THE Adamawa State College of Nursing and Midwifery has suspended the admissions it started on Tuesday after some Muslims in the state protested against the payment of parts of the admission fees into a microfinance bank owned by a church.
The school had directed applicants to pay the sum of N500 professional fee meant for the state Nursing and Midwifery Council into an account opened in the Brethren Microfinance Bank in Yola, the state capital, where the school is also located.
All applicants must also pay N5,715 for the admission form. The payment for the admission form was to be paid in other banks.
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But some Muslims, led by one Shehu Ismail, protested the school management’s decision to use the bank owned by church to collect the Nursing and Midwifery Council fee.
The group claimed the payment would increase the bank’s financial strength.
Besides, they said the school’s decision to use the bank smacked off “a gradual Christianisation of the state structures”.
Part of a widely-shared write-up by the group reads: “Our findings revealed that the Brethren Microfinance Bank Ltd, with the office address at No 1, EYN headquarters, Kwarshi, Adamawa State, was incorporated in Yola, the state capital, with registration number 1423616. It was registered on 07 July 2017, and its current status is unknown.
“As the church’s establishment, through the bank, EYN will give the church some financial strength and grant the youth scholarships, capital, and the likes.
“This is unacceptable as the EYN will not accept any bank established by an Islamic organisation or the Mosque to be patronised by public institutions in a plural religious state like Adamawa.
“We are hereby calling on those who can reach out to the Adamawa state governor to let him address our misgivings. We suspect as gradual Christianisation of the state structures.”
The ICIR reporter contacted the school provost, Lami Aminu, over the development on Friday. She confirmed the group’s action and the suspension of the admission.
She said: “The issue is simple. There’s no crisis, except for those that didn’t really understand. On this (admission) committee, we have a board comprising people from both religions. They agreed that they would use that bank. That was exactly what happened.
“When students started paying, it was a professional fee. Is there any problem there? People interpret things the way they want. That is just what is happening. We have debunked it. I have suspended the admission.
“The professional fee is used to maintain the Nursing and Midwifery Committee at the state level. It’s not for the bank. How will it be for the bank?”
What the school wrote on its admission notice
The school issued the admission notice on August 16.
Applicants were to obtain the form via Remita with their automated teller machine (ATM) card or generate Remita Retrieval Reference (RRR) and pay at any bank after getting the admission form at a designated website.
As said above, the admission form cost N5,715, plus the N500 fee meant for the state Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Applicants were to upload the following with their form on the website where they pick the form: birth certificate, indigene letter, primary school leaving certificate, testimonial and other results.
They were also to print three copies of the form and submit them to the college with their e-receipt by August 31, when the admission was scheduled to close.
The school registrar, Ibrahim Abubakar, signed the admission notice.
The school offered admissions into Basic Nursing, Basic Midwifery, Community Nursing and Community Midwifery programmes.
Community programmes are for indigenes only, according to the school management.
After making the payments with the account numbers provided, applicants were to bring their payment tellers to the college.
The ICIR’s findings about the bank
Checks by this newspaper showed that there might be Muslims and Christians on the microfinance bank board going by the names of its directors.
As the protesting Muslims claimed, the bank was incorporated in Yola, with registration number 1423616.
It was also registered on July 7, 2017, and has been inactive on Nigeria’s Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC). Institutions with inactive status on the government’s website have failed to meet important obligations, which may not stop their operations for some period.
The ICIR also confirmed that the bank’s office address is at the headquarters of its owner – the church – in Kwarshi, Adamawa State.
However, this newspaper could not find any phone number to contact the bank.
Checks on its website and all popular social media handles yielded no result. The bank did not also respond to a message sent to it by the reporter on the crisis, hours before publishing this report.
Below are the directors and other stakeholders of the bank.
