any reasonable and rational human being should exhibit such cruelty to a fellow human being by either killing or maiming.
The governor also advocated for good governance, purposeful leadership and prudent management of resources as necessary preconditions the leaders of the country must cultivate as measures of curbing the worrisome trend of deterioration in nearly all spheres of the nation’s life.
He identified corruption in high places and divisive tendencies among ethnic groups in the country as disease which we must cure completely for us to get our development agenda right.
The governor said political leaders and followers, religious leaders and their adherents; all must come together and forge a harmonious relationship for the love of their country, saying according to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), the love of one’s country is part of faith.
“It sometimes baffles me that religions, which should unite a people are acting as catalysts to divide us in this country. I wonder why people must kill each other in the name of religion.
“As Muslims, we are not to judge our fellow man. We should leave judgment to God who created us all. Why must people kill in the name of God? Why must people act God? Why must they pre-empt what their creator will do?
Muslims must be tolerant, trustworthy, dependable and peace-loving wherever he lives. He must be a beacon of peace and sterling example of humankind worthy of emulation.
“People must put an end to violence, killing and mindless blood-letting all in the name of religions, and embrace peace and coexist peacefully amongst themselves wherever they reside,” Aregbesola said.
He called on the Muslim faithful to emulate Prophet Ibrahim and his son (Ismael), whose unshaken belief in, perseverance and fulfilment of their promise to their creator earned them salvation, everlasting and divine compensation and glory till today.
He enjoined the people of the state to live in peace and extend hands of fellowship to their neighbours so as for the peaceful and tranquil atmosphere the state has been enjoying in the last two years to continue unhindered.
Quoting from the Holy Qur’an Q41 v 46, “Whoever works righteousness benefits his own soul; whoever works evil, it is against his soul: nor is thy Lord ever unjust to His servants,” Aregbesola said the pursuit of truth and justice at all times should be the watchword of those who hold the affairs of the nation in their hands.”
He added that oppression, inequality oppression, wrong-doing, defying right and justice, transgression beyond the bounds of God on earth are the bases of problems confront the country, urging Nigerians, in the spirit of the festival, to rededicate themselves to the cause of serving the country and humanity as a whole.
He prayed that the Almighty God in His infinite mercies would assist the country by endowing the leaders the divine guidance needed to steer this country aright.

Osun State Commissioner of Police Mrs. Dorothy Gimba has assured residents of security during the forthcoming eid-el-Kabir celebration.
In a congratulatory message to Muslims by the command’s spokesperson Folasade Odoro, the commissioner urged residents to celebrate the festival peacefully.
Urging the public to inform the police of the activities of criminals, she said security operatives would be positioned at strategic locations to prevent breach of the peace.
Local government chairmen in the state also felicitated with Muslims, urging them to be tolerant of adherents of other religions.
In a statement by the Chairman of the Forum of Local Government Chairmen, Omoba Kunle Ayantoye, the council chiefs prayed Allah to continue to bless the state and protect residents.
They said: “We have come a long way to determine whatever we see today; never should religious considerations be our problem. Our case is different here. We have always worked together as a people to uplift our living conditions and have never had it so good. We should continue to explore our strengths.”
The chairmen reaffirmed their commitment to the Governor Rauf Aregbesola administration, saying it had provided purposeful leadership and executed people-oriented programmes.
They thanked the governor and the House of Assembly for extending their tenure by six months, pledging to justify the confidence reposed in them.
The council chairmen said: “We are always proud to be associated with the purposeful and dynamic leadership of the governor. We have partnered progressively with the state government from inception. We acknowledge, with appreciation, the full powers the government accords us, which has translated into unprecedented development at the grassroots.”
THE NATION

The Opon-Imo initiative recently unveiled by the Osun State government has been described as capable of providing more market for local Information Technology players if the local content agenda is strictly adhered to.

The initiative is aimed at bringing computers to the classroom, according to a statement from local IT players under the Information Technology Association of Nigeria.
The statement indicated that about 50,000 tablets had been distributed to pupils in various schools in Osun in the initial phase of the scheme as part of the deliverables from the Chinese technical partners.
Another 150,000 tablets would be manufactured locally from the Ghanaian RLG Communications, now in Osun State for business, it added.
Under the Opon-Imo initiative, about 150,000 Senior Secondary School students in the state will receive tablets personal computers equipped with 56 textbooks covering 17 subjects, 17 tutorial questions for the 17 subjects, 1,000 past questions, six extra-curricular subjects and educational games, according to NCS.
The scheme would offer students multiple digital modules that would make learning an enjoyable experience ahead of their peers in other parts of the country, it said.
It also said while many industry stakeholders were gladdened by the state government’s desire to digitally empower students, they were also calling on the government to increase its patronage of made-in-Nigeria devices.
IT experts at the recently held Nigerian Computer Society conference stressed the need to get local technology companies engaged in implementing the government’s IT projects, warning on the danger of undue patronage of foreign companies at the expense of the growing local capacity and content.
They stressed that in both advanced economies such as the United States and all of western Europe; and in new strong markets such as China and India, government served as a catalyst in engineering the growth of local IT Original Equipment Manufacturers through heavy patronage and right policy thrust.
This, they said, will create an enabling environment to allow locally produced products to compete globally in a way that will ultimately strengthen the local economy.
“We should strive at reducing our huge importation of IT consumables that are locally manufactured,” the spokesman for NCS, Mr. Jide Awe, said.
The NCS is the umbrella body of all IT professionals and organisations in Nigeria with more than 17,000 members covering the software, the Internet and computer hardware sub-sectors.
PUNCH