•Leave govt out of this matter –Justice Ministry
From Clement Adeyi, Osogbo
There was tension in some public schools in different parts of Osun State including Osogbo, the state capital, yesterday, after some female Muslim students insisted on wearing their Hijab during school hours in a Christian school.
Conflicting reports trailed the action of the Principal of Christ African Middle School, Osogbo, simply introduced as Mrs Micha, who reportedly sent the female Muslim students out of the school. While one account said the female students were sent out of the school, another account said it was not true. Daily Sun gathered that when a Muslim female teacher pleaded with the principal to allow them stay with their hijab on, the principal refused.
Mrs Micha, however, told Daily Sun that she only ordered the female Muslim students to remove their hijab and denied sending them away from the school as speculated. She, however, insisted that Hijab would not be allowed in Christian schools.
It was also learnt that when some members of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) heard about the development, they mobilised with an intent to storm the school to stage a protest, but, the state’s Muslim community promptly persuaded them against it.
Last Friday, an Osun State High Court judge, Justice Jide Falola, delivered a judgement in favour of a case instituted by the Muslim community against the state government on the right of female Muslim students in public schools in the state to use hijab to school.
The state chapter of Christian Association Nigeria (CAN) faulted the judgement and vowed to appeal the case.
CAN also threatened to direct Christian students across the state to adorn Christian garments to schools to propagate their faith if the state government went ahead to implement the judgement.
Chairman of the State Universal Basic Education (SUBEB), Prince Felix Awofisayo, told newsmen that the state government would abide by the judgement of the court and noted that all public schools belonged to the state government and that the judgement would apply on all of them.
Regardless, Osun State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), yesterday, said Nigerians should hold Governor Rauf Aregbesola responsible if damage is done to the state’s education system through the brewing crises over wearing of hijab in public schools by female students.
Also, Abiola Adewemimo of the state’s Ministry of Justice, said in a statement issued to newsmen, yesterday, that CAN has the right to appeal the judgement and that the state government should not be dragged into the matter.