Ilorin Hijab Crisis: State Govt In Dilemma, Keeps Missionary Schools Shut

State government of Kwara State appears to be in a dilemma over secondary school Hijab wearing crisis after it failed to make pronouncement on Monday, postponing its statement while keeping ten schools in Ilorin shut over the matter, elombah.com has learnt.

The governor, Abdulrahaman Abdulrazak, has been away for a while and his deputy has been on ground trying to stem the uproar arising from the conflict after some pupils’ of the Baptist Primary School, surulere, Ilorin where prevented from getting into the school last week.

Making a release yesterday, Mama Saba Jibril, Secretary to State government, SSG, said that any pronouncement from the state government will have to wait until later.

But he explained the 10 schools will have to remain shut.

Discribing the schools as grant-aided schools in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara State, the SSG said that they are to remain shut pending announcement of the state government’s position on the use of the Muslim head covering (hijab) in the schools.

“This is to avert any breakdown of law and order while the government concludes consultations with relevant stakeholders. Members of the public are urged to remain calm and peaceful. Official pronouncement of government’s position is likely this week,” according to a statement by the Secretary to the Kwara State Government Prof. Mamma Saba Jibril.

“The government urges parents, officials and authorities at the affected schools to maintain peace and avoid making comments or doing anything that could cause further misunderstanding and heat up the polity,” Jibril said.