By Bukola Hameed
Mr Olayinka Olayiwola Oke, Principal of Community Grammar School, Papa, Iwo, Osun state might have absconded during the school working hour on Thursday when the THURIST team visited the school following a report of discrimination against Hijab-Wearing students.
The Human Rights Initiative had visited the school located at Papa Village in the outsketch of Iwo in Iwo Local Government of Osun State following a report of discrimination against students of the school who put on Hijab.
In the secretary of the Initiative, Ridwan Azeez’s account, “Our team confirmed the presence of students who were putting on Hijab outside the school while others found in the school premises were holding their Hijab, because the school, allegedly, has prohibited use of hijab.
” It was also gathered by our team who were on-the-spot investigation as well as delivering our petition to the school principal that an oddity is noticed in the school but the principal was said to be absent in the school at working hours.
” Without delay our team had proceeded to delivere a copy of our petition to the Local Inspector of Education (LIE), The Area Command of the Nigeria Police Force, Iwo Division, The National Union of Teachers, Iwo Chapter, to register the grievances of the Muslim community over such absurdity going on at the community Grammar School, Papa.
” It is important to highlight the fact that our team is fully on ground to challenge this illegality and disobedience to court order contained in SUIT NUMBER HOS/M.17/2013 – SHEIK SALAUDEEN ADE OLAYIWOLA & 3 OTHERS VS. THE GOVERNOR OF OSUN STATE & 9 OTHERS, in which the court had settled that no muslim students should henceforth be disturbed for putting on Hijab in any Public School in Osun State”, he concluded.
Speaking on this illegal act by the Principal of Community Grammar School, Papa, Barrister Sulaymon A. Tadese explained that the petition had gone further to the State Ministry of Education, Osogbo and the demand is the suspension of the school principal for erring in law and for disrespecting an order of the court while further update on the matter shall be brought to the notice of the public in due course.