The Governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola, has denied ordering for the use of hijab by Muslim students in the state.
Drama played out in the school last week after some Christian students stormed Baptist High School, Iwo, following the refusal of the governor to stop the Muslim counterparts from using the hijab.
Speaking during a roundtable on developing collaborative framework for education organised by the Development and Advancement in Western Nigeria, Aregbesola said, “Let me say this, there is no official pronouncement on hijab. I have not ordered the use of hijab in schools and I challenge them to bring evidence.
“It might interest you that my wife does not use hijab, my daughter does not use hijab. So, I did not order the use of hijab.
“My view on Islam is why I am suffering unmerited persecution. My crime is that I struggle to be a good Muslim and not because I hurt anybody.”
Speaking further, the governor who has not paid civil servants in the state for months, insisted that there was no crisis in the state’s education sector and accused the media of celebrating idiocy by focusing on the decision of some “misguided students” of Baptist High School to wear church garments to school.
He said it was wrong for any religious body to claim the ownership of any public school in the state as government took over the schools about 41 years ago.
He explained that the hijab crisis started in 2012 when four Muslim students were prevented from using hijab after they were transferred to Baptist High School from a school where they were allowed to use hijab.
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