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 105.9fm Radio, Ibadan. 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.
“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.”
