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Governor Yahaya Bello has been described as a detribalized Nigerian “without religious bias”.
The Director General on Media and Publicity to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Kingsley Fanwo stated this while fielding questions from journalists at Government House, Lokoja, saying the allegation that the Governor is planning to “islamize” Mission schools is “unfounded and another low by uninformed critics”.
“Having noticed the dilapidated structures in our legacy schools across the State and the dearth of first class educational facilities at those schools, the Governor decided to embark on massive upgrading and remodeling of the schools into unity schools. None of the schools will lose its name in the process.
“The people of Kogi State are happy that the legacy schools are about to be returned to their glory days. But beyond that, their populations will reflect the national character that they used to have. This is aimed at fostering unity across the state as well as foster ethnic integration and socio-cultural chemistry.
“The old Titcombe College, Egbe had students from all over Nigeria. Their products saw a bigger picture of a united Nigeria. That is the intention of government in the ongoing remodeling process”.
He said the critics have been dumbfounded by the “unprecedented educational environment that government is creating in those schools”, insisting that critics of the administration “have run out of critical ideas on governance and development”, hence, “the relapse to blatant falsehood and uncoordinated propaganda”.
“The promoters of the false story of Islamizing schools are completely out of ideas. They have forgotten that ethnic jingoism, religious bigotry and class honour have no place in the present day Kogi State under the administration of Alh. Yahaya Bello.
“No administration has clipped the fangs of religious bigotry as the present administration. Nobody asks where you come from or your religion of choice in modern day Kogi State. We are a united people”.
Fanwo said the detractors “were consumed by their own falsehood”, saying the Governor is performing more than their expectations.
“Their initial story was that the Governor is not doing anything. But having seen the world-class quality to which we are turning our Unity Schools, they have changed tone to the fact that the Governor is Islamizing mission schools.
“Our Unity Schools will have students across the state and even across the nation as a microcosm of the bigger Federal Unity Schools. We want our generation-next to cultivate the mindset of a united state that has no place for ethnicity or religious fanaticism.
“It is laughably ridiculous to think the Governor has religious bias. His first three appointments on the day of his inauguration had two Christians and one Muslim. His choices are based on capacity and not religion.
“The Governor is building an Ultra-Modern Chapel in Government House today despite his religious status as a Muslim”.
Fanwo urged members of the public to disregard the “deliberate attempts by the sponsors of the comical falsehood to return Kogi to the era of division”.
Credit: Vanguard
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