3rd September,
2020
PRESS RELEASE:
OYO TESCOM CHAIR LIED - MURIC
The Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC) has accused the chairman of the Oyo State Teaching
Service Commission (TESCOM), Pastor Akinade Alamu, of lying against it during
his interview on Fresh Radio. The interview was held at 10 am on Monday 31st August,
2020.
MURIC’s
allegation was contained in a press statement issued on Thursday, 3rd September,
2020, by its helmsman, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
The statement
reads:
“It will be
recalled that MURIC issued a statement on 14th August, 2020
condemning the Christianisation of the Computer Based Test (CBT) that was being
organised by Oyo TESCOM. We based the allegation on the fact that Muslim
candidates were given bible-based questions.
“TESCOM reacted
the next day (15th August, 2020) blaming the computer system
for the incident and promising adequate redress. But TESCOM chairman went
beyond issuing a press statement by calling the director of MURIC on telephone
that same day seeking his cooperation. He also invited the director to his
office and the CBT centre although the director declined.
“He therefore
asked the director of MURIC to send representatives. The director gave him the
telephone number of the chairman of its Oyo State chapter. The latter later
confirmed that he had been contacted by TESCOM chairman and invited to come to
the CBT centre in the University of Ibadan to monitor the rest of the
examination. MURIC headquarters approved the visit in good faith.
“To show
goodwill, MURIC reciprocated the next day by issuing a public statement
thanking the chairman of TESCOM for reacting quickly to its complaint. However,
we did not mention his telephone calls and his invitation to MURIC. This was
for strategic reasons. We knew we might need this information in future.
“Based on his
invitation, three members of MURIC went for the exercise (the chairman, Dr.
Nurudeen Oloso, the Ambassador, Ibrahim Agunbiade and Barrister Abdul Waahid
Lawal). They were warmly received and conducted round the venue. They went
daily until the examination ended. The involvement of MURIC in the monitoring
occurred in an atmosphere of friendliness and the three-man team was even given
a Certificate of Recognition while pictures were also taken with TESCOM
officials as memorabilia on Friday, 21st August, 2020.
“But to our surprise, the same chairman of TESCOM
who invited MURIC to the centre went on air to claim that MURIC came to disrupt
the CBT examination. If that is so, why was MURIC eulogised during the closing
ceremony? Why did the TESCOM chairman say that the presence of MURIC at the CBT
centre lent credibility to the examination? That was an indefensible
volte-face. Oyo TESCOM chairman lied. We are shocked to our marrows. We are
highly disappointed that a man placed in such a position of trust could lie to
the public without batting an eyelid. It is a betrayal, a stab in the back.
“We are also
disturbed that the chairman is a pastor. It is a very bad reflection of the
abyss of moral decadence into which our religious leaders have sunk. By lying
against us on Fresh FM, Pastor Alamu has broken one of the Ten Commandments:
Thou shalt not bear false witness against your neighbour (Exodus 20:16).
“The Bible also
says, “You shall not spread false report about your neighbour’ (Exodus 23:1)
but this man went on a live radio to spread falsehood about his Muslim
neighbours. Or are we not neighbours just because we happen to be Muslims?
Revelation 22:15 classified ‘dogs and sorcerers and the sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters,
and everyone who loves and practices falsehood’ as being ‘outside’.
“For the avoidance of doubt, MURIC is in possession
of incontrovertible evidence of Pastor Alamu’s telephone call to its director
as well as pictures taken and certificate received at the CBT centre during the
closing ceremony. Pictures do not lie. Neither do certificates, at least genuine
ones don’t.
“TESCOM chairman
has discredited his CBT examination by his own character. Falsehood cannot
produce anything credible. You cannot build anything on nothing. Nemo
dat quod non habet (You cannot give what you don’t have). Worse still,
he has done great damage to interreligious dialogue. Taking a cue from Pator
Alamu, it will take a long time before Muslims in Oyo State can trust
Christians in public office. TESCOM’s CBT test is hereby declared highly
questionable. Its transparency cannot be guaranteed as no result was
immediately released.
“A
computer-based test that took more than a week to release cannot be free from
manipulations. It is not even the computer this time around. It is the finger
on the keyboard and the hand that holds the mouse. MURIC cannot vouch for
Pastor Alamu’s finger on the CBT keyboard. We therefore pass a vote of no
confidence on the whole exercise.”
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC)
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