Muslim leaders had insisted that students should be allowed to use hijab but their Christian counterparts said such negates the heritage of the missionaries, who built the schools.
At least three people
sustained varying degrees of injury during a clash between Muslims and
Christians on Wednesday in Ilorin, Kwara state after the state government
reopened 10 schools shut last month over the use of hijab by Muslim female
students.
The government had in
February ordered the temporary closure of the schools pending the resolution of
the controversy in the schools.
The schools are
C&S College, ST. Anthony College, ECWA School, Surulere Baptist Secondary
School, Bishop Smith Secondary School, CAC Secondary School, St. Barnabas
Secondary School, St. John School, St. Williams Secondary School and St. James
Secondary School.
Muslim leaders had
insisted that students should be allowed to use hijab but their Christian
counterparts said such negates the heritage of the missionaries, who built the
schools.
However, after several
peace meetings, the state government approved the use of hijab in all public
schools in the state.
But the decision did
not go down well with the Christian leaders who kicked against it openly,
insisting that they will not allow such in their mission schools.
They also urged
Christians “to occupy the schools” when they reopen today in protest of the
government’s resolution.
The affected schools
were established by Christian missionaries but now funded by the state
government after a forceful takeover of all mission schools in the country in
1975 by the Nigerian government.
Christians and Muslims
not pleased with the situation however went into a clash at one of the affected
schools, Baptist Secondary School on Wednesday as they pelted themselves with
stones and plastic chairs with security operatives struggling to control the
situation.
SaharaReporters
gathered that students and teachers who resumed in line with the government’s
directive were denied access into the school premises.
The school reopening
was on Tuesday night announced by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of
Education and Human Capital Development, Kemi Adeosun.
Adeosun had said, “The
government is convinced that its policy to allow willing Muslim schoolgirls to
wear their hijab (face covering) in public schools will lead to sustainable
peace and communal harmony anchored on mutual respect and understanding.
“This path to mutual
respect, understanding, and peace with regards to hijaalb had long been adopted
in all of the northern Nigeria and many states in the Southwest such as Lagos,
Osun, Ekiti, and Oyo states.
“As the students
resume normal classes, the government took special notice of the plight of
those of them preparing for the West African Senior School Certificate
Examination and hereby directs affected schools to hold at least two-hour extra
lesson for all the intending candidates after school hours daily.”
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