There seems to be no let up on the issue of hijab recently approved by the Kwara State Government for female Muslim students in public schools in the state, particularly the grant-aided Christian Mission Schools, as the leadership of the Evangelical Church Winning All (ECWA) yesterday vowed not to welcome the directive in all its schools in the state.

Aside being an infringement on their freedom of religion, they said: “We are saying that we refuse the enforcement of hijab on our pupils and students by the state government, knowing full well that our schools are Church heritage and we shall use every licit means to protect it. “We promise to defend our faith and protect our properties with the whole of our strength and might.”

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, the Chairman, ECWA Ilorin District Church Council, Reverend Dr. John Owoeye, said ECWA schools were established by the Christian missionaries for purposes of reaching communities with the love of Christ and to meet educational needs of the indigenes irrespective of religious affiliations, among other reasons. The ECWA leaders, who demanded return of ECWA schools to them, said since 1974 when there was an agreement on collaboration between the state government and the proprietors of the grant-aided mission schools.