The Anambra Government has banned religious bodies from using either public schools or its facilities to conduct religious services across the state.

The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr Don Adinuba announced the ban on Friday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Onitsha.

Adinuba said the ban became imperative because of the ongoing seeming ownership tussle of Bishop Crowder Memorial School, Onitsha, being contested between the state and the Diocese on the Niger, Anglican Communion.

The Church, through its legal Secretary, Mr Tabugbo Anaeto, is claiming ownership of the school.

Members of the Anglican Church recently staged a peaceful protest and subsequently released a statement, accusing the state government of its alleged refusal from allowing it to assume ownership of its property.

Anaeto, in a statement alleged that the state government had refused to make public the report of the fact finding committee on the ownership of the school set up by former Gov. Peter Obi.

But the commissioner dismissed the allegation, saying that the school established by government during the colonial era had operated since then by the state government till date.

“The original name of the school began as Local Authority School under the colonial masters; it never belonged to any church.

“If they really lay claim of ownership, they should come forward with documents to prove that, but we do not want to engage in a press war with any organisation or individual in the state.

“This will not be in the interest of the people of the state to engage in any kind of press war,”

Adinuba explained that the Deputy Governor had granted an oral plea by Anglican Church to allow it conduct mid-week services in the school on Wednesdays.

The commissioner said the church had been conducting mid week service within the school premises but expressed surprise that it suddenly started erecting structures within the school compound without authorisation.

According to him, “what you know is not your own, why take it by blackmail,” the commissioner queried, saying that every property owned by churches were documented by the state government.

“The Anambra Government has, therefore, banned religious services from being conducted in publicly owned secondary schools across the state based on our experience.

“This is because if they are allowed to worship there, it may turn out to become their own without documentary evidence,” Adinuba said.

https://orientdailynews.com.ng/news/anambra-govt-bans-church-services/

Misleading headline

Nice one, the Classroom shouldnt be turned to a place of worship especially done by crooked pastors.
Reminds me of how Ipob miscreants turned schools to their rally ground.

Good policy. This is the kind of policies we need in Nigeria. Policies that are capable of changing the entire landscape structure. The state national assemblies should be more involved, though.

Just give them the school to manage. Period.

Excellent!
Especially if it goes across all religious secs!

I grew up in Anambra and during school holiday many fellowships use Public schools for camps. Humans sleeping in open dark mosquito-ridden, unsafe classrooms because they want to “meet with the Lord”.

oya, another yawa don burst

Heard that in Rwanda, before you own a church you must get a degree in theology.... You must go to school but in Naija, we just hear something like I was called

those using public schools for church services are fanatics.

pawesome:
Heard that in Rwanda, before you own a church you must get a degree in theology.... You must go to school but in Naija, we just hear something like I was called

Which theology degree did Paul have before entering christian ministry?.. Don't get me wrong pastors have to learn before entering ministerial assignment but how they learn it varies from ministeries to ministeries... Also the content of curriculum would also cause conflicts as many ministeries differ in their interpretation of scriptures.

This is the type of news lala likes. Just four comments it hit front page

funniest thing is, had it been the federal government or a northern governor that did this, these children of hate would been hitting their heads on the wall by now, screaming islamisation, clamp down on churches. But now, it seems alright to them. Hypocrites.

And Note: I am a Christian but I don't get carried away by religious, ethnic or political sentiments

I like this

Nigerians are some of the most religious people on the planet, but even more sinful and corrupt!!

Sister Ada can shout Fire! Fire! Fire!, Amen and then later YES! YES! Harder! in the same evening

Wetin concern me

build or rent your own church house

Good move !!

Gbam

Fraudsters repackaged, as no body gree come babalawo shrines again, they remodernize the business to extort the gullibles

No morals, anything to make money.

But most of those puplic schools were built by churches.

pawesome:
Heard that in Rwanda, before you own a church you must get a degree in theology.... You must go to school but in Naija, we just hear something like I was called

you can't learn the way of God at school. most of Christ apostles were not learned

if it were to be a Muslim state this policy was initiated the interpretation will be different and hatefully condemn

Calyb:
Wetin concern me

You just dey upload this pics everywhere
I no fit just laugh

Pls where is Anambra?

Hassan88:
Pls where is Anambra?

South-East, Nigeria.

evansjeff:
funniest thing is, had it been the federal government or a northern governor that did this, these children of hate would been hitting their heads on the wall by now, screaming islamisation, clamp down on churches. But now, it seems alright to them. Hypocrites.

And Note: I am a Christian but I don't get carried away by religious, ethnic or political sentiments

Actually, it is the other way round.

If they did it to the Muslim folks, unintelligent people like you would claim igbos who are majority Christians, are islamo phobic.
Thank God, it mostly affects Christians, so nobody is accusing igbos of bigotry.

You see what your bigoted, unintelligent eyes wants to see.