By Wole Adedeji, Ilorin
As the cold war on the wearing oh hijab in Christian mission schools in Kwara State refuses to abate, the state governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, has constituted a 12-member Inter-Religious Council IREC, to midwife a meeting point on the matter.
The panel, second of its kind since the crisis erupted in March, 2021, comprises of elder statesmen and women, as well as clergies drawn from both the Muslim and Christian communities in the state.
A first class traditional ruler, the Emir if Shonga in Edu Locks Government Area of the state, Dr Haliru Yahaya Ndanusa, is to chair the council. Other members of the council include: retired justice of the state High Court, Justice Olatunji Bamgbola and former Grand Khadi of the Sharia Court of Appeal, Idris Haroon.
Other are the Special Assistant to the governor on Religion (Islam), Zubair Ibrahim Dan Maigoro; a yet to be named Special Assistant to the governor on Religion (Christianity); former Commissioner of Education and FOMWAN leader, Hajia Halimat Yusuf; former Permanent Secretary, Dr. Mrs Rhoda Ajiboye; Dr. Soburu Alaaya; Venerable Moses Lasisi Abegunde; Prof. Mrs Feyi Grace Adepoju; and Elder Stephen Wole Oke. A and Director in the Ministry of Special Duties, Ishola Maryam Idowu, would serve as Secretary.
The council, as an advisory body, is saddled with the responsibility of recommending ways to promote religious interaction, understanding and harmony between the two principal faith communities in Kwara State.
Earlier, the tovernor had sent a delegation to Ijagbo; the epicentre of the latest Hijab crisis and host of the Baptist High School, where the skirmish took place to persuade both parties in the fight, which last week claimed one life, with several others wounded.
The delegation, led by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Prof. Mamnan Sabi Jibril, were to enjoin the people to embrace peace and “respect government’s lawful directive,” and to also commiserate with the people on the aftermath of the controversy in the school.
Other members of the delegation included the Commissioner for Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development, Arc. Aliyu Muhammad Saifuddeen, FNIA; the Commissioner for Environment, Hon. Buraimoh Olaitan; Special Assistant to the fovernor on Religion (Islam), Alhaji Danmaigoro; and a former chiarman of the Christian Association of Nigeria, CAN, Kwara State chapter, Prof. Timothy Opoola.
In Ijagbo, Prof. Jibril, after delivering the governor’s message, charged the people to live peacefully and harmoniously with one another to prevent the recurrence of the ugly situation.
He pleaded with and advised the people against reprisals, which he said would only lead to a cycle of violence and damages to the economy of the area.
