Osun hijab crisis: S-West Islamic body advises CAN, Muslim leaders

Following the crisis that trailed the wearing of Hijab by female Muslim students in Osun State, the Muslim Ummah of South West Nigeria, MUSWEN, has advised on the Osun State Chapter, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), to respect the court ruling or seek legal redress if not satisfied with the judgement.

Addressing newsmen, executive secretary of MUSWEN, Professor Dawud O. S. Noibi maintained that the court ruling does not compel all Muslim students to wear hijab adding that “resort to self help will ultimately help nobody.”

Noibi said: “Our Advice to CAN in Osun State in view of the foregoing, is to deeply consider the advice which one of the most respected Christian leaders in Nigeria, John Cardinal Onaiyekan, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja, offered at a recent round-table on Law and Religion.

‘’His Grace said the nation should adopt the policy that no law should prohibit what religion prescribes or require citizens to do what religion prohibits.

‘’The Osun State chapter of CAN should learn a lesson from this advice. Besides, on purely moral grounds, one may ask: how does a Muslim girl’s wearing of hijab offend a Christian? Moreover, the court ruling does not compel all Muslim students to wear hijab. It is left entirely to the choice of the individual student who wishes to obey the order coming from her Creator.”

The MUSWEN scribe further urged the leadership of CAN in Osun State to seek legal redress if not satisfied with judgment. He said; “The CAN leadership must be told that what they are doing in this case is challenging the directive of Allah.

Do they really feel comfortable preventing people from doing the Will of God on earth as it is done in heaven? If, however, CAN still feels strongly about the judgement, let them follow the commendable example of the Muslims of Lagos State by following the path of law.”