The Osun State Christian Association of Nigeria, OSCAN, has commended the Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, for his commitment to the development and transformation of the state in the face of present economic recession.
 

 
The Association also lauded the state government for being consistent in championing equity, balance and harmony among the adherents of the three major faiths in the state.
The Chairman of the Association, Michael Okodua, who led the newly constituted executive members of the association gave the commendation during a courtesy visit to the governor in his office in Osogbo.
‎He held that the present administration under the leadership of Mr. Aregbesola has really done well in fostering peace, love and unity among the different religious faithful in the state.
He commended Mr. Aregbesola’s sagacity for continuously piloting the affairs of the state even in the face of huge condemnation and attacks from various quarters.
According to him, “It is expedient for us to commend and congratulate you on the success of your mission to transform Osun despite the glaring economic recession affecting the state and the country at large.”
The cleric stated that the purpose of the visit was to officially inform the state government on the new nomenclature of the Osun State Christian Association of Nigeria (OSCAN).
He said, “OSCAN now has a new team of executive to pilot the affairs of the Association in the state for the period of next three years.

“On our assumption of office in August this year, we deemed it fit to start our work by paying your good self a courtesy visit as a father to us, and to every association in Osun state; to introduce ourselves to you and to interact with you no matter how short the time”.
He said Osun State Christian Association of Nigeria remains a critical stakeholder in the development of the state, stressing that, “It is therefore incumbent on the Association to liaise and work with the Governor on critical issues bothering on state and religion, among others that would further enhance the general well being of the people of the state.
“Our goal, therefore, is to promote peaceful coexistence and religious harmony, as basis for rapid socio-economic development of the state.‎ It is on this basis that the Osun State Christian Association of Nigeria wishes to assure the government of our loyalty, cooperation and unflinching support towards meeting the needs and aspiration of the people of the state.
“We also look unto your excellency for support in our efforts towards meeting the aspirations and desires for the growth and development of the church in the state.
“We wish to assure your excellency that the church will continue to support you and your administration with prayers and goodwill at all times.
In his remarks, the Governor of Osun, Rauf Aregbesola, charged the people of the state on the need to continuously champion religious tolerance as being demonstrated by his administration.
He thanked God for the opportunity given to his administration to renew its relationship with the newly constituted leadership of OSCAN, just as he expressed hope that the visit would put an end to possible misunderstanding among religious faithful.
According to him, it will be a grand mistake for us to deny the fact that his administration and Osun State Christian Association of Nigeria have had a tumultuous relationship.
He added, “but the question to ask is why must a government who in all honesty wants to have harmonious relationship with all faiths to the extent of even given them recognition in their own specific rights have conflict with one of the faiths.
“We must bear it in mind that it takes two to tango just as it takes two to be harmonious. It is not possible for two people either individuals, organisations or institutions to get along without a huge sense of maturity, forbearance and understanding.
“However, immediately those two people who must coexist and get along appreciate the need for forbearance by tolerating one another, maturity takes place. Listening to the chairman’s speech, l want to believe that we are in a new season. New season has just begun”.
He argued that the basis of participation in religion in this part of the world is based on the religion people met their parents with and not mostly as a matter of choice or conviction.
“Our profession of faith is largely huge on how we came into the world. It is on the accident of birth. Therefore there is need for us to champion love, tolerance and understanding in relating to one another as human beings.
“Why must we quarrel on situation and circumstance that we cannot change? We must come to understand ourselves as possibly as we can as our forebear did. No race on earth rivals Yoruba people in term of exhibiting understanding, tolerance, love and unity in religious practices”

Ogbeni Aregbesola, who lamented he poor management of religious affairs by the former leadership of the association, implored the new executives to always prioritise dialogue above other considerations.
“And should there be any reason whatsoever for you to have challenge, seek for clarification. Should there be any ground whatsoever for annoyance, pain, bitterness or misunderstanding, please don’t hesitate to embrace dialogue and seek for clarification”.
He called on the new executives to let dialogue be the foundation of their relationship with government and other faiths.
He enjoined them to see dialogue as a veritable ingredient to enhance peaceful co-habitation among the residents, warning them against the use of media to cause religious unrest.
“As partners in the process of building a just society targeted on growth and development, we can’t afford to be fighting one another. If development of the state and her people remained our goal, we can’t afford to be enemies and antagonists of one another.”

The Chairman, Southwest Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Archbishop Magnus Atilade has called for reconciliation, peace and harmony between CAN and Muslim community in Osun State for development to be realised.
 

 
Atilade, who gave the advice in a chat with Southwest Report in Lagos said all hands must be on deck so as to achieve peace in Osun State without which there would be no tangible development.
The cleric praised the efforts of Governor Rauf Aregbesola in providing free food to all students in public schools, building of new schools, new roads and extension of new roads which are praiseworthy.
He stressed that the church is not against the wearing of Hijab by Muslim girls because Catholic Rev. Sister wear it. He, however, said the school as an institution should promote uniformity which is why every school has a uniform to identify it.
On all schools being public, he said: “The mission schools established by the missionaries and other private school proprietors were forcibly taken over by the state governments.

“Ultimately our prayer is that the schools be returned to their original owners just as the former  Governor of Lagos, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu did in Lagos.
“It is evident that no government can conveniently run public institutions. Why should government insist on taking over of schools?
“All over the world, no government,  be it capitalists, socialists or communists, has the sole responsibility of providing education for its people,” he said.
He lamented the non-payment of salaries by 28 state governments, saying it is pertinent for government to hand over mission schools to their original owners.

Following the crisis that trailed the wearing of Hijab by female Muslim students in Osun State, the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, MUSWEN, has advised on the Osun State Chapter, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), to respect the court ruling or seek legal redress if not satisfied with the judgement.
 
Addressing newsmen, executive secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Dawud O. S. Noibi maintained that the court ruling does not compel all Muslim students to wear hijab adding that “resort to self help will ultimately help nobody.”
 

 
Noibi said: “Our Advice to CAN in Osun State in view of the foregoing, is to deeply consider the advice which one of the most respected Christian leaders in Nigeria, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, offered at a recent round-table on Law and Religion.
 
‘’His Grace said the nation should adopt the policy that no law should prohibit what religion prescribes or require citizens to do what religion prohibits.
 
‘’The Osun State chapter of CAN should learn a lesson from this advice. Besides, on purely moral grounds, one may ask: how does a Muslim girl’s wearing of hijab offend a Christian? Moreover, the court ruling does not compel all Muslim students to wear hijab. It is left entirely to the choice of the individual student who wishes to obey the order coming from her Creator.”
 
The MUSWEN  scribe further urged the leadership of CAN in Osun State to seek legal redress if not satisfied with judgment. He said; “The CAN leadership must be told that what they are doing in this case is challenging the directive of Allah.
 
Do they really feel comfortable preventing people from doing the Will of God on earth as it is done in heaven? If, however, CAN still feels strongly about the judgement, let them follow the commendable example of the Muslims of Lagos State by following the path of law.”