Osun: Muslims warn CAN against opposition to hijab

Chairman of the Movement Against Corruption and Chief Missioner of Ansar Ud Deen, Imam Abdur-Rahman

The Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria has warned members of Christians Association of Nigeria in Osun State against preventing hijab-wearing pupils from any public school in the state.

The National Publicity Secretary of

the group, Alhaji Muibi Adebanjo, gave the warning in a statement in Osogbo on Monday.

The warning came just as the President, Muslim Community in Osun State, Sheikh Salahudeen Olayiwola,  also announced the Muslims'  support for the new education policy of Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

He spoke on Monday at a press conference which was part of activities to herald  Hijra 1435.

Olayiwola described the new education policy as a step in the right direction, saying the policy would soon put Osun State in position of leadership in the education sector.

He said that the group had nothing against CAN opinion but said that they should not infringe on the rights of Muslim students who had chosen to wear hijab.

The statement read, "The Ansar-ud-deen Society of Nigeria has been following with keen interest the recent changes in the education policy of the Osun State Government and the comments of the Christian Association of Nigeria on the merger of schools.

"Whilst we are not against CAN for airing their views on  the implementation of the state government policy on the merger of schools, we detest its act of religious intolerance by protesting against Muslim children wearing hijab to their newly allocated schools in accordance to their faith.

"We want to remind the CAN that the issue of hijab wearing is the fundamental rights of any Muslim child that cannot be tampered with and should not be mixed up with the government policy on education. The action of CAN is capable of igniting religious crisis in the state that is presently enjoying peaceful coexistence amongst adherents of all religions."

Adebanjo said that the nation was already battling insecurity problem saying religious crisis should not be added to the problems militating against the country's development.

It will be recalled that members of CAN had staged a protest against the merging of hijab wearing pupils with pupils in Christian schools in the state.

Meanwhile, the Old Students' Association of Ife-Oluwa Grammar School, Osogbo has declared support for the schools reclassification of the state government.

The National President of IOGS Old Students' Association, Mr. Soji Ajibade who spoke  at a dinner to mark the 50 anniversary of the school said that the reclassification of school by Aregbesola's government was a right step in right direction.