School crisis: Aregbesola, CAN clash over religious garb

Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, and the leadership of the Christian Association of Nigeria in the state appeared to be on a collision course on Thursday following the invitation of parents of pupils of the Baptist High School, Iwo, who wore various religious garments to the school.

The governor in a statement on Thursday by his media aide, Mr. Semiu Okanlawon, invited the parents of some pupils found to have taken part in the drama to a meeting in Osogbo.

The statement reads in part, “Preliminary investigations reveal that 92 out of the 2,500 student population in that school were involved in a protest over the wearing of hijab.

“In view of the development, the government has therefore invited parents of the 92 students involved in the protest for a meeting at 4pm on Friday in Osogbo with a view to finding a lasting solution to the issues.

“The government also wishes to state that a panel of inquiry is to be constituted to investigate the remote and immediate cause of the perennial disturbance at the Baptist High School, Iwo.

“The panel is to comprise representatives of the relevant organisations such as the All Nigerian Conference of Principals of Schools; the Nigeria Union of Teachers; Parent Teacher Association and community leaders, with the officials of the Ministry of Education.”

But the state Chairman of CAN, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, asked the affected parents to shun the invitation.

Ogundiya, who spoke with our correspondent on the telephone, said the governor ought to have invited CAN and other religious bodies, being stakeholders to the meeting instead of seeking to intimidate the parents.

Ogundiya said, “The parents invited should not attend the meeting. The government is supposed to have invited religious bodies instead of the parents. Christian children will continue to wear anything they like to the school as long as Muslim pupils continue to wear hijab.”

The Osun Baptist Conference has also asked parents of the affected students to shun the meeting, saying Christian pupils would continue to wear choir robes and various dresses to school as long as Muslim students did not stop wearing hijab to schools founded by Christians.

The President of OBC, Rev. Paul Kolawole, said this in a communique issued at the end of the executive committee of the conference on Thursday.

The communique reads in part, “That the Baptist community in Osun State and Iwo community is vehemently opposed to the use of hijab in the Baptist High School, Iwo.

“That no parent or student should be invited to Osogbo under any guise to intimidate the parents and their wards. If there is any information to pass, it should be sent through the normal channel such as the school authority or the Parent Teacher Association.

“That in view of our observation that the wearing of hijab in the Baptist High School appears to have the backing of the state government, we hereby also authorise and mandate all our Christian students to wear their religious garments.

“That  the Tutor-General and officials of the Ministry of Education should stop intimidating students and their parents.”