Christian secondary school students in Osun State on Tuesday wore church garments to their schools, in a dramatic but defiant protest against the use of Hijab by female Muslim students. Last week, CAN warned that Christian students in public schools will start wearing church garments to school if Governor Rauf Aregbesola goes ahead to implement a judgment by the state High Court legalizing the use of hijab by Muslim students.
The association also accused the governor, Rauf Aregbesola, of masterminding the judgment in line with his “Islamization Agenda”, arguing that this had been earlier stated by the Directorate of Military Intelligence in 2012 based on credible intelligence and corroborated by Osun CAN in 2014.
On Tuesday, students decked in church robes arrived Baptist High School, Adeeke in Iwo town at about 8.30am. Officials of the Christian Association of Nigeria were on hand to observe the reaction of the teachers. Apparently having a pre-knowledge of the development, the teachers did not react to the new dress codes. They quietly went on with their teaching schedules for the day.
The drama also took place at the Salvation Army Middle School, Alekuwodo, where female Muslim students who wore hijab were allowed into school, as well as those wearing church garments.Similarly, CAN officials were present to ensure no student was sent back home. The principal of Baptist High School, Omotayo Arowolo, said there was no crisis in school, despite the development.He said the teachers were in their classes doing their normal teaching activities, noting that no student was chased out.