Don’t you dare send them home
More interfaith outreach and mutual respect. “Hijab: School principal, teachers beaten to a pulp in Osun,” by Oluwole Ige for the Nigerian Tribune, November 26 (thanks to Pamela Geller):
There was confusion in the ancient town of Ejigbo in Osun State, on Monday, as the principal and some teachers of Baptist High School were beaten to a state of coma.
The incident, which occurred around 8.00 a.m, heightened tension in the town as many were apprehensive that the crisis might snowball into a clash between Christians and Muslims in the town.
Trouble ensued when some unknown persons invaded the office of the principal, identified as Mr Layi Oguntola, where they made some enquiries and subsequently pounced on him, beating him to a pulp.
Our correspondent was informed that the school authorities had, last Friday, sent a female student home for allegedly using veil (hijab) while in the school, a development which infuriated some Muslims.
But Muslim youths in the town mobilised themselves and stormed the school to demand an apology from the school principal, and when he refused to grant their demand, he was malhandled.
Similarly, some teachers were also attacked by the irate youths with dangerous weapons, such as axes, cutlass and charms.
Worried by the incident, the Ogiyan of Ejigbo, Oba Omowonuola Oyesosin, was said to have intervened and ordered that the principal and other affected teachers be moved to his palace to ensure their safety.
Baptist High School, Ejigbo, was a missionary school, but the school reclassification programme of the state government had affected its nomenclature, as students from other schools were merged with students of the school.
About two months ago, similar incident had occured at the Baptists Girls High School, Osogbo and Baptist High School, Iwo, where some Christians protested the merger policy, leading to chaos.