The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Osun state Chapter has threatened a showdown if Osun State Government implements a recent judgement of the State High Court which affirmed the right of female Muslim students to wear hijab on their school uniforms during the school hours.

In a Communiqué signed by Osun State CAN Chairman, Rev. Elisha Ogundiya, the association threatened that it would direct Christian students in public schools in the state to start wearing church garments to school once Muslim female students start using hijab in schools.

The communiqué was issued at the end of an emergency meeting of the state CAN Executive Committee, the Heads of Blocks and Heads of Churches held in Osogbo, capital of Osun State.

Justice Jide Falola of Osun State High Court had given a judgement last Friday in favour of female Muslim students in public schools in the state and reaffirmed their right to wear hijab on their school uniforms during the school hours.

The case was instituted by Osun State Muslim Community against the State Government, seeking to defend the right of female Muslim students in public schools in the state to use hijab on their school uniforms.

But CAN said the association could not agree with the judgement, saying the body believes that the judgement represents premeditated adjudication that runs against the printed grain of legal submissions made before the judge and that the judgement would be appealed.

According to CAN, “Specifically, Justice Jide 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”.

“The state government must be wary about giving effect to this judgment which we suspect was masterminded by Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola in line with his Islamization Agenda.

“Where the Osun State Government is inclined to implementing the judgment, Christian students in all public schools 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”, CAN said. (Daily Trust)

•Photo shows CAN President, Pastor Ayo Oritsejafor.

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