Faith or Force? Adeleke University’s Church Policy Sparks Outrage and Debate
March 21, 2025 – Ede, Osun State, Nigeria – Another day, another religious controversy—but this time, it’s Adeleke University in the spotlight. The Seventh-day Adventist private institution, founded by billionaire Chief Adedeji Adeleke, is under fire for allegedly forcing Muslim students to attend church services, igniting a nationwide storm just as Ramadan unfolds.
The uproar began when the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), led by Professor Ishaq Akintola, accused the university of systematically erasing Islamic practices on campus. In a fiery statement released March 20, MURIC claimed that Ramadan tarawih prayers were disrupted earlier this week, Muslim students were warned against continuing them, and mandatory chapel attendance applied to all students, regardless of faith. The group pointed to the school’s handbook (pages 7, 49, 50, 56, and 60) as proof of policies that effectively criminalize Islamic worship. Akintola didn’t mince words: “The practice of any other faith except Christianity is banned. Muslim students must not be seen observing Salat. Hijab is a taboo.” He has called on the National Universities Commission (NUC) to intervene, arguing that students only discover these policies after paying their fees.
This isn’t Adeleke University’s first rodeo with religious controversy. Flashback to 2020, when Muslim law student Lawal Toheeb was suspended for skipping chapel—a case that set social media ablaze. Or rewind further to 2018, when Islamic blog SimplySalafiyyah.com labeled the campus a “living hell for Muslims.” Today, history repeats itself as Twitter (or rather, X) explodes with divided opinions: “Adeleke University forcing Muslims to church? Imagine the outrage if UNILAG made Christians attend Jumu’ah prayers,” one user fumed. Another fired back, “It’s a Christian university. Their rules, their doctrine. Don’t like it? Don’t enroll.”
Supporters argue that Adeleke University is transparent about its religious roots. The school’s website clearly states its affiliation with the Seventh-day Adventist Church, and chapel attendance has always been mandatory. “They even provide buses for Muslim students to the central mosque on Fridays,” an X user countered, dismissing MURIC’s claims as exaggerated. Intel Region reports confirm that the school’s merit/demerit system penalizes students for skipping services—sometimes leading to extra chores or suspensions.
But does institutional policy override constitutional rights? Nigeria’s secular framework guarantees freedom of religion, yet faith-based private universities like Adeleke operate in a grey area. Similar cases have surfaced at Ajayi Crowther University and Babcock University, where students must conform to strict Christian doctrines or risk expulsion. In Adeleke’s case, the stakes are even higher—many students are funded by the Springtime Development Foundation, a scholarship linked to Governor Ademola Adeleke (brother of the school’s founder). With fees already paid, how many feel trapped, forced to choose between faith and education?
As of 5:12 PM WAT today, Adeleke University has yet to respond officially, and the NUC remains silent. But the debate rages on. Is this religious oppression or simply the price of attending a Christian institution? For now, the battle lines are drawn, and Nigeria’s ever-tense religious fault lines are once again on full display.
