Church of Nigeria Honours Chief Bisi Akande with a block of 10 Classrooms

The Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Osun Northeast Diocese, Otan Aiyegbaju, Osun State, has honoured a former Governor of the State, Chief Adebisi Akande with a block of 10 classrooms in its Evangel College, Otan Ayegbaju.

Named Chief Bisi Akande Block, the classroom was commissioned by Governor Rauf Aregbesola, on Wednesday.

Bisi Akande block at the Evangel College, Otan-Ayegbaju being Commissioned by Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

The gesture, according to the Diocesan of the Osun Northeast Diocese, Reverend Dr. Humphrey Bamisebi Olumakaiye, was to appreciate Akande’s contribution to the Church of Nigeria and Christian faith generally.

Olumokaiye stated that Akande has been a stronger supporter of the Anglican Communion, just as he described him as a Muslim by practice, Christian in mind and man that always reason beyond politics and religion.

He said: “Today, the diocese is honouring Chief Adebisi Akande by naming this great edifice after him. Baba Akande’s profile is characterized by a heart full of love, patience, perseverance and humility. He has proofed himself to be a versatile, industrious, result oriented and highly focused leader.

“He is a symbol of unity in our environment and a balance religious icon. Baba Akande has contributed immensely to the growth and expansion of Christian faith, especially in our diocese. Baba Akande is a stronge supporter.”

In his speech titled: ‘Moral Discipline and Education’, Akande asserted that the take-over of missionary schools by the military government enthroned immorality in the Nigerian schools and society at large.

Akande described missionary schools as institutions for moral instructions, saying that to take over schools from the missionaries is equivalent to an attempt to expunge morality from the lives of the Nigerian children.

Governor Rauf Aregbesola and the Primate of the Church of Nigeria ( Anglican Communion) Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh at the commissioning of the Bisi Akande block, Evangel College, Otan-Ayegbaju, Osun State.

The first Interim National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) stated this on Wednesday at the commissioning of a block of 10 classrooms built in his honour by the Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Osun Northeast Diocese, Otan Aiyegbaju, Osun State.

According to Akande, the consequence of the military usurpation of the missionary schools has been effective attempt by ‘the fraudsters, the drug barons, the thugs and the vagabonds’ to displace gentlemen and women of moral integrity from political leadership space.

He averred that the major reason while the military took-over schools from missionaries was to the foundation for their ‘stupendous immorality and corruption’, adding that men and women with some moral credentials who were old products of the missionary schools were also retired from public life.

Akande said: “Whether in Islamic Madaris or in any evangelical learning centres, all Missionary schools known to Nigerians were institutions for moral instructions. Therefore, to take over schools from the missionaries is equivalent to an attempt to expunge morality from the lives of the Nigerian children.

“Military intervention in governance itself is immoral and ungodly. Those Nigerian military adventurists who forcefully seized power in Nigeria deliberately came to violently loot our resources.

Chief Bisi Akande and Aregbesola in a joyous mood at the programme.

“In order to lay the foundation for their stupendous immorality and corruption, the military therefore had to snatch schools from the missionaries and to retire from the inherited public life “with immediate effect” men and women with some moral credentials who were old products of the missionary schools.”

He added: “Consequently, today, the fraudsters, the drug barons, the thugs and the vagabonds compete effectively and successfully to displace gentlemen and women of moral integrity from political leadership space.

“The overall result of the military interventions in governance in our polity is the pain Nigeria suffers today from lawless and lackadaisical attitudes of everybody to work. The resultant effect of the populace’s criminal attitude to work is a major plank providing the bedrock for the ongoing economic recession in our country.

“My plea is for the missionaries to run schools side by side with other educational stakeholders in order to enable our society have a choice in producing future players in the employment markets.

“Where free education is the public policy, as it should be throughout Nigeria, let the government concerned grant-aid the missionaries to the tune of tuition fees payable by the pupils in public/government-owned schools.”

Akande commended the church of Nigeria for appreciating him and showcasing his love for education with the naming of the classroom after him.

In his speech, the Primate of the Church of Nigeria ( Anglican Communion) Most Reverend Nicholas Okoh described religion as a tool to promote peace and sustain religious tolerance.

Okoh said with a christian faith building a school in honour of a Muslim stateman, Nigeria would soon get out of religious crisis.

He described Akande as a Muslim by practice, but christian in mind, going by his contributions to the Christianity without any iota of discrimination.

Speaking at the commissioning, Aregbesola stated that it was not surprising a strong christian church (Anglican Communion) honoured Akande a Muslim with a block of classroom, saying that Yoruba race is known for religious tolerance for time immemorial.

Aregbesola noted the advent of formal education in Nigeria traceable to the Muslim and christian missionaries, saying that education has been part and parcel of faith.

The governor charged parents to live up to their responsibility of supporting thier children with moral and training needed to make the education functional and impactful.