Hijab controversy turns bloody in Ilorin
By Saka Laaro, Ilorin.
Controversy over the use of Hijab turned bloody yesterday in Ilorin as violence marred the reopening of 10 schools, originally owned by Christians and Missions, shut by the Kwara state government over the use of Hijab as Christians and Muslims in Ilorin engaged themselves.
The government of Addulrahman AbdulRazaq had ordered the reopening of the affected schools on Wednesday to enable the students prepare for the upcoming external examinations, without resolving the Hijab issue.
There are fears that if the unfolding development is not urgently and carefully handled it could snowball into religious violence in a state known for peace and religious harmony.
At the Baptist Secondary School, Surulere, the situation was serious as security operatives had to disperse the Muslim and Christian leaders who threw stones at each other over the development.
Already, security agencies including police, civil defence corps, soldiers had been deployed to the affected schools to prevent a total break down of law and order.
As early as 7.30a.m, students of the affected schools that trooped out to comply with the state government to resume normal classes were turned back at their various schools.
The students who were eager to resume could not gain entrance as Christian leaders and their members were already at the main gates of the affected schools and asked the students to go back to their various homes.
The Christian leaders who were armed with various inscriptions like “O To Ge” gives us our schools back, “No to Hijab in Kwara,” “Kwara is not an Islamic state, Kwara is for all,” “Our schools is our heritage, we oppose the Hijab in our schools,” among others
Also, some Muslims groups who laid siege to the main gates of the affected schools chanted: “Laillah Illaha Lahu, Laillaha Illah lahu.”
All efforts made by these Muslims group to allow the students to enter the affected schools were rebuffed by the Christians who were also at the main gates of the affected schools.
The development however snowballed into serious crisis as they were attacking each other with stones.
It was at this point that security operatives were deployed to the affected schools so as to avoid unforeseen situation in Ilorin.
When our Correspondent who visited the school yesterday, spoke with the president Baptist Convention, Reverend V . S. A. Dada said, “We are out to represent Kwara Baptist Convention in Kwara and Some part of Nigeria state. We are out to express our feeling our feeling on some of the policies of Kwara state government.
“The issue is simple that our schools under the school under the present Administration have been bastardised, marginalized. There are problems of provision of inadequate teachers as well as Inadequate infrastructures.
“We demand that the State government to return our school back to us,” he Stressed.
We have demanded from government to accept uniformity among students. “We cannot accept wearing of different uniform among students.
The Edict jointly signed by mission school in 1974 was not part of use of different uniform or Hijab. Dada stressed.
In the meantime, the Police Command in Kwara has restored peace and order after violence erupted on Wednesday in some of the Mission grant-aided schools over the use of Hijab by Muslim female students.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in the state, Mr Ajayi Okasanmi, confirmed this in a telephone interview with our Correspondent in Ilorin.
According to him, following the announcement by the state government to re-open the schools after it had been closed since Feb. 19, the Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Bagega, deployed personnel to ensure that peace reign in the schools.
“The situation grew worse as angry Christian and Muslim faithful started throwing various objects such as stones, plastic chairs and empty can drinks at themselves.
“The security operatives deployed there called for reinforcement to calm the situation and the situation has been brought under control.
“Peace and order has been restored in the affected schools and everyone is now going about their normal activities,” the PPRO said.
He however noted that no arrest has been made regarding the incident and no case of injury has been reported at the command.
It would be recalled that the schools were closed on Feb. 19, over dispute in the usage of Hijab (Muslim female head gear) in Mission schools.
The government set up a committee to resolve the misunderstanding and later announced that the schools would resume on March 8 with willing female students allowed to use Hijab.
The government, however, withdrew the reopening order earlier given over safety concerns as some Christians were not willing to accept government decision. This led to the continuous closure of the schools.
The affected schools included C&S College, Sabo-Oke; St. Anthony’s Secondary School, Offa Road; ECWA School, Oja Iya; Surulere Baptist Secondary School, and Bishop Smith Secondary School, Agba Dam.
Others are CAC Secondary School, Asa Dam road; St. Barnabas Secondary School, Sabo-Oke; St. John School Maraba; St. Williams Secondary School, Taiwo Isale, and St. James Secondary School, Maraba.
