Old habits die hard.
That is the timeless wise saying which came to my mind as soon as I saw the statement credited to Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi on the raging hijaab controversy in Kwara. Trying to register his voice on the issue, ex-minister for Youths and Sports Bolaji Abdullah ended up fouling the air with a rather simplistic take.
Hear him: “This hijab thing is nothing new. The contention over the identity of mission schools is also not new. We have managed these issues over the years without allowing them to escalate to the level of forcing the closure of schools. Some people are either mismanaging or exploiting this issue.”
Yes, the issue is not new. The contention is not also new. But it is very wrong to say they managed it. No, the past governments of Kwara didn’t address the issue. They have rather made it harder with their uncommitted stance on it. It is rather unfortunate that Bolaji as a Muslim brother would even throw a sly accusation of mismanagement and exploitation of the crisis to the current government working round the clock to uphold the fundamental rights of Muslim girl-child.
But I am not surprised one bit. He is just being consistent with his anti- Islam posture. Let me tell you a story. As he said, the Hijaab debate is not new and so is his disdain for it.
There was this court case involving Provost Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin vs Basirat Saliu Suit No. CA/IL/49/2009 on the use of Hijaab in public schools. The Court of Appeal, Ilorin Judicial Division held thus: ‘The use of veil (hijab) by female Muslims qualifies as a fundamental right under section 38 of the Constitution.’ Bolaji was the commissioner at the time. He didn’t push for it to be validated as state policy.
There is also a so-called agreement to disallow hijab in so-called mission schools which was reached in 2008 when he was the commissioner of education. He didn’t kick against that shortchange against innocent girls. Yes-men like Bolaji are the reasons the Christian leaders are emboldened to trample on the right of Muslim girl child in the Ilorin Emirate. While he should at least redeem himself, support or advise the government on the steps so far, he wants the issue perpetually ignored on a flimsy concern for education. Man is so consistent being a Munafiq.
Who doesn’t want the schools reopened? Definitely not the parents and the government. But should the state open to the gale of violence and unrest!? Definitely not. The state needs to be safe and secure for all. Children education and safety are the least to be used by any sane person to play politics. I don’t know why he could not see it. To have taken a dig at this government on this sensitive issue shows he is the one being political, even to the point of forsaking the values and dignity of the Ilorin Emirate.
Bolaji doesn’t wish the Hijaab issue is settled permanently. To him, it is not necessary. Bolaji doesn’t want Muslim girl – child to wear Hijaab in government schools. Bolaji is siding with the Christians for alleged political ambitions in 2023. The harder Bolaji tries to make people believe he is one of us in Ilorin, the clearer it becomes he is not. No Ilorin person and Muslim will not prioritise approval for the use of Hijaab in public schools for our girls over the desire to look western and cosmopolitan for political reasons.
The Ilorin people should note this. The Muslim community should note this. Bolaji appears to have an unfinished business against Islam and he must not be allowed to succeed.
Old habits die hard.
Mustapha Lukman is a graduate of Islamic Studies from UNILORIN.
