The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in Kwara State says hijab wearing in Christian mission grant-aided schools will not be permitted for female Muslim students, in spite of a recent directive from the Kwara State Government.
The state government had last week directed the management of the schools to permit female Muslim students to wear hijab.
The state government had shut 10 mission schools over a hijab crisis that hit the state recently, but later fixed reopening of the schools for Monday, March 8.
However, Kwara CAN queried why the state government was compelling the schools to permit hijab for the female students when the matter was still pending before the Supreme Court.
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Condemning the use of hijab in Christian missions grant-aided schools, the Christian body said it would cause discrimination in schools and allow terrorists to easily identify the children and wards.
Also, two missions – Evangelical Church Winning All and the Kwara Baptist Conference – vowed not to comply with the state government’s directive.
Chairman, ECWA Ilorin District Church Council, Rev John Owoeye told the media during a briefing in Ilorin that allowing hijab was contrary to ECWA schools’ mandate.
He stressed that when established Christian missionaries the schools, it was for the purpose of reaching communities with the love of Christ and to meet educational needs of the indigenes irrespective of religious affiliations, among other reasons.
According to him, there has been a working agreement between the state government and the church since 1974 that transformed the schools to grant-aided schools.
However, he said, the government appeared to be trying to take total control of the school.
Owoeye explained that the state government could not claim not to be aware that Christian Religious Knowledge teachers were not posted to Muslim grant-aided schools and that the gathering of Fellowship of Christian Students was not allowed in Muslim grant-aided schools.
The President of Kwara Baptist Conference, Rev Victor Dada disclosed in a separate press briefing that no hijab-wearing female student would be permitted in any of the 38 schools belonging to the church in the state,
“The state government was wrongly advised to take that decision. The state even acted in contempt of court as the case is still pending before the Supreme Court.
“We want to warn the government that the step it wants to take by approving the use of hijab for all public schools and grant-aided schools in the state will lead to an avalanche of reactions, the end of which no one can predict.
“With this move, the state government is saying the Muslims’ purported rights are superior to those of the Christians.
“What we are saying is that no one, whether the Kwara State Government or even the Federal Government, can force hijab on our children or in our schools. We shall not hesitate to use all legitimate means to protect our heritage. We will defend our faith and protect our property,” Dada said.
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