In a statement signed by Amir Abdul Jeleel Arikewuyo (Amir), Abdul Wakeel Akanni (General Secretary), and Saheed Raji (Public Relations Officer), the Osun State Chapter of Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) has stated that: “new female Muslim Students into an undertaking not to use hijab but beret cap on their school uniform with a promise to distribute school uniforms to them freely. In addition, the school management denied them their right to their religion practise by forcing the Muslim Students to take only Christian Religious studies (CRS) against their professed faith, in spite of many Muslim teachers in the school, Islamic Religion Studies (IRS) was a forbidden subject in the school.”
The following is the text of the statement “Before Can Burn Osun State Into Ashes – Mssn Osun State“:
“We are using this medium to call the attention of the governor of the Osun State, Alh. Gboyega Oyetola, the governor-elect of Osun State, Senator Nurudeen Ademola Adeleke, all members of national and state assembly, traditional rulers, political office holders, religious leaders and other stakeholders to a clandestine moves and motives of the Osun State Christian community under the auspices of CAN to plug-in the state into a state of chaos through their recently imposed conditions on our members, the female Muslim Students in secondary school across the State with a view to getting through the back door what they could not get legally.
“In what appears to be a planned Coup De tat, the management of the Baptist Girls Grammar school Osogbo through her Old students Association acting the script of the Christian Association of Nigeria Osun State, has started a tactical move of forcing new female Muslim Students into an undertaking not to use hijab but beret cap on their school uniform with a promise to distribute school uniforms to them freely. In addition, the school management denied them their right to their religion practise by forcing the Muslim Students to take only Christian Religious studies (CRS) against their professed faith, in spite of many Muslim teachers in the school, Islamic Religion Studies (IRS) was a forbidden subject in the school. This is an attempt we consider a back door approach to alienate the right of female Muslim Students to the use of Hijab and a forceful attempt to convert them to Christianity by forcing CRS on them against their faith.
“We have it in good authority that one of the top management members of the school said they detest seeing the Muslim Students in hijab and seeing them knowing much about their religion through taking of IRS as a subject. The said officer confessed that the plan cut across the state public schools and that there is a conspiracy on this within some cabinet members of the present government and some officers in the Ministry of Education, as well as some top echelon members of some government institutions.
“It would be recalled that the leadership of the Osun state Muslim Community in conjunction with the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) as a law abiding organisations sought for the right of our female Muslim Students to the use of hijab in all primary and secondary schools as part of their fundamental rights as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended through a court process that lasted for about 3 years.
“It needs to be noted that CAN sought to be joined as a party and was joined in the case thereby becoming part and parcel of the whole litigation as respondent.
“Since the Muslims won the case in court, the Christian body in conjunction with their members among the schools managements and administrators have devised different dubious approaches to frustrate Muslim Students using the hijab and taking of IRS as a subject in some schools, the recent being the one complained above.
“Perhaps, this is a new strategy in anticipation of new government when the current one is winding up.
“The MSSN wants to say that no matter any government in power, the use of hijab by female Muslim Students has been adjudged by the superior court of record including the supreme court of Nigeria to be an unalienable right of female Muslim Students, in the same vain, the right to be taught IRS in government schools is an inalienable right as long as CRS is been taken as a subject across the schools in the state, and any action in contravention of that will draw the wrath of Muslim Students in the state and across Nigeria.
“We therefore call on every stakeholders to warn the troublemakers who are bent on alienating the fundamental rights of Muslim Students. Particularly, we call on Osun State government to investigate this matter and punish those fanning the ember of discord by disobeying the judgement of court and the government administrative circular authorising the use of Hijab.”
Osun School Hijab Judgment
There have occasionally been disputes concerning the hijab in the classrooms. The investigation by Muslim Voice found that the controversy surrounding hijab use in the State of Osun began on June 3, 2016, when Justice Jide Falola of the State High Court approved its use in public primary and secondary schools. The Osun State Muslim Community sued the state government in 2013 over the establishment of a ban on wearing hijab to school. The state’s argument that the policy was necessary or constitutional is rejected by the High Court decision that invalidates the discriminatory policy.
In his 51-page judgement, Justice Jide Falola noted that the use of hijab by female Muslims is their fundamental human right to freedom of religion, conscience and thought and as such no female student must be molested or sent out of school for wearing it. The justice also declared that since all missionary schools had been taken over by government in 1975, all students have equal rights to practice their religions.
A circular allowing the wear of the hijab in government-owned schools has subsequently been put into effect as a result of the court decision, warning principals and their teachers against disobeying the order.
All female students should be permitted to wear the hijab as part of their school uniforms without facing any intimidation from the administration of government-owned schools.
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