The Bishop of the Diocese of Ife, Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Rev. Olubunmi Akinlade, has called on the Osun State Government to return the mission schools under its management to their original owners, the Anglican Church, in light of the deterioration and neglect that has plagued the schools.

Akinlade made the appeal during a press conference in Ile-Ife, Osun State, on Tuesday, ahead of the second session of the diocese’s 12th synod.

He expressed deep concern over the poor state of the schools, some of which are on the brink of collapse due to years of abandonment.

“The schools are in a terrible condition. Some of the roofs have caved in, and students are still using them. It’s an eyesore. It’s high time for the Osun State Government to release these schools to us,” Akinlade said.

“It’s in their hands to give these schools back to us so we can develop them and provide a conducive learning environment. It belongs to us, and if the government is not doing anything with it, they should give it back.”

The bishop also referenced the actions of President Bola Tinubu when he was governor of Lagos State, where he successfully returned mission schools to their original owners.

Akinlade urged Governor Ademola Adeleke of Osun to follow suit, saying the move would greatly benefit the state’s educational infrastructure.

“I am making an appeal to the Osun State government because it is in their hands to please release this school back to us,” he added. “We’ve been speaking about this since the government of Aregbesola, but nothing has been done.”

Akinlade specifically mentioned Anglican Grammar School in Ile-Ife as another example of a mission school that should be returned to the church, emphasising that it was the church’s property and should no longer be under government control.

“This school belongs to us. They should give us that school, as well as other schools that we founded,” the bishop remarked.

The call for the return of mission schools is not new. Similar appeals were made by the previous diocesan, Bishop Oluranti Odubogun, to former Governor Rauf Aregbesola, but the efforts yielded no positive results.

The bishop also used the opportunity to highlight the diocesan’s ongoing educational initiatives, particularly the Divine Royal College, which was established by the diocese to encourage young people to embrace education.

Akinlade shared that the school offers affordable education, with subsidised school fees ranging between N25,000 and N30,000 per term, and 50 scholarships have been made available to students.

“We are building it up on scholarship. The diocese has provided 50 scholarships for students who may want to go to the college,” Akinlade said. “We are trying to grow this school gradually, but the current fuel prices are making it difficult for students to pay the transportation fees, so we are subsidizing over 75% of the cost.”

The bishop also revealed that the diocese was working to meet the requirements for the West African Examinations Council and National Examinations Council to enable students at Divine Royal College to sit for external exams within the school.

The diocese’s call for the return of mission schools remains a significant issue in Osun State, with hopes that the current administration will address the matter and improve the state of education in the region.