The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) says the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has not learnt from history.

In its reaction to the crisis rocking Kwara State over the use of hijab in some secondary schools, Ishaq Akintola, director of the Nigerian Islamic human rights group, accused CAN of instigating crisis.

Violence erupted at the Baptist Secondary School, Surulere, Ilorin, Kwara capital, on Wednesday, over the refusal of the school authorities to allow female Muslim students to use hijab.

Parents of the students engaged the school authorities in a hot argument which resulted into a stone-throwing contest between Christians and Muslims.

In his statement, Akintola wondered why the Christian leaders have refused to comply with the directive of the court on the issue.

“We are perturbed that people who claim to be civilised are disrespecting the rule of law. CAN is to blame for all these. CAN was the one that called on its members to occupy that school. Fortunately the ugly scene only played out in one out of ten schools. But it is a big shame that in 21st century Kwara, CAN is turning its members against democratic norms, against the rule of law.

“Both the Ilorin High Court and the Court of Appeal have ruled in favour of hijab. It is therefore illegal, illegitimate, unlawful and unconstitutional for CAN to insist that its members should not obey the courts and that the schools should not allow female Muslim students to use the hijab or even enter the school premises. It is the height of lawlessness.

“We assert that CAN should be held responsible for whatever happens in those schools. We wonder why the Nigerian civil society is silent over this open rape on the rule of law. Is it because Muslims are at the receiving end? Is it because the Christian leadership is the culprit? We reject selective justice. Those who are most vehement when democracy is in jeopardy must also speak up when any principle of democracy is under threat. Refusal to obey court order is a flagrant confrontation of democracy and a threat to good governance, law and order and peaceful coexistence. Or is CAN above the law?

“It is unfortunate that CAN has failed to learn from history. The latest order given to Christian students to wear strange garments like church choir and masquerade dresses to school will fail woefully just as it did in Osun State. For how long can Christian students wear choir dresses to school. We will see who blinks first.

“We invite all right-thinking Nigerians to take a critical look at the game playing out in Kwara State. It is a well-known fact in modern society that any group that flouts court pronouncement is inviting chaos. This is exactly what CAN is doing in Kwara State. We therefore call on stakeholders to call CAN to order.

“MURIC warns the Kwara State Government (KWSG) against compromising its authority over this issue. Any attempt by KWSG to spoon-feed CAN or to sweep the right of the Muslim girl-child to wear hijab under the carpet will be resisted by the Muslim community. The law is on our side. On hijab we stand,” he said.

delpee:
We had no female students wearing hijab in Federal Colleges even in the North all through the 70s to the 90s to the best of my knowledge. ALL female students of both public and mission schools wore berets or hats. When did hijab suddenly become mandatory in Islam? It's not one of the 5 pillars of Islam nor is it in the Holy Koran which states modest dressing ....same as in the Holy Bible.

I just pray that they don't succeed in dividing our youth and/or initiating them in to extremism. BH and ISWAP are still with us as a major issue. Let's beware of creating more battke fronts.

delpee:
We had no female students wearing hijab in Federal Colleges even in the North all through the 70s to the 90s to the best of my knowledge. ALL female students of both public and mission schools wore berets or hats. When did hijab suddenly become mandatory in Islam? It's not one of the 5 pillars of Islam nor is it in the Holy Koran which states modest dressing ....same as in the Holy Bible.

A uniform is a leveller and promotes unity.

I just pray that they don't succeed in dividing our youth and/or initiating them in to extremism. BH and ISWAP are still with us as a major issue. Let's beware of creating more battle fronts.

thebosstrevor1:
Christians arent tolerant at all.

They want to impose their ways on all.

Government schools are for all, any religion can practice what they want.

Now if it was a catholic school where the hijab was forced, then i would have said it was wrong but this is a government school where both muslims and Christians are tax payers.

The government is making the hijab optional for muslims not Christians.

thebosstrevor1:
Christians arent tolerant at all.They want to impose their ways on all.Government schools are for all, any religion can practice what they want.

Now if it was a catholic school where the hijab was forced, then i would have said it was wrong but this is a government school where both muslims and Christians are tax payers.The government is making the hijab optional for muslims not Christians.

thebosstrevor1:
Christians arent tolerant at all.

They want to impose their ways on all.

Government schools are for all, any religion can practice what they want.

Now if it was a catholic school where the hijab was forced, then i would have said it was wrong but this is a government school where both muslims and Christians are tax payers.

The government is making the hijab optional for muslims not Christians.

iwaeda:
You are ignorant sir. These Schools have their Uniforms from time immemorial. Why is it that you Muslims always want to Lord over everybody?

CaptainAyub:
Taqqiya Muslim, when did St Barnabas turn to a govt school?SAINT BARNABAS OOO.Govt school with a church in the middle of the compound? How come hijab was never worn in the schools and it was never an issue b4 2019 when this Islamist governor came to power?

You know the schools in question were built and owned by the churches but of course a muslim is permitted to tell white lives based on the principle of taqqiya

Monogamy:
Religion is a scam.Imagine the two religion fighting on irrelevant things.How would this provide job opportunity for Kwara people?

Racoon:
Read "WHo IS THIS ALLAH" By G.O.Mosheh and learn more.Islam spreads by deception or force of coercion.

Racoon:
Religion have been a way of life with man from antiquity.It is fanatics especially the headslammer people from our side of the world that always want to make a mountain out of a mole hole on the issue.

iwaeda:


You are ignorant sir. These Schools have their Uniforms from time immemorial. Why is it that you Muslims always want to Lord over everybody?

Monogamy:
You see why I said religion is a scam.Is the said school not a govt school?

iwaeda:
Despite claiming Kwara being a Muslim state, Christians have MORE Educational Institutions. Most of the Elites in Ilorin went to Bishop Smith, St Anthony, C&S Schools. Yet they come to victimise the owners of schools.

Racoon:
Even if it is a government school, is that
a reason why the people of the Islamic faith will always want to torment trouble when there is none? I went to a catholic school.Though muslims in the school used to stay with us in the assembly ground during prayers and with the school having a chapel, none has ever been forced to pray or behave in the christain way.So why are they always in the offensive.

thebosstrevor1:


The Christians stop muslims student from entering the school because they had an hijab on.

Who then is intolerant

iwaeda:


School uniform is uniform. So Christian girls should use scaff rather than beret. Ema beru Olorun enyin eniyan yi. Ema je ki Olorun lalafi yin.