Osun State governor Mr Rauf Aregbesola has said that his government never approved the use or disuse of veil by Muslim female students in the state.
The governor said this at the peace meeting between the Muslim and Christian communities of the Baptist High School, Iwo where distribution and assessment of the performance of Opon Imo (tablet of knowledge) was also done.
Aregbesola noted that it was the court’s position that the status quo ante be maintained until the case was determined.
He said his governmnt would always adhere strictly to the rule of law as he became governor through the same process.
“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. 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,” Aregbesola said.
He added that the government had noticed increasing indiscipline in public schools and had therefore set up a committee on discipline. He said when the report is released, government would enforce discipline in all schools.
“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.”
Meanwhile, the Old Students Association of Baptist High School, Iwo has kicked against the use of hijab by female Muslim students of the school.
President of the association, Professor Oyesoji Aremu who spoke with newsmen in Iwo, yesterday after an emergency meeting said the use of hijab by female students of the school would destroy the good legacies of the school.
According to him, the school, which was founded by the missionaries, has great legacies which could be tampered with if female students were allowed to use hijab.
