Hijab: Kwara Muslim group seeks name change for mission schools
Kwara State Muslim Community Monday urged the state government to enforce a change of names for all schools, formerly owned by Muslim and Christian proprietors.
The proposed change is being made as a solution to the lingering hijab crisis.
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.
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.”
