Condemnations have continued to trail the decision of the
management of Covenant University, owned by Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of
Living Faith Church Worldwide, to bar Hijab-wearing candidates from sitting for
the Mock JAMB examinations at its campus in Otta, Ogun State.
The female candidates were delayed from entering the
premises simply for adorning Hijab.
In a 1:14 minute video seen by our correspondent, about four
female candidates wearing Hijab were stopped from going into the university due
to the Muslim veil they adorned.
A parent, Mr. Olayode Akeem, who accompanied his child to
the centre, said the security men prevented Hijab wearing candidates from
entering the premises of Canaanland because they were acting on instruction
from above.
It took the intervention of JAMB before the candidates were
allowed in after waiting outside for more than one hour.
Another source who resides at Ota said, “I was at Convenant
University on Friday and I witnessed it. A lady was told she can’t go in to
write her mock exam or else she put off her hijab or turn it into scalf. This
is height of impunity. This is pathetic and should be addressed before the exam
date.”
Several persons have taken to Twitter to condemn the action
of the Canaanland, asking the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB)
to address the issue before the main examination day.
“I call on Dr. Isaq OLOYEDE @JAMBHQ to look into this
matter… The centre was given randomly why denying them of writing their
exams…(sic) Christians do write JAMB in Alhikmah University Ilorin, Summit
University in Offa and in Fountain University Oshogbo without any problem… It’s
only oyedepo that has problem…,” a Twitter user Taiye Hassan said.
But Ago Ugbaja, another Twitter user, haf a different
perspective, saying, “It’s a private institution and that’s it!!! Go and sort
it out with Oyedepo…. And JAMB.”
Meanwhile, Islamic organisations condemned the action of Cannanland
in separate statements.
The Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI) and the Muslim
Rights Concern (MURIC), in separate statements, said some candidates had to
remove their Hijab before they were let in.
The HRAI said it got a distress call on Thursday from the
father of a candidate Mr. A. A. Olayode, that his daughter and several other
candidates wearing Hijab were barred from entering the Covenant University CBT
centre for the mock Jamb examinations.
Executive Director of the organisation, Mutiat
Orolu-Balogun, said the candidates were denied despite Mr. Olayodes’s
explanation to the security guards that as a national examination, candidates
were posted there by the examination body and thus should be allowed to write
their exams.
“The security guards insisted that the university being a
Christian institution does not permit hijabs in their premises and as such the
candidates could not enter. Some candidates removed their hijabs in order to
gain entry, while Maryam the daughter of Mr. Olayode and two others who did not
remove their hijabs were denied entry.
“The Centre coordinator at Covenant University CBT centre
was contacted and he joined the denied candidates at the gate and promptly let
them in,” Orolu-Balogun said.
Also, MURIC Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, urged
the JAMB to sanction both universities for disallowing hijab-clad girls from
entering their premises for Thursday’s mock examination.
Akintola lamented that the Muslim girls were delayed for 48
minutes while the examination was going on.
“In the case of Canaanland, the students who begged for
permission to enter were ignored until a parent sent Save Our Soul Message
(SOS) to MURIC headquarters which sprang into action by contacting JAMB
authorities as well as the Ogun State branch of MURIC.
“The SOS produced some result and the coordinator of the
centre soon came with his car to ferry three hijab-clad girls into the exam
hall.
“The number of Muslim girls who wore hijab was actually more
than that but about five or six had surrendered by removing their hijab after
begging for more than one hour. Those who removed their hijab were allowed to
go inside.
“Those who cannot tolerate Muslim girls in hijab should not
apply to host public examinations. Canaanland and Covenant have subjected
Muslim girls to embarrassment, stigmatization and persecution,” Akintola said.
Oyedepo, who was born into an Islamic family, has been very
critical of Islam.
Commenting on the crisis over Hijab in Kwara State two years
ago, the Bishop said, “It is such a nasty development in Kwara state where
Muslims are asking their students in our schools to wear Hijab, and the church
said “no”, I have never seen a place in my life where a tenant will be decreeing
for the landlord.”
JAMB is yet to comment publicly on the plight of female
Islamic students at Covenant University.
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JAMB should with immediate effect revoke the lincenc or permit it gives to canaanland for hosting the Exam. Since they are very selective for the opportunity given to them to host the Exam, because they are religious intolerant. If they entered with their HIJABS does it mean they have islamized the students?? Try and be RELIGIOUS tolerance
ReplyDeleteCan a Christian wear trouser inside a Muslim institution. Ode
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