WE WILL WEAR CHURCH GARMENTS TO SCHOOL-CHRISTIAN STUDENTS

Another crisis looms large over the education sector in the State of Osun, if the Governor Rauf Aregbesola government implements a court order legalising the Islamic apparel, hijab, by female Muslim pupils across the state.

Last week, an Osogbo High Court legalised the wearing of hijab in public primary and secondary schools insisting that it is the Muslim pupils’ right and mode of religious dressing.

In its reaction, the Osun State chapter of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), after its meeting on Tuesday June 7, 2016, directed that Christians in public schools would wear church garments if the state government goes ahead to implement the court order because: “Osun State-CAN finds itself unable to agree with the judgement in its entirety as we have reasons to believe that it represents a study in premeditated adjudication that runs against the printed grain of legal submissions made before him. We have unanimously decided to appeal the judgement.

“Specifically speaking, Justice Saka Oyejide Falola deeply violated the principle of fair hearing when he refused and or failed to hear, let alone rule, one way or the other, on the application for a joinder in the case properly filed and brought to his attention in open court by the interested parties whose schools were taken over forcefully by the government and stood to be affected by the judgment he later proceeded to deliver.

“Where the Osun State Government is inclined to implement the judgment Christian students in all public schools founded by Christians with the toil and sweat of our forefathers in the faith will have no choice but to start wearing Christian garments and vestments as part of their school uniform for the propagation of our own faith given the Justice Saka Oyejide Falola declared right of Muslim Female Students to do same as what  is sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander as well. Adherents of other faiths who have their choice to make in this matter can wear theirs as well.

“We urge the Osun State House of Assembly to rise to the occasion as we find their silence on a matter of public interest this clearly capable of dividing the State, the Security Services, the Civil Service, the Market Women, School Students and all citizens along religious fault lines rather disturbing. It presents The Osun State House of Assembly as complicit in the putting together of the ticking and soon-to-explode time-bomb this matter certainly is.”

CAN called on all men and women of goodwill, Muslims and Christians, the Presidency, National Assembly and the international community to intervene in the situation before it escalates beyond control.

Independent newspaper.