MURIC condemns OAU International School over alleged eviction of Hijab-wearing students
By KEMI KASUMU
According to Akintola, the affected students were reportedly locked out of the school for several days because the authorities allegedly insisted that they remove their hijabs before being allowed into the school compound.
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has condemned the authorities of the International School, Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Osun State, over the alleged refusal to allow female Muslim students wearing hijab into the school premises.
MURIC described the development as discriminatory and an alleged violation of the students’ constitutional right to freedom of religion.
The organisation’s Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, made the position known in a statement issued on Monday, October 5, 2026.
According to Akintola, the affected students were reportedly locked out of the school for several days because the authorities allegedly insisted that they remove their hijabs before being allowed into the school compound.
He said the students eventually returned to school without their hijabs after the authorities allegedly indicated that the matter would not be considered until December 2026, when the university council is expected to deliberate on it.
MURIC described the situation as “discriminatory, deplorable and tyrannical,” arguing that the students’ religious rights should not be compromised over the wearing of hijab.
“This is a sad development. MURIC condemns the school’s arm-twisting tactics. It is discriminatory, deplorable and tyrannical. It also constitutes a gross violation of Allah-given fundamental human rights of the children,” Akintola said.
He accused the school authorities of what he described as “premeditated stereotyping” and an alleged “hate-induced policy” against Muslims.
Akintola questioned why hijab should become a contentious issue in a school environment, arguing that the head covering is commonly worn by Muslim women and girls in many parts of the world.
“Hijab, an ordinary piece of head scarf which is commonly used in schools in London, Paris, New York, etc., has become a controversial subject on a Nigerian university campus. How could our standard fall so low?” he asked.
The MURIC director also expressed concern that the controversy could affect the emotional and religious development of the students, who are still at an impressionable age.
He further alleged that some Muslim members of staff of the university were unhappy with the development but had remained silent in what he described as an effort to preserve campus harmony.
Akintola said the matter should not be viewed as affecting only the students and their parents, stressing that Muslims across the country were becoming aware of the controversy.
He also questioned whether the school authorities were using their positions to pressure Muslim students to abandon their religious practices, an allegation he urged both OAU and the International School to address.
MURIC maintained that the Nigerian Constitution guarantees freedom of religion and argued that school regulations should not be used to undermine that constitutional right.
“The Nigerian Constitution grants religious freedom, including freedom to use hijab,” Akintola said, adding that the Constitution remains the supreme law of the country.
According to him, no educational institution has the authority to prohibit hijab in a manner that violates constitutional guarantees or lock students out of school solely because they wear it.
The organisation also linked the development to the broader challenge of out-of-school children in Nigeria, arguing that educational institutions should be encouraging, rather than discouraging, girl-child education.
MURIC cited a UNICEF figure of 18.3 million out-of-school children in Nigeria in 2025 and questioned the wisdom of preventing underage girls from attending school over their religious attire.
The organisation therefore called on OAU and the authorities of the International School to immediately and unconditionally lift what it described as the ban on hijab.
“Only thus can OAU retain the respect and the good name it has earned over the years as a world class tertiary institution,” Akintola said.