Owners/directors/key management personnel of Brethren Microfinance Bank in Yola
| Name | Designation |
|---|---|
| Sani Drambi Zira | Director |
| Paul Mele Gadzama | Director |
| Daniel Yusuf Mbaya | Director |
| Samuel Wiam Mangzhia | Director |
| Eugenia Lazarus Zoakah | Director |
| Rebecca Samuel Dali | Director |
| Samaila Sa’adu | Director |
| Ibrahim Adamu Shaffa | Secretary |
| Joel Stephen Billi Eyn Ekklesiyar Yan’uwa A Nigeria Rep By: | Shareholder |
| Paul Mele Gadzama | Shareholder |
| Rebecca Paul Gadzama | Shareholder |
| Whumata Yamte Taiwa | Shareholder |
| Musa Bukar Dibal Yan’uwa Multipurpose Cooperative Society Rep By: | Shareholder |
| Elijah John | Shareholder |
| Rebecca Samuel Dali | Shareholder |
| Bamigboye Ezekiel Ogunbiyi | Shareholder |
| Zira Maigadi | Shareholder |
| Samuel Dante Dali | Shareholder |
| Karaga Yakubu Madu | Shareholder |
| Amos Yidamu Thlaffa | Shareholder |
| Musa Adziba Mambila | Shareholder |
| Dauda Audu | Shareholder |
| Yusuf Bala S S Mairi | Shareholder |
| Ibrahim Gwamna Mshelizza | Shareholder |
| Yusuf Feaku | Shareholder |
| Ladi Kwaghe Jonah | Shareholder |
| Emmanuel Daniel | Shareholder |
| Falunye Warumba Paguie Vanduhe | Shareholder |
| Abraham Tukur Sukur | Shareholder |
| Ayuba Y. Balami | Shareholder |
| Bello Acidlau Gadzama | Shareholder |
| Danladi Patrick Kwabe | Shareholder |
| Akrahyel Auta Ndahi | Shareholder |
| Istifanus Muhammadu Mangga | Shareholder |
| Joseph Yabwa Kwaghe | Shareholder |
| Elijah Sini Bitrus | Shareholder |
| Gladys Lawan Madani | Shareholder |
| Ibrahim Chagwa Augustine | Shareholder |
| Vanduhe Yandu Apagu | Shareholder |
| Toma Hamidu Rangjiya | Shareholder |
| Vandi Uti Luka | Shareholder |
| Rufus Nggaddah | Shareholder |
| Saratu Apagu | Shareholder |
| Ibrahim Ndahi Auta | Shareholder |
| Sini Dai Kwabe | Shareholder |
| Sebastin Mamza Bitrus | Shareholder |
| Vanye Zira Vanduhe | Shareholder |
| Wussanye Kuvu Paguie Vanduhe | Shareholder |
| Yakubu Dzamhura Achara | Shareholder |
| Yaska Barde | Shareholder |
| Thomas Ariku Ogbajiakpa | Deponent |
| Timothy Musa Hammajam | Shareholder |
| Anna Haruna Bassi | Shareholder |
| Ayuba Bake | Shareholder |
Marcus bears the light, and he beams it everywhere. He's a good governance and decent society advocate. He's The ICIR Reporter of the Year 2022 and has been the organisation's News Editor since September 2023. Contact him via email @ mfatunmole@icirnigeria.org
CAN has been in the forefront in rejecting anything that has to do with Islam. Recently, in Jos, Plateau State government entered into an agreement with Ja’iz bank to rebuild the destroyed famous Jos Main Market. In the agreement, Ja’iz bank agreed to build the market with zero interest and zero commitment fee. But CAN hurriedly shouted “Islamization”. It started writing and protesting against it, abusing the Plateau State government of conniving to sale the state and it culture to Islam. The Governor of the state, Rt. Hon. Simon Lalong had to come out and tell his Christian brothers and CAN in particular to bring a Christian bank that could do what Ja’iz bank has accepted to do. He explained all the misunderstood clauses that Christians are using against the deal.
Why is it that when we go to the market we don’t care who we buy from as long as we will get what we need from the seller or buyer without minding the person’s religion, but whenever a government agency is involved in business with any instructions or organization that is connected with any religion it becomes a problem?
They have not gotten admission yet and already they are making this kind of trouble. All intending students who participated in that protest should not be admitted. Why bring religion into a Nursing school? Those are the ones who will refuse to treat a dying patient because he is not from their religion. I wonder how we got ourselves in this position as a nation.
Amadu
In my opinion this is completely useless and , paying at any bank doesn’t matter
Hmm Nigeria and religion stupidity are like 5&6 may God help us ooh
We should not give attention to these kind of persons because they are simply mischievous
In Kano state we paid Kano polytechnic fee via jaiz bank an islamic bank, nobody complaint
What about Jai Bank!
Animals
And some foolish people will ask christians to believe and vote for a Muslim-Muslim ticket when religious INTOLERANCE is growing daily. A student should be worried about getting knowledge. Will he and they protesting never buy are use anything made or owned by Christians.?
Pathetic
Its not fair to use church bank for the payment of fee, note the difference here ,most of Nigerian Bank own by Christian so I don’t see any issue using that ,But I don’t recommend any Muslim to use any bank own by Church.
And APC is saying they seeing nothing wrong with Muslim- Muslim ticket… ah our PVCs are waiting for you…@ Emmanuel Emmanuel your on point Sir
How did we get here. Banking again.
I really blame CAN all of us the Christians in this country, we don’t like to work towards the unit of our faith, all we know is money money money ,while bad things are happening around us.
Students are busy protesting the payment of part of their fees through one ‘brethren micro finance bank’ to the admiration of some Muslims while same Muslims are trying to sell the APC Muslim Muslim ticket to Christians as their own way of showing much love to Christians in Nigeria. What a country.
I really blame CAN all of us the Christians in this country, we don’t like to work towards the unit of our faith, all we know is money money money ,while bad things are happening around us.
This is how the Brains of those going to Study Nursing and Midwifery operate. They are going there to Study Islam and not Nursing and Midwifery. These kind of students will complicate your Medical Issues because their Brain is full of religious Books and believes instead of Medical Books and Science. The School management should have infacts suspended all of them and admit only those who does the Payment. Nonsense! Foolish People with a very blick Future! So they don’t want Christian Students to be given Scholarship? Management please mark the mentall of your future Students..😂 Very foolish Protest! I bank with Jaiz & TAJ Bank here in Yola. Nothing is wrong doing payment in any legal Bank as long as my Money is safe. Right on Brethren MF-Bank!
What has being a Christian or Muslim got to do with education? This is foolishness.. Does paying the fee in any bank reduce your faith?!!’ Those saying the names on the list are all non Muslim, the names on the lists of those ruling this country are they not Muslims?😡
What has being a Christian or Muslim got to do with education? This is foolishness.. Does paying the fee in any bank reduce your faith?!!’ Those saying the names on the list are all non Muslim, the names on the lists of those ruling this country are they not Muslims?😡
Some ignorant shouting about Jaiz, Jaiz is owned by Muslim not a mosque. Brethren Microfinance Bank is owned by a church and is at the headquarters of its owner, the Church, in Kwarshi, Adamawa State.
99 percent of banks in Nigeria are owned by Christians have you heard a complain from any Muslim at all. But this is different owned by a church and located in a church. Could you imagine?
Nigerians will never change cos we met religion here and we are leaving it here. our fanaticism cannot take the country anywhere.
Useless people
Nigeria and religion… And some Muslims friends will still say nothing wrong with Muslim – Muslim ticket
CAN ignited this problem, when Ja’iz bank was to be licenced they struggled hard to block it citing islamization as their concern today muslim faithfuls have followed suits. This is what religious bigotry can lead to. I blame CAN solely for that
Those students in that college u have done well I must recommend u for d job weldone jaiz bank its our bank we must use it and its an interest free
All this religion madness is what landed our country in the situation that we are now. Little thing always talking on religion. I see nothing wrong with that since Jiaz Bank is still banked by everyone
I’m Muslim and I can contribute to build a church, is against Islam.
..fine anyone can stop using jaiz bank because he/she has a choice to do that..but in this case, the school authority is making it compulsory on every applicant to pay to a particular bank!! that is not fair..
What a non sense so called protest against micro finance own by brethren in Nigeria, how many times Federal government have been directing some financial transactions or payment of levy of duties using Jaiz bank, did any Christian’s protest against it, before your so called protest against this micro finance bank next time u better mind your actions or we rain fire on your head useless protest out of ignorance
All the names on the board are non-Muslims
Since christians scream Islamization at the mention of Jaiz Bank, this is pretty cool. Tit for Tat!!!
Let school use any bank that is neutral to either religion or tribe
So since banking has become an issue of religion, Christians too should stop using Jaiz Bank because it is also a religious bank…….. When will Nigerians keep religion aside and unite together to fight for our rights in the hands of wicked politicians? May God Almighty Deliver Us All From Religious Stupidity