For better education on the issue, read the article below

_Hijāb_* *Controversy* *In* *Ten* *Schools* *In* *Ilorin*

On the 19th February 2021, the Kwara State government ordered the closure of ten schools formerly owned by some Christian bodies. The schools were taken over by the government in 1974. The government, however, allowed them to continue to bear their Christian names, while the government has been responsible for the running cost and maintenance of the schools. The ten public schools were ordered closed by the government to prevent the breakdown of law and order following the refusal of the former owners of the schools to allow Muslim teachers and students of the schools use _hijāb_ within the premises of the schools.

It will be recalled that there had been _hijāb_ controversy in Kwara State since 2012, following the attempt of the former owners of the schools to have full control over the schools that had been taken over by the State government. They demanded that the schools should be returned to them. Consequently the government was sued by the Christian bodies at an Ilorin high court but the Kwara Muslim Community applied to be joined in the suit on behalf of the Muslim students who are not allowed to use _hijāb_ in the schools. The State government won the case on the 17th of May 2016. The judgment was appealed and the Christians lost again in September 2019. It is remarkable to note that the Appeal Court ruled that the appellants lacked the right to make Christianity the only standard in the schools. It also said that "the refusal of the schools to allow the use of _hijāb_ is discriminatory as it is a practice in tune with the Constitution. "
The Court of Appeal judgment of September 2019 has not been challenged by the Christians at the Supreme Court. Consequently Muslim students and staff went to their schools with _hijāb_ but they were sent out by the schools' principals and the heads of the Christian bodies which owned the schools before they were taken over by the government in 1974.

One expects these Christian bodies who were dissatisfied with the judgement of the Court of Appeal to proceed to the Supreme Court. Instead they took law into their hands, which is a flagrant disobedience to the judgement of the Court of Appeal. The leaders of the Christian bodies and the principals of the schools should be tried for contempt of court.

Interestingly, Britain that brought Christianity into Nigeria has allowed wearing of the _hijāb_ in her schools since 1980s. The Nigerian Christian bodies want to be more Catholic than the Pope. Toby Howarth, the Bishop of Bradford, in the Diocese of Leeds, of the Church of England supports the wearing of the _hijāb_ by primary school girls. He says:
"This is a matter of religious identity, not sexualization, and the British policy should be not to make a big deal of it, but simply say that you have to wear the right colour that goes with the school uniform" ( _The_ _Sunday_ _Times_ , 03 September 2017)
A _Sunday_ _Times_ survey also reveals that thousands of state primary schools allow girls to wear the _hijāb_ as part of approved school uniform in UK. Incidentally the country has allowed a Muslim woman, in person of Raffia Arshad, who wears _hijāb_ to become a judge.

Ilorin is generally known as a Muslim town. It has been an Emirate since 1823. Muslims are officially in majority. Sharia Court system operates in Kwara State adjudicating over Muslim matters. No non - Muslim has been forced to appear in the court. Christians established schools to convert Muslim students to their religion. They deny Muslims the practice of Islam in an Islamic town with an Emir and great scholars of Islam. The government in its wisdom took over the schools to protect the interest of all, while it has been financing the running of the schools with taxpayers' money, majority of who are Muslims, and yet the Christians continue to oppress the Muslims by not allowing the Muslims to practise their religion. Do the Christians expect the Muslims to fold their hands and watch their children converted to Christianity before their eyes? That is not possible. Christians attend Muslim schools in the state. They are not forced to wear _hijāb_ in the Muslim schools.

Ironically the Bible enjoins Christian females to cover their head (1 Timothy 2:9-10 & 1 Corinthians 11: 4-7). Catholic Rev. Sisters and Mothers obey the biblical injunction. Mary, the mother of Jesus wore _hijāb_ . The artistic impression of Mary as displayed by Christians confirms that. If some Christians now jettison biblical teaching and celebrate nudity, immorality, indecent mode of dressing, Muslims will never do that. They obey the . teachings of the Qur'an on the female mode of dressing (Q33:59 & 24:31). Muslims must note that the Christians want to make Muslims emulate their disobedience to God. Muslims have been warned by Allah against the antics of the Christians (Q2:120). Let's be on our guard and stand firmly by the ethos of Islamic mode of dressing.

Kwara State government should solve this lingering problem once and for all. The government should exercise full control over all the schools that it has taken over. They are public schools. They should be seen as such. No religious body should have any control over the schools. The schools should cease to bear the names that reflect any religious body. They no longer belong to any religious body. That was done in other northern states in 1974.

Principals and Vice Principals should no longer be appointed by the former owners of the schools. Loyalty and allegiance of the Principals and the Vice Principals will always belong to whoever appoints them because whoever pays the piper dictates the tune. The government should appoint them as they appoint other teachers to demonstrate that it is the owner of the schools, and that the schools are not jointly owned by the government and anyone, or partially owned with anyone else.

Every Nigerian has been guaranteed religious freedom by Section 38(1) of the Constitution. Everyone must therefore be allowed to enjoy that freedom wherever he or she may be in Nigeria.



Prof Yasir Anjola Quadri
14th Rajab, 1442 / 26th February 2021

Really...??

Simplyleo:
Bery simple things but we always make them complex. I don't know why we always try making mountains out of mole hills.

For private schools established with missionaries' doctrines, the dress codes are usually clearly specified in documents accompanying admission offers. Same applies to schools established with Muslim doctrines.

For public schools, dress code are also specified in the documents and in a area with mixed religions, colours of hijabs are also specified for uniformity. This is very common in the North.

But I still don't understand how this should now be reason for muscle flexing again.

