Yusuf Bakare, Ilorin
The umbrella Christians body, Owners of Mission schools in Kwara state has unanimously rejected the position of government over the use of Hijab in mission schools in the state.
At a stakeholders meeting held at the Conference hall of St Joseph Catholic Cathedral Church, Taiwo Road, Ilorin, at the weekend, the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kwara State Chapter in conjunction with owners of missions grant-aided schools expressed objection to the position advocated by kwara state government in respect of wearing of Hijab in Public and Grant Aided schools .
The communiqué corrected the erroneous impression about takeover of Christian mission schools by the government, Revd (Dr.) Victor Dada, reading the communiqué by Christians in Kwara State asserted that their schools cannot be classified as public grant-aided schools’ but ‘mission’s grant-aided schools’.
The body stressed that mission school owners can fund and maintain their schools as the practice was far back in 1974 when the then government, in appreciation of the role of missions in providing quality education rather than take over schools, decided to aid grant them for better performance, an effort that turned out several enviable products.
It therefore reiterated that since these schools remain the properties of the various missions, a call for a return of Mission Schools to their owners is inevitable to prevent unwarranted invasion of Christian properties by unauthorized persons in the name of religion.
He further stated that concerned churches bought the lands on which their schools were erected and had been responsible for appointing heads of the schools as contained in the extant agreement for the sake of the owner missions’ interests in protecting their faith and doctrines.
“Christian mission grant aided schools should be returned to the owners promptly as most of these Schools have Churches besides them and unnecessary trespass may lead to break down of law and order.
The stakeholders appreciates the Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq for having a good interactive session with them on the matter, the body however condemn the use of Hijab in Christian Missions Grant Aided Schools because according to them “this will cause discrimination in schools and allow terrorist to easily identify Christian children and wards separate from others.
All Christian faithful are thereby instructed to occupy all mission grant aided schools to prevent undue access henceforth while they are also requested to engage in prayers for God’s interface in the present face off with the government.
“Christ faithfuls should occupy all granted aided schools. Christians should have a day for prayers and fasting for God to interface in the imbroglio. Christians should have a day for prayers and fasting for God to interface in the imbroglio.”
The body said it will welcome further dialogue with appropriate government agencies in bringing the present imbroglio to an end.
“ We shall continue to interact and dialogue with the State Government on the return of grant aided schools to the proprietors.”
