The Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, has warned that it would use all lawful means to reverse the Kwara State government’s approval of the wearing of hijab in schools, including those belonging to Christian groups.
The religious body made the declaration on Tuesday in a statement issued by its General Secretary, Mr. Joseph Bade Daramola.
This is as the group warned Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to immediately withdraw his government’s approval of wearing of hijab in schools.
The warning, CAN said, became necessary because the governor’s action was premature and prejudicial.
According to the religious body, the governor’s action appeared to be a contempt of the court because the governor was aware that there was a pending court case on the matter over which the court had earlier ruled that the status quo should be maintained.
CAN asked rhetorically: “Is the governor now saying that he is above the law? What is going to spoil if we all wait for the court to pronounce judgement on the matter? Why this hasty action?”
“We recalled that some people took laws into their hands in the state by going from school to school to be enforcing the wearing of hijab in secondary schools including the schools owned by mission agents but are only grant-aided by the government. Instead of the government to caution such trouble makers and admonish them to wait for the court process to be concluded and judgement delivered, the government of Kwara State has shown its religious bias by the blanket approval of the wearing of hijab, even in Christian Mission Schools.
“This action of the government of Kwara State is not only discriminatory and divisive, but it equally suggests that the government was the one behind the earlier illegal enforcement of the wearing of hijab in Christian schools. While the government may give directive on its own schools, it ought to respect the schools it does not directly own nor start and respect the religious cultures of such schools as well.
“We urge the political elites to stop using their religious overzealousness in causing division in the society but rather treat all equally irrespective of religious and ethnic affiliation. If we would all do pilgrimage together, there must be fairness to all, mutual respect and justice. No political leader should use his or her position to further the cause of any particular religion or ethnic group in order for peace to prevail,” the group added.
CAN said that the governor had shown open bias for one religion with his inability to wait for court process to be concluded over the matter.
The group said it had resolved to use all lawful means to reverse the order if the government refused to withdraw the directive.
