School merger: Protesting Christians stop hijab-wearing students in Iwo

Some Christians, including members of Osun Baptists Conference, on Monday pretested against the attempt of the Osun State Government to merge Muslim students, wearing hijab, with the Bapists High School, Iwo, in the new education policy introduced by the current administration. Governor Rauf Aregbesola, who expressed worry about the protest, urged the people to cooperate with the school restructuring of the government, saying the policy was introduced as part of transformation of the education sector by his government. Aggrieved Christians, armed with the Holy Bible and Hymn books, had trooped to the school as early as 7.30am, dislodged all students from the school and prevented teachers from going inside. They said the schools merger, if allowed to succeed, would obliterate the Baptist heritage, vowing not to allow hijab-wearing students in a school established by Christian missionaries. The Christian protesters defied the presence of heavily-armed security operatives and insisted that they would not allow the merger to work. The security agents were civil in handling the situation and this prevented the protest from degenerating into a violent one. The peaceful protest caused gridlock on the roads while some protesters assisted in controlling vehicular movements. The Presiding Minister for the 35 Baptist churches in Iwo land, Rev. Bayo Ademuyiwa, said the church had nothing against the government’s attempt to equip schools in the state, but said the church would not allow any attempt to erase its identity and heritage.