TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
The Bishop of the Catholic Diocese of Osogbo, Osun State, Most Rev John Oyejola, has said the nation’s education system will witness tremendous transformations if government at all levels return mission schools to their original owners.
Most of the public schools that are currently under the control of government were once owned by Missions in Nigeria.
To this end, the leadership of the Catholic churches in Osun State has begun moves to facilitate the return of Catholic mission schools taken over by government to the church, insisting that the country would witness tremendous growth should mission schools be returned to the church.
Speaking with our correspondent in Osogbo, Bishop Oyejola disclosed that he had booked an appointment with the Governor Gboyega Oyetola for the purpose of discussing with him and convincing him to return mission schools currently under state control and management to the Catholic Church.
Explaining why mission schools should go back to their owners, the prelate said that the schools currently managed by the Catholic Church were the best in the state with their laudable academic performance, discipline and moral excellence to show for it.
The bishop stressed that the return of mission schools to their owners would restore sanity to the Nigerian society and argued that since political office holders couldn’t even boast of the public schools, they preferred to enroll their children in Catholic and other mission schools.
He said states like Lagos, Anambra and Edo had returned mission schools to their owners, saying, “It was the ideal thing for the Lagos, Anambra and Edo state governments to have allowed missions to once again control and manage their schools.
“Certainly, returning of schools to their owners is just the ideal thing to be done in returning sound education, which has to do with good values and growth of the country. The results are there that mission schools currently owned by the Catholic Church are performing better than other schools in the state.
“St. Anthony Catholic College, Ilesa, will represent the state in Kano for a competition, among other notable records. I have already booked an appointment with the Osun State Governor. I will meet him soon so that the governor can see from points of view of reasoning that it will be for the growth of the state. It will be something laudable and honourable for these mission schools to be returned to their owners, especially the Catholic Church.
The cleric further said, “This will bring sanity to our society. As you can see, nothing is happening in these public schools. How many of these governors and commissioners have their children in public schools? None. They all bring their children to Catholic schools because they know they are the best.
“Lagos, Edo and Anambra States have returned mission schools to the Catholic Church. Part of these schools in Lagos are St Gregory and Holy Child. I read recently that Ekiti State would soon return the mission schools under its control to their owners. Mission schools’ students are the best and we will ensure we get back our schools from the state government.”
Speaking on the suspended RUGA settlement policy of the Federal Government, Oyejola asked the government to come out clearly by explaining the policy to Nigerians, saying, “I don’t really understand very well what RUGA is all about.”
He said there was too much mutual suspicion amongst Nigerians, adding, “The government should come out and give us (Nigerians) full information about it. Everyone has the right to live anywhere in Nigeria, but government should clearly explain to us what it wants to achieve with it. Gone are those days when Fulani took over Ilorin in Kwara State. We are more educated now and wise.”
On the state of affairs in the nation, the Bishop acknowledged that things were not going as they should, but said Nigerians should blame themselves for the problems confronting them.
Bishop Oyejola said, “Yes, things are not rosy or wonderful in Nigeria, but the reality is that we are the ones raising most of these problems. Let me digress a little. One of my wards failed examination and the school management asked her to pay another fee of 100,000 cash. My instinct tells me that this money was going to some people’s purse. Is that government?
“It is not just government. We should behave normally and do the right thing always. Our people are behaving out of ignorance. I don’t believe in prayers without handiwork. Prayer and good works will give us good results.”
