The controversy surrounding the wearing of hijab by Muslim students in Osun State in Nigeria’s South-West is unnecessary, the State Governor, Ogbeni Rauf Aregebsola, said yesterday.

He was speaking during a peace meeting he held with parents, teachers, religious leaders, community leaders and pupils of Baptist High School, Iwo, which has lately been in the news over rebellion by students, parents and the Christian community over the issue of school uniform.

News Express and some other media had reported last week of how students of the school wore uniforms of their various religious persuasions to school and said different prayers during the morning assembly over the alleged approval by the state government for Muslim students to wear hijab to school. However, speaking yesterday at the peace meeting held at the school playing ground in Iwo, Governor Aregbesola described the crisis as unnecessary, saying that his government never at any time approved the use of hijab in any school. He the case was already in court and directed everyone to maintain the status quo ante on the wearing of the uniform pending the determination of the case before the court.

“We are a product of the rule of law and this has guided all our actions. As we have said in the past, we have not approved the use of hijab in any school,” Governor Aregbesola said. “Let me repeat this again for the hearing of mischief-makers who have been working tirelessly to bring religious war to our state.

“Those prompting chaos and conflagration in our state; those who have well established antecedent of violent behaviour; those sowing the seed of discord in our schools and community and inciting one religion against another, as we have said in the past, government did not at any time approve the use of hijab in any school, before the matter went to court. It is the court’s position that the status quo ante be maintained until the case is determined.”

He assured of his administration’s readiness to enforce discipline in all schools, saying: “Yoruba people have a tradition of accommodation and inclusion; that is why our families are interwoven around all religions.

“Some people, goaded from hell, however, are working to break our bond of unity by beating the drum of religious war. They will fail and only they and their families will dance to that evil beat.”

Representatives of the students as well as those of the Christian, Muslim and Traditional religions had earlier spoken on the cause of the crisis and the way forward.

•Photo shows Governor Aregbesola in class, dressed like a student, during a previous public function.

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