Bishop Oyedepo Rejects Use Of Hijab In Schools

The founder of Living Faith Church, Bishop David Oyedepo has condemned the push by some Muslim groups for female students in mission schools to be allowed to wear the hijab.

Speaking during a church service, Oyedepo described the demand as an act of overstepping boundaries, likening it to “a tenant decreeing for the landlord.”

He insisted that mission schools should maintain their original standards and warned those making such demands to “leave the schools for the owners” and instead establish their own institutions where hijab use can be freely practiced.

The cleric cautioned against what he called harassment of the church in Nigeria, warning that “God is a consuming fire” and that such actions could attract divine judgment.

In his address, Oyedepo also prayed against ritual killings, kidnapping, and destruction of farmlands, calling for God’s judgment on those responsible for such crimes.

He urged members of the church to remain steadfast in prayer and stand firm in defending the faith.

He said, “Such a nasty development in Kwara State, where Muslims are asking for their students in our schools to wear hijab. And the church said, no. I’ve never seen a place in my life where a tenant will be decreeing for the landlord. I’ve never seen. You know the reason why? We have never shown the world the other side of God. God is not a toy. He said the Lord is a consuming fire. Let’s show them the consuming fire of God. The consuming fire part of God. Leave the schools for the owner. Go to your school. Is there any fight? The word should be warned against the church. The church is a temple. The church is a time bomb. When God turns his back on anybody or any system, that system is grounded. That system is cursed. My advice, and I know they will hear me because they always hear me. My advice is leave the schools for the owners. Find your schools. Men and women can wear hijab there. No. I can understand it. Stop putting your finger in the eyes of others when they are not blind. Father, bring an end to all harassments against your church in Nigeria. Now, wait a minute. Now, we have this menace of ritual killers because they have market. Lord, the literal killers and their faith sons or faith sonnages. Let judgment come down. The kidnappers are those who buy human beings. Let your judgment come down on them. The fool and the heartless men invading people’s food and destroying the labor of their hands. Let your judgment come on their heads. Now, we need to pray this prayer. Are you sure you are in line? Yes. If you are not, go out, please. Are you sure you are in line with all this? Now, pray like somebody in line.”

Meanwhile, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria has condemned in strong terms the statement credited to Bishop David Oyedepo on use of hijab by Muslim students of the Landmark University Omu-Aran, Kwara State.

According to a highly circulated viral video, Oyedepo called on Muslim Parents and Guardians to withdraw their female children if they insisted on use of hijab.

In a satement by its National Missioner Sheikh Abu Sheriff, the Group described the ban of use of hijab at the Landmark University Omu-Aran as ‘a tip of an icebag’ on the ‘denial of religious freedom’ prevailing in the University; pointing out that Muslims are not employed in the Institution, and by mistake if they recruited a Muslim, he must not be found to be observing the 5-times regular prayers or fasting on the holy month of Ramadan.

The group condemned Bishop David Oyedepo for flagrantly violating the fundamental human right of muslim students and staff of the Institution as guaranteed in Section 38 of the Nigerian Constitution.

MMWG maintained that as a Bishop, Oyedepo supposed to be well-learned to know that disallowing Muslim students the right of using hijab as violation of freedom of their religious belief and worship.

The statement said further that ‘it is not only irritating but disgusting’ to ask Parents to withdraw their children because you are denying them their fundamental human right.

The Media Group stated further that ‘ no Institution discriminating against students based on religion, tribe or cultural differences should retain National University Commission’s [NUC] approval to continue to operate… The constitutional provision in the Nigerian Constitution the Group said allow freedom of religion, worship, conscience and freedom to manifest one’s religious belief; pointing out that any other law operating anywhere in this Country that runs counter to the constitutional provision is null and void!

They described the viral video in which Bishop Oyedepo flagrantly denied Muslim students rights of Islamic dressing as highly condemnable and incredible as it depicts religious fanaticism and intolerance of the Bishop which Group said has been well known in Kwara State.

The Media Group enjoined Bishop Oyedepo to come-off educational commercialisation and impunity, rather he should embrace true patriotism and religious tolerance.

The Group also called on Regulators in field of education in Nigeria the Federal Ministry of Education, NUC, NBTE and all others to checkmate all violators of fundamental human rights in all manners in our schools regardless of their Proprietors so as to bring an end to all sorts of impunities that features in our educational system.

The Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria concluded by calling on all Muslim Parents and Guardians to learn serious lesson from this scenario and be concerned about where they enrol their children and wards for learning; adding that those that lack respect for freedom of worship, exhibit religious intolerance and lack of true patriotism should not only be ignored but blacklisted and published for all Muslims in Nigeria not to enrol their children there as they be forced to partipate in church services which could be at variance with religious belief – Islam.

The Group maintained that other Universities in the South-West alledged to be practicing same discrimination like Adeleke University Ede Osun State and Afe Babalola University Ado-Ekiti should desist from doing so or face the wrath of Muslims all over Nigeria.