The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Kwara Area Unit, notes with deep concern