Hijab: CAN Files Stay of Execution, Christian Leaders Meet

The Christian Association of Nigeria in Osun State has filed a stay of execution against the judgment of an Osun State High Court, which ordered the use of hijab in all public schools in the state.

The Osun State Chairman of CAN, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, who confirmed this to our correspondent in Osogbo on Wednesday, said the process was ongoing as of the time of filing this report.

“We are filing the stay of execution now. The process is still ongoing but I went to court this morning to sign some papers. We will let you have the details later,” said the CAN chairman in a brief interview with our correspondent before the meeting of the leadership of the association in the South-West began.

The meeting also had representatives of the leadership of the national body of CAN in attendance.

Ogundiya, while speaking during the meeting, said although the appeal and the stay of execution had been filed, Christian pupils would continue to wear church garments to schools if Muslims students did not stop wearing hijab to schools.

“The appeal has been filed; the stay of execution was also filed this afternoon,” he added.

But when asked if the association would ask Christian pupils to stop wearing church garments to school, Ogundiya said, “If Muslims continue to wear hijab to schools, our children will also continue to wear church garments to schools.”

His response drew a loud applause from the gathering, which included the chairmen of CAN from the South-West and the representative of the national CAN.

The chairmen of CAN in Ondo, Ogun and Oyo states, who spoke at the meeting, said the entire Christian communities in their respective states were solidly in support of the Osun State branch in resisting the wearing of hijab in public schools.

The Chairman of CAN in the South-West, Archbishop Magnus Atilade, said the court judgment violated the religious right of the original owners of the missionary schools, which were taken over by the military government in 1975.

The CAN Zonal Secretary, Rev. Alfred Aro, who read Atilade’s address at the meeting, said Christians would not allow any government to Islamise Osun State or Nigeria.

“The judgment read that hijab is a means of propagation of Islam, which the judge said is a fundament

al right of Muslim girls and ladies. This declaration violates the religious right of the original owners of the missionary schools as agreed upon when the schools were taken over by the then government of Oyo State in 1975,” he stated.

The National Director, Education of CAN, who represented the outgoing President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor, at the meeting, said the national body was solidly behind Osun State chapter of CAN in its efforts to ensure Christianity was not marginalised.

Source: Punch newspaper