UI gives give reason for shutting down its secondary school over hijab crisis

Following the hijab crisis at the International School of the University of Ibadan, the management of the University has shut down the secondary school.

The school according to Punch was shut down in order to prevent a possible violent clash between the protesting members of the Muslims Parents Forum and some students of the institution.

Speaking to the newspaper about the crisis, Prof. Adeyinka Aderinto, who is the Chairman, Board of Governors of the school and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics), UI, said the university management was jolted by the news that some placard-carrying youths had laid siege to the gate of the ISI.

The International School, Ibadan shut down indefinitely over hijab crisis ece-auto-gen

The youths according to Aderinto were allegedly imported by the Muslims Parents Forum of the school who are clamouring for the use of hijab female Muslim pupils of the secondary school.

The Deputy Vice-Chancellor also said he got a hint that some UI students were mobilising to attack the protesters for disturbing the peace of the institution, Punch Report.

He said, “This hijab crisis started last week Monday and we had discussions throughout that week. But between last Friday and Sunday, we were aware that the Chief Imam of the UI Central Mosque intervened and held talks with the concerned members of the forum. At the end of the meetings, they (members of the forum) said there won’t be any problem and even agreed that all the concerned pupils should come to school without their hijab.

“I was shocked when I got information this morning (Monday) that some people had been imported to barricade the ISI gate. So, after consultations with some stakeholders, I directed that the school should be shut down until further notice.

“We closed it because we didn’t want anything untoward to happen; we don’t want to endanger our students’ lives. We will come up with a decision in due course; definitely, it won’t be too long before we reopen the school because WAEC (West African Examinations Council) and other examination bodies, which will involve our students in their examinations, will not wait for us.”