Baptist Youths Rejects Use of Hijab in Kwara State Mission Schools

By Jide Afolabi, Lagos

Youths of the Nigerian Baptist Convention, NBC, have rejected the reported proposed uniform Hijab in all Public and Mission Schools Grant-Aided Schools in Kwara State by the Kwara State government.

The youths under the aegis of the Nigerian Baptist Convention Youth Conference (NBCYC) also condemned the invasion of a Christian School by some hoodlums claiming to be Muslims to enforce wearing of Hijab by their acclaimed children in a Christian School in Ilorin on Wednesday, February 18, 2021 describing it as fanatical, reckless, and height of provocation.

The group in a statement issued by its President, Pastor Onajite Enunuaye, described the actions of the Muslim fanatics and proposed enforced hijab usage in all Public Schools including the Mission Schools as insensitive given the nature and religious volatility of the state.

Onajite noted that the fact that Kwara State government provides grant to Mission Schools does not in anyway confer absolute ownership to it and any decision with regards to the school’s must be jointly agreed by the original owners of the schools.

He said, “Available information at our disposal indicates that Grant Aiding of schools (mission, community etc) began in 1974 in Kwara State and the memorandum signed between the owners of the schools and the government does not confer total ownership on the government.

“The original owners of grant-aided schools still contributes to the runnings of the schools especially in the areas of headship and other ancillary matters”.

He added that, “The Youths of Nigerian Baptist Convention stands strongly with all the decisions of Kwara Baptist Conference and further reiterates that Baptist will not allow the wearing of Hijab in all the Baptist Grant-aided schools in the state.”

He stressed that it would be better for the Kwara State government to return the schools to the owners rather than causing preventable religious crises in the state noting that Baptists are peace-loving people.

The youth leader admonished the state government to shun religious chauvinism and embrace all religions to move the state forward.