Like a Prophet, I predicted this many problems months ago, the glory started fading so long ago, like an old Jean, we Pride no longer in the “Ipinle of Omoluabi.”
Before schools become a place to visit and return with injuries or to return with holes drilled by nails of naivety, attention should be paid to Osun State.
Since the day policies did not match with realities, we were always going to have a cold war.
The Hijab crisis is only one of the issues threatening Osun State, there are several others that did not make the Limelight, the situation in Osun state is just like leaving necessary things and chasing shadows, we have left the essentials and fight over what does not improve the quality of three meal per day.
I have asserted and will continue to say, mismanagement of Religion is a bane of Nigeria, just like we are seeing Osun state.
Osun state is very peculiar because since economy is nose diving, salaries owed, people are annoyed at the government and have seen this Hijab crisis as an avenue to vent complete anger, after all there was a point students protested against the Governor.
There is one painful fact, Christians and Muslims have failed to lead by example, even Biblical and Quaranic teachings preach peace, people should not just see the Hijab crisis as another issue, it is definitely an eye opener to issues of Religious intolerance in the country, if Muslim and Christian leaders cannot resolve differences in believes without turning it to Pseudo-Violence, then something is practically wrong somewhere.
Religious leaders should be role models that even the Government would look up to, they should preach alternative conflict resolution, we all should remember that it is not the clothing that will take us to Heaven, it is our attitude, you cannot fight for God!.
Countries have suffered from Religious differences, it seems the barrier created by religion is now a norm in our society and this is practically absurd, we are meant to cohabit in peace and progress.
I read it that some Muslim Clerics also stormed a school and enforced the use of Hijab, I begin to wonder, when did they become Law enforcement agents?
Beyond the use of Hijab, there is more to crisis in schools whether as Christians or Muslims, we should not be blinded by emotions.
The Government merged all Students together but never worked on reorientating this students on necessity to live together, the government never envisaged a day that unity will be questioned, this was bound to happen because diversity should have been considered and massive reorientation should have been done, even as the court ruled, there are many cases beyond the court, it takes wisdom from the Government to avert crisis.
The Government had no point issuing a press statement on the Hijab crisis saying they will deal with some persons or discipline them, the Government ought to have explored conflict resolution approaches.
Remember, had the government been paying salaries, Jobs available and things going fine, there will be less attention on minor issues like this that have become big.
I spoke with the Spokesman of the Governor, he said Christians can put on beret to school too, it is painful that Education that should unite people from various background is now a source of division, I wonder what sort of future leaders we are building, when we teach our Muslim and Christian youths art of violence, when we can’t show them that even when issues arise based on faith we can solve them without resorting to crisis.
The Government should understand that Osun State should not be a theatre for religious wars, Religious leaders should sit down and reach an agreeing point rather than showing control.
The first responsibility of every Government is her citizens and residents, if we cannot govern the society in a way that peace will reign then it is losing the essence of Government.
If we cannot handle issues as religious leaders peacefully, then we are not fulfilling the purpose of religion, which should be love and peace.
If we do not take care, the real reason for been literate will be lost and we will have youths who will not think differently and who will lack vision! Whether Christians or Muslims we should learn from happenings in countries of the world and understand that conflict will forever always occur! Our ways of handling them mattersmatters
Olanrewaju Oyedeji
+2348164847752
