The Governor of the State of Osun, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola yesterday said that his government neither approved nor disapproved the use of hijab in any school.
Pupils of Baptist High School, Iwo on the assembly ground… on Tuesday.
The governor while making his remarks at the peace meeting between the Muslim Community and Christian Community at the Baptist High School in Iwo and the distribution and assessment of the performance of Opon Imo, noted that it was the court’s position that the status quo ante be maintained until the case was determined.
Aregbesola on rule of law
Aregbesola stressed that his government being a product of rule of law was guided in all its actions in strict adherence to the principles of the rule of law in the state.
According to the governor, “we are a product of the rule of law and this has guided all our actions. As we have said in the past, we have not approved the use of hijab in any school. Let me repeat this again for the hearing of mischief-makers who have been working tirelessly to bring religious war to our state.
“Those prompting chaos and conflagration in our state; those who have well established antecedent of violent behaviour; those sowing the seed of discord in our schools and community and inciting one religion against another, as we have said in the past, government did not at any time approve the use of hijab in any school, before the matter went to court. It is the court’s position that the status quo ante be maintained until the case is determined.”
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He pointed out that government had set up a committee on discipline in public schools and when the report is released, government would enforce discipline in all schools.
His words: “Yoruba people have a tradition of accommodation and inclusion; that is why our families are interwoven around all religions.
“Some people, goaded from hell, however, are working to break our bond of unity by beating the drum of religious war. They will fail and only they and their families will dance to that evil beat.”
Deputy governor sues for peace
The deputy governor, Iyaafin Grace Titilayo-Tomori who doubles as the Commissioner for Education speaking earlier held that peace is a necessary catalyst of learning.
She said: “Peace must be a permanent feature not only in our schools but every facets of the state. So, where there is pocket of disturbances, government will respond swiftly in restoring peace and order. This is what has been demonstrated at the peace meeting held at Baptist High school premises.”
Earlier, representatives of the three religions, Christianity, Islam and traditionalists, lamented that things that were ordinarily unconnected with learning and knowledge had now been constituting impediments to students’ progress in their studies.
They stated that none of them supported the unconventional ways students had been dressing to school.
Two students of the school, Aremu Olukayode and Bashir Mutiyat who spoke on behalf of the students, thanked the government for the various educational projects such as Opon Imo, new schools and furniture and recruitment of new teachers.
Old students disapprove Hijab use
Meantime, the Old Students Association of Baptist High School, Iwo, has kicked against the use of hijab by female Muslim students of the school.
President of the association, Professor Oyesoji Aremu who spoke with newsmen in Iwo, yesterday after an emergency meeting said the use of hijab by female students of the school would destroy the good legacies of the school.
He noted that the school, which was founded by the missionaries, has great legacies which could be tampered with if female students were allowed to use hijab.
