Of Choristers, Hijab, Masquerades

Of Choristers, Hijab, Masquerades

NO governor has promoted religion more than Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State. He is proud of his religion for which he gets a lot of bashing. In response, he has accorded recognition to the three religions that he considers the major ones – Christianity, Islam and traditional ways.

It is not unusual for prayers to be offered in the three religions at public events. The free educational electronic tablets that were distributed to students in schools include materials in Christian, Islamic and traditional religions. The State is about the only one that has gone to this depth in recognising three religions. Now, it is reaping the fruits of the deep investment it has made in liberalising religions.

Tension that had been mounting in the State, especially in Iwo, over the conversion of legacy missionary schools to mixed schools has blown up again. Baptist High School, Ejigbo, once a boys-only school has been changed to admit female students. The more government tries to explain its decision to maximise school spaces, the more the missionaries felt the action was targeted at them, to minimise their influence and deny them opportunities of using facilities they built.

A contrast they point at readily is the practice in some States, with Anambra being the most prominent; where governments are handing schools back to the missionaries, and providing the financial support for their administration.

While the controversy over the conversion of schools was to settle, the next protest was over the allowance made for female Muslim students to wear the hijab. The other religions claim the hijab promoted Islam. In November 2013, some youths stormed a school beating a principal to pulp for refusing female students in hijab entrance.

Last week, things took more dramatic dimensions when masquerades invaded the school. The official version was that their presence disrupted classes, but the masquerades say they represent traditional worshippers and that their attire was their own school uniform.

Aregbesola had instituted a single uniform for all students in the State. The uniforms are issued free for now and tied to an initiative that creates jobs for young people who have been trained as tailors to meet the demand free uniforms generated.

On the day of the masquerades, Christian students wore choir gowns, singing songs of their faith, as their response to the hijab.  That day, the three religions the governor has supported, in different ways were present, and so was the confusion of pushing private belief to public places.

Governor Aregbesola, no matter his intentions, has to check their implications, especially where they threaten security of lives and property, as in this case. Religion is being abused in Osun State – people now see religion in everything.