A fresh controversy has erupted between Christian and Islamic groups over the federal government’s recognition of the National Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies (NBAIS) certificate as equivalent to other national examinations such as WAEC, NECO, and NBTE.
The National Prayer Altar (TNPA), a coalition of Christian organisations, last week called on the government to reverse the policy, arguing that equating the Senior Arabic and Islamic Secondary School Certificate Examination (SAISSCE) with national qualifications threatens Nigeria’s secular character.
TNPA stated that such an equation “distorts Nigeria’s secularity,” and warned it could amount to “an underhand attempt at Islamising the educational system.” The group expressed concern that the NBAIS certificate might become a backdoor to grant access to national opportunities under a religious guise, which it said contradicts the spirit of the Nigerian constitution.
In a strongly worded reaction, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) accused TNPA of promoting “anti-Arabic and anti-Muslim paranoia,” urging Christians to abandon what it described as a “colonial mentality.”
MURIC stated:
“The attempt to subjugate Arabic and Islamic education to an inconsequential level is a true reflection of [TNPA’s] colonial mentality.”
The Islamic human rights group went further to argue that Nigeria is not a secular state but a multi-religious one, and that the NBAIS certificate has a long-standing history of legitimacy.
“The selfish agenda of the Christian colonialists of giving everything to Christians and nothing to the Muslims has been exposed… NBAIS has come a long way… due process has been followed and all righteousness fulfilled,” said MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.
TNPA had earlier cited fears that the equivalence would undermine neutrality in educational access. MURIC, however, dismissed this, asserting that:
“The ratification of NBAIS by the Federal Government remains valid, lawful, legal, legitimate, and constitutional.”
While TNPA appealed to the government to maintain neutrality and uphold “secular standards,” MURIC countered that no part of the Nigerian constitution declares Nigeria a secular state, challenging TNPA to “show Nigerians the chapter and section” that mentions secularity.
At the heart of the dispute lies a larger national conversation about religious balance in education and access to opportunities in a multi-faith Nigeria. Whether the government’s recognition of the NBAIS certificate will stand unchallenged remains to be seen.
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