By Abiola Olawale
The controversy over the use of hijab in mission schools in Kwara State worsens as the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) have again stuck to their initial positions despite the looming religious war that many had cautioned against in the North Central state.
Both religious bodies have reacted to the latest violent clashes recorded in the state over the hijab policy in some schools as directed by the Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq-led administration in the state.
Violence had erupted in Ilorin on Wednesday, following the reopening of the schools which were initially shut by the state government over hijab policy.
The affected school authorities had denied the students and teachers in hijab entry into the school, which in turn generated into a serious clash as members of both religious groups attacked each other.
Reacting, the CAN called on the Federal Government and Muhammed Adamu, Inspector General of Police (IGP), to intervene in the ongoing crisis rocking Kwara State.
CAN, in a statement issued by its General Secretary, Barrister Joseph Daramola, said that the Kwara Governor, AbdulRazaq failed to address the hijab crisis before ordering the reopening of the affected schools.
CAN also insisted that hijab will not be allowed in its mission public schools, adding that any student that wants to wear hijab should attend the schools belonging to Islamic organizations.
The statement reads, “Some innocent Christians are being violently abused and attacked under the watch of the Governor who is playing ostrich. The Governor of Kwara State, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, should be held responsible if the matter degenerates because it was his pronouncement on the issue of hijab-wearing in violation of the court directive on the matter to maintain status quo until the matter is finally resolved by the court that led to this trouble.
“Wisdom is required by those in leadership to handle sensitive issues such as that of religion so as not to precipitate war. If any damage is done to any church or anyone is injured on this matter, the Governor of Kwara State will be held responsible. It is disheartening and unfortunate that a government that was installed democratically will become insensitive to the plight and the yearning of the people as if the governor was voted into the office primarily to protect his own religion. This is unfair, ungodly and reprehensible. CAN once again calls on Governor AbdulRazaq to give peace a chance in the State by ordering his hoodlums to stop attacking mission schools and churches in Kwara State before the situation degenerates into an unprecedented religious crisis. We also call on the Federal Government and the Inspector General of Police to ask the Kwara State government to respect the rule of law in order to avoid a chaotic situation,” CAN stated.
Also, MURIC, in its reaction, accused the CAN of instigating crisis in Ilorin, Kwara State.
According to the MURIC, the use of hijab in public schools is backed by the Constitution of Nigeria, adding that CAN is not above the laws of the land.
This was contained in a statement released by Prof. Ishaq Akintola, Director of MURIC.
Akintola further called CAN to accept the verdict of Ilorin High Court and Court of Appeals which ruled in favour of hijab.
The statement reads, “We are perturbed that people who claim to be civilised are disrespecting the rule of law. CAN is to blame for all these. CAN was the one that called on its members to occupy that school. Fortunately, the ugly scene only played out in one out of ten schools. But it is a big shame that in the 21st century, Kwara CAN is turning its members against democratic norms, against the rule of law. Both the Ilorin High Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled in favour of hijab. It is, therefore, illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional for CAN to insist that its members should not obey the courts and that the schools should not allow female Muslim students to use the hijab or even enter the school premises. It is the height of lawlessness. We assert that CAN should be held responsible for whatever happens in those schools. We wonder why the Nigerian civil society is silent over this open rape on the rule of law. Is it because Muslims are at the receiving end? Is it because Christian leadership is the culprit? We reject selective justice. Those who are most vehement when democracy is in jeopardy must also speak up when any principle of democracy is under threat. Refusal to obey a court order is a flagrant confrontation of democracy and a threat to good governance, law and order and peaceful coexistence. Or is CAN above the law? It is unfortunate that CAN has failed to learn from history. Christian students’ latest order to wear strange garments like church choir and masquerade dresses to school will fail woefully, just as it did in Osun State. For how long can Christian students wear choir dresses to school. We will see who blinks first. We invite all right-thinking Nigerians to take a critical look at the game playing out in Kwara State. It is a well-known fact in modern society that any group that flouts court pronouncement is inviting chaos. This is precisely what CAN is doing in Kwara State. We, therefore, call on stakeholders to call CAN to order.”
It would be recalled that the use of hijab in some mission schools in Ilorin has been generating controversies from the two religious groups, over the years.
In February, the Kwara State Government had ordered the temporary closure of 10 secondary schools in Ilorin, in a bid to resolve the hijab crisis in the schools.
The schools are C&S College; ST. Anthony College; ECWA School; Surulere Baptist Secondary School; Bishop Smith Secondary School; CAC Secondary School; ST Barnabas Secondary School; St. John School; St. Williams Secondary School and St. James Secondary School.
The Christian leaders of the affected schools had insisted that students are not allowed to use hijab in the schools, a position that the muslim community in the state had vehemently resisted.
It would also be recalled that the military government, in the 1970s, took over the missions schools across the country.
Since then, the Christian leaders in Kwara State have been challenging the government on the ownership of the schools in the court. However, they lost both suit at the High Court, Ilorin and the Appellate court.
