Hijab crisis: Kwara Muslims demand name change of public schools

Kwara State Muslim Community yesterday recommended a change of names for all schools formerly owned by Muslim and Christian proprietors as an enduring solution to the lingering hijab crisis in the state.

The Muslim body also demanded adequate compensation for the family of the late Habeeb Idris killed on February 3 during the hijab crisis that rocked Ijagbo, Oyun Local Government Area of the state.

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In a June 7 letter addressed to the state governor, Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, the group gave six recommendations for resolving the vexed issue of hijab wearing by female Muslim students in all public schools in the state.

Copies of the letter signed by Alhaji Ishaq AbdulKareem (chairman) and Prof. AbdulKadir Ibrahim Abikan (secretary) were made available to newsmen in Ilorin, the state capital, yesterday.

 The letter read in part, “The Kwara State government should change the names of all schools formerly owned by both the Muslim and Christian proprietors by adding ‘Government’ to them to reflect Ansarul Islam Government Secondary School, Ilorin; Bishop Smith Memorial Government College, Ilorin,” the community stated in the letter.

“The Kwara State government should build a new school mosque for Muslim students/ teachers of Bishop Smith Memorial College, Ilorin, to replace the one demolished by Kwara CAN thugs.

“The Kwara State government should appoint a new commissioner for education and human capital development, while the permanent secretary in the ministry should be moved to another ministry.

“The Kwara State government must enforce freedom of worship in our schools by ensuring that separate devotions are held for Muslim and Christian students at the school assembly, and no external imam or pastor should be allowed to participate in morning devotion aside from the school teachers.

“The Kwara State government should ensure, henceforth, that appointments and postings of principals into all schools are based on merit and seniority and should be the sole responsibility of Kwara State Teaching Service Commission  instead of former proprietors as it’s being done now.”