Christian Association of Nigeria Kwara State chapter has insisted that it would not allow its pupils to wear hijab regardless of the state government’s directive that Muslim female pupils in Christian mission schools should be allowed to wear hijab.
Kwara State government, last week, said it had approved wearing of hijab by Muslim female pupils in Christian mission grant-aided schools in the state.
It also said the 10 Christian mission schools closed down in the wake of the hijab crisis would be reopened on Monday, March 8.
But Kwara State CAN and its members are insisting that they would not agree to the use of hijab in schools established by Christian missions, saying that they were surprised that the government was trying to make a decision on a matter that was still before the Supreme Court.
Two missions, Evangelical Church Winning All and the Kwara Baptist Conference said they would not allow the wearing of hijab in their respective schools when the schools reopen on Monday.
The leadership of ECWA said it would not welcome the directive in all its schools in the state.
Rev John Owoeye, the Chairman, ECWA Ilorin District Church Council, who spoke at a briefing in Ilorin on Friday, said, “ECWA schools were established by Christian missionaries for purposes of reaching communities with the love of Christ and to meet the educational needs of the indigenes irrespective of religious affiliations, among other reasons.”
The ECWA church leaders, who demanded the return of ECWA schools to them, said since 1974 when there was agreement on collaboration between the state government and the proprietor for the school to be grant-aided schools, “the policy has never been a total takeover of our schools by the government.”
Owoeye however said Christians are bona fide citizens of the state, adding that they have “equal rights under the provisional Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
He argued that the government was 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.
“Similarly, we want the government to be informed that her decision and plan to provide hijab and enforce its use in our Christian mission grant-aided schools will not be tolerated as it is an infringement on our freedom of religion as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria,” he added.
Also, the President of Kwara Baptist Conference, Rev Victor Dada, in a separate briefing, said the mission would not allow the use of the hijab in its 38 schools across the state, saying that the government was wrongly advised in taking the decision.
“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 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,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muslim stakeholders in the state have urged the state government to stand by the rule of law in taking a final decision on the hijab issue.