The Lagos State government has denied banning use of hijab in public schools, as the issue is still being looked into with a view to taking a broad-based stand on it.

In a reaction to a report by Punch newspaper which credited the Commissioner for Education, Olayinka Oladunjoye, with writing off the possibility of allowing hijab in public schools, the state government rejected the report as incorrect, sensational and out of context.

The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Lateef Ibirogba, said the government was still making wide consultations on the issue and will only come up with a position after exhausting all the avenues that will allow for a peaceful resolution of the matter.

To avoid a needless heightening of tension, the Commissioner advised the people of the state, particularly Muslim faithful, not to allow people with diabolic intentions to trivialise the issue of sustaining the peaceful co-existence of the diverse groups in the state.

He also urged media practitioners to avoid sensationalism and inflammatory statement in their reportage of government activities so as not to create unnecessary confusion and misrepresentation of government position.

According to him, what Mrs Olayinka explained at the briefing was that the government had held meetings with some key stakeholders and would still consult widely before taking a position, saying “it will therefore be premature and pre-emptive to say that government has rejected the use of hijab in public schools in Lagos”.

The Commissioner added that it was strange that the explanation of a public officer about on-going effort to resolve an issue could be misconstrued to mean that government had taken a negative position on such an issue.

He thanked Lagos residents for tolerating one another by living peacefully without playing up divisive interests and advised them to continue to be their brothers’ keepers.

http://www.channelstv.com/home/2013/05/20/weve-not-banned-use-of-hijab-in-public-schools-lagos-government/

If this new report is true, then the punch reporter needs to be questioned for lying against the Commissioner (Perhaps he/she has hidden agenda). If not, since there are still consultations on the matter, the Commissioner needs a query!

^What if the Lagos State Government is coming up with conflicting reactions?

^^^^In that case, God knows best

Which one are we to believe now. The last report said it's been banned, this one is saying otherwise. But one thing to consider is the fact that one needs to be careful with the use of words while being interviewed by most of these reporters. They are always eager to misinterpret you for their selfish gains.

Ok!

In any event,i do not see the LASG taking an anti-hijab stance because the pressure from Muslim groups will be too overwhelming to ignore. Although i would have preferred they did for the sake of an egalitarian society

Hijab should be ban in school becos i want to marry hausa girl.if they wear hijab i can't toast them i don't know why.

I think the most important thing is to work on the internal growth of our dilapidating studentry and not the external adornment

*DELETED*

So lagos state government is afraid of boko boys

Don't say anything and your oga at the top will say another thing. Woman Commissional, I hope you've learnt your lesson?

Looks more like LASG beating a retreat to me, than commissioner being misquoted.

LASG refused to fetch an ant-infested firewood cuz they don't want to welcome boko boys in the Government house Marina

I still keep my comment till then,now we are a very little comments via this post,but it was said to have been banned,lots of people commented abusing each other religion,so....religious fanactics....where are you now,i have said it ealier that,what has banning of hijab got to do with the achievement of our educational goals,does dressing has something crucial to contribute to the development of our curriculum programmes,lets don't be bias of others religion plz....i still keep my comment till then...

Jarus: Looks more like LASG beating a retreat to me, than commissioner being misquoted.

I realized that too after Mac's comment. But did LASG think Muslims will just take it like that?

Klinee: Hijab should be ban in school becos i want to marry hausa girl.if they wear hijab i can't toast them i don't know why.

Your post dosen't make any brain

mike404: So lagos state government is afraid of boko boys

exactly the point. The lagos state govt knows that the hijab wearing religion is a piss giver

[b]According to him, what Mrs Olayinka explained at the briefing was that the government had held meetings with some key stakeholders and would still consult widely before taking a position, saying “it will therefore be premature and pre-emptive to say that government has rejected the use of hijab in public schools in Lagos”.[/quote]while the consultation so important to her than follow strictly the rule of law and she claim to be a lawyer.

Watching closely

cold: In any event,i do not see the LASG taking an anti-hijab stance because the pressure from Muslim groups will be too overwhelming to ignore. Although i would have preferred they did for the sake of an egalitarian society

Nigeria is not a secular country. Even the national pledge ends with "so help me God". Adherents of every religion should therefore be accorded their rights in all its ramifications in lagos and elsewhere.

you are wrong,kline. hijab look sexy on women and even make ugly women look beautiful. as long as it match their school uniform colour. canada allow hijab in school. it does not mean every muslim children will wear it. most will not.

I will tell you. it makes it hard for them to get husband. i know most people wear it over here, if they cant find husband.. that way they look religion to men , so that they can marry them.

even the bible want women to cover their head.

The other picture is deeper life church.. they all wear that on their head 24 hours.. who is that in Doha Qatar

I believe it should be banned. Hijab is not part of the uniform. If christians too have to start tying scarfs to sch,will it make sense? There should be equal rights amongst all students. A beret is the best option if students feel the need to have their heads covered.

I believe it should be banned. Hijab is not part of the school uniform. If christians too decide to start using scarfs to school,will it make any sense? There should be equal rights amongst students. A beret is the best option should any student feel the need to have their heads covered.

That's a volt face. They banned it. Now the are speaking from both side of there mouth

wendieposh: I believe it should be banned. Hijab is not part of the uniform. If christians too have to start tying scarfs to sch,will it make sense? There should be equal rights amongst all students. A beret is the best option if students feel the need to have their heads covered.

u ar nt a reasnable human bn nd if u ar, u ar reasoning fac is faulty. Hw culd d cele nd co be proud workn round d street wtout bn criticisd, hw culd d jehova wtnss be intrudn to pples house wtout bn corectd nd hw culd d christians be wearn skimpy, jumpa, trousers of dif kind wtout bn curbed. Nd d muslims dt ar covern dr chastity ar denied of dr civic right nd u ar dr comentn rubish. Do u knw dt hijab is allowed in virtualy al westrn country even oxford uni alows hijab talkles of unstandardisd schs in dis country wel, i reserv my coment til wen they finish dr useles consultatn

It wasn't a logical decision in the first instance. Hijab is allowed in most advanced western countries. Teachers allow it and respect those who wear it. I live in UK and there is no hijab ban. Jewish kids wear their little caps to school if they like. Sikhs wear their turban to school, everyone allows it. A Sikh policeman wears his turban anyday anytime anywhere, even if he's inside a church to guard the Queen.
Only in my dear country, Nigeria, do we have such overzealous intolerance. A Muslim girl's hijab is not hindering anybody. Neither is a headscarf or BERET by Christian students. I went to a christian secondary school where berets were part of the uniform. Only those in JSS1 complied, the rest started wearing bandana, and all sorts of scarfs. I think Nigerian governments should let hijab be. It harms no one except the religious fanatics and ethnocentric wannabes.

does using hijab or not affect the brains of the students?

wendieposh: I believe it should be banned. Hijab is not part of the school uniform. If christians too decide to start using scarfs to school,will it make any sense? There should be equal rights amongst students. A beret is the best option should any student feel the need to have their heads covered.

I know your problem, it has a name: HATRED!

And to live with the reality that you went to school to gain education makes me sick. The prospects of you becoming the leader of an organisation in the future, be it public or private, makes me sick the more, because you may never lead well but with hatred against other religious beliefs, particularly Muslims.