Hijab Use: Muslims Will Not Enjoy Religious Freedom In Oduduwa Republic—MURIC

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has said Yoruba Muslims may face persecution in the South-West if they are able to break away from Nigeria and have their own country – Oduduwa Republic.

The Islamic rights group on Wednesday also alleged that Muslims in the Southern part of Nigeria were already facing marginalisation.

Its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, was reacting to the withdrawal of a Muslim pupil from Obafemi Awolowo University International School (OAUIS) in Ile-Ife, Osun State after she was allegedly harassed for wearing hijab.

Akintola described it as a preamble to what Muslims would experience should Oduduwa Republic be realised.

He therefore asked the school management to investigate the issue.

The statement reads: “One of the Obafemi Awolowo International School (OAUIS) teachers, Mrs. Adeyemo, has allegedly harassed a female Muslim student of the school. The intimidation has made the girl’s parents to withdraw her from the school.

“The girl, who was in the habit of using her hijab from home and removing it at the school’s gate, was harassed by Mrs. Adeyemo.

“This is another example of the persecution of Muslim children in the hands of overzealous and intolerant Christian civil servants and teachers in the South-West. It is interesting that Mrs. Adeyemo bears a Yoruba name. The female Muslim student is also a Yoruba girl.

“Will Yoruba Muslims not face worse persecution in the hands of Christians if the Yorubas eventually succeed in their plan to secede?

“Will the Muslims of Yorubaland enjoy any religious freedom if the proposed Oduduwa Republic becomes a reality?

“The interesting thing is that Muslims only suffer like this in the southern part of Nigeria.”

Recently, there have been tension in some states in the South-West over pressure by Muslim parents to have their children wear hijab in secular schools.