THANK GOD SAY YOU NOR CLAIM YORUBA TODAY. NA GOD GO DEY EXPOSE Y’ALL TAQIYYA GANG ON NAIRALAND

yemmight:
They just keep initiate troubles across the country. You can imagine you are imposing Hijab on Christian missionary schools. Do they think at all?

Christian missionary schools and there salary was paid by the state government....
as far as the government paying there salaries it's own by the government and government has totally control

Fahdiga:
Why is it always hard for this terrorist head slammers to understand a simple fact. the said schools have Christian heritage and they have made their law clear for all. if you are not comfortable with it you go to Islamic schools where suicide bombing are taught. is that hard to understand

But Islamic schools no get quality na

Na Christian missionaries found western education to start with, so they must die untop christian schools

Kwara State government should return the schools

ZendayaColeman:
Imagine the world without Islam

Very peaceful.

Massdamm:


Christian missionary schools and there salary was paid by the state government....
as far as the government paying there salaries it's own by the government and government has totally control

Maybe you can go and tell them this in the north that the islamiya schools should also accommodate Christian students since it is government that funds it

Flackoo:
Injustice is what you get when you use an Abdulrasaq to officiate a match between David and Bello.

Honestly both religion leaders should be concerned on how Sheik Gumi will not soon pay their schools a visit instead of fighting over hijab. Or isn't Ilorin closer to Niger same way Niger is close to Zamfara?

oga,,,nothing like injustice here...hijab is mandatory for every Muslim child in public........make d xtans dress their own way too now

.

Simplyleo:
Bery simple things but we always make them complex. I don't know why we always try making mountains out of mole hills.

For private schools established with missionaries' doctrines, the dress codes are usually clearly specified in documents accompanying admission offers. Same applies to schools established with Muslim doctrines.

For public schools, dress code are also specified in the documents and in a area with mixed religions, colours of hijabs are also specified for uniformity. This is very common in the North.

But I still don't understand how this should now be reason for muscle flexing again.

the missionary school should operate outside kwara state o..if it will not follow kwara law,,they are free to vacate.....do Yu think na everybody support gay for America? some abhor am gan ni,,but government law protect then so every one must live with it...kwara law say mk every one use hijab, if missionary school no want make they pack go xtans state rivers

lilvicky68:
Seriously hijab shouldn't be allowed in Christian schools..if you wan wear hijab you go Islamic school..the governor is making a mistake..

we will rather ban Christian school in Islamic state and send them back to Christian state rivers

Esin islamu, Esin imole, Esin Fulani.

Warripikine:
I thought, Nigeria is a secular state..?

God bless u for this question sir.....

malakaimoscondo:
oga,,,nothing like injustice here...hijab is mandatory for every Muslim child in public........make d xtans dress their own way too now

But christians can't go to Muslim schools without hijab


why your hypocrisy dey smell


I forgot you are allah slave

Fahdiga:
if you are not comfortable with it you go to Islamic schools where suicide bombing are taught. is that hard to understand

Oboyyeh!

Fahdiga:
Why is it always hard for this terrorist head slammers to understand a simple fact. the said schools have Christian heritage and they have made their law clear for all. if you are not comfortable with it you go to Islamic schools where suicide bombing are taught. is that hard to understand

so because u have Christian heritage in Saudi Arabia u will impose ur Christian laws @bi?than for us in kwara to allow the so call anti hijab and can't Islam law to stand,we will rather send them packing to Christian state of rivers

Gov't should be happy to return all these schools to their respective owners. that C&s college sabo oke is a Christian School but Muslims have taken over one part of the Christian compound as their praying ground, just beside their coppers quarters... It's wrong nah..

ZendayaColeman:
Imagine the world without Islam

I will commit suicide asap....the day Islam cease to exist

The funny thing here is that if the christians including the entire management leave that school for Muslims to take over

it is the same Muslims that would be running to where these Christian's relocated to


Islamabad is a disease, they don't teach education apart from Islamic Terrorism and hard hit

They have been needing christians as people of the book since Mohamed time

GOVERNMENT2:
THANK GOD SAY YOU NOR CLAIM YORUBA TODAY. NA GOD GO DEY EXPOSE Y’ALL TAQIYYA GANG ON NAIRALAND

Okay, now that I did not "claim Yoruba" which automatically makes me a fulani, then "THANK GOD".

But now that I have been "exposed as Hausa or Fullani", I hope your biafra can now come online.

Or at least Buhari can now vacate Aso Rock for Athifku.

Very funny pipu.

OfficialGaGa:
My question is would schools in the North (mostly muslim dominated) allow christian students to do fellowship (SU) n sing christian songs on the assembly ground.... n do other christian stuff openly.... Hypocrites

One religion just fucck the whole wide world... from Africa to America to Europe.... even Asia sef reject dem

Prophet GaGa
Abeg nor quote the prophet oh....

they are doing freely oga ade

Some of Gowon's policies during his regime re killing us 2day.

malakaimoscondo:
I will commit suicide asap....the day Islam cease to exist

You are not strange to blowing yourselves up

Why is it hard to allow MUSLIM STUDENTS who wish to use hijab (Because some won't even use) in GOVERNMENT SCHOOLS irrespective of the school's exegesis?
In a public school like Nawarudeen, WERE CHRISTIAN STUDENTS FORCED TO USE HIJAB?

Why this Hypocrisy for the sake of God!

Massdamm:


Christian missionary schools and there salary was paid by the state government....
as far as the government paying there salaries it's own by the government and government has totally control

The peaceful co=existence is being threatened by some selfish elements. Do you guys think about this?

ZendayaColeman:
Imagine the world without Islam

98% problems will b solved