Christian NGO cautions Kwara govt on hijab controversy
A Christian non-governmental organisation, Advocate for Right Leadership Association (ARLA), has advised Kwara State government to be cautious in its handling of the controversy surrounding use of hijab in some schools in the state.
In an open letter to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq on the development, the organisation appealed to the state government to settle the matter once and for all to allow peace reign.
The letter, signed by the national president of the organisation, Mr Kolade Okeowo; the group’s vice president North Central, Comrade Kunle Rotimi; the state chapter chairman, Elder John Bamidele and the national spokesman, Mr ‘Peju Akinyemi, stated that the crisis is capable of threatening the long-reigning peace among Christians and Muslims in the state if not properly handled.
It is recalled that the state government reportedly shut 10 Christian mission schools on Friday, February 12, to avert any breakdown of law and order over the refusal of some government grant-aided schools to allow female Muslim students to wear hijab in their schools.
Kwara State Muslim stakeholders had earlier called on the state government to prevail on former owners of public schools to allow female Muslim students to wear hijab, saying that since the state government had taken over such schools, the former missionary owners no longer have control over the grant-aided schools in the state.
«It is important to stress that this decision has already disrupted the academic programme of the affected Christian schools and students that are still struggling with their academics, due to the effects of COIVD-19 pandemic.
«Our position is that, any Muslim student that cannot go to Muslim schools or government-established schools but prefers the Christian Mission schools should be ready to abide by the rules and regulations of such schools. In the same vein, any Christian student that prefers an Islamic School should be ready to abide by their religious rules,” the letter stated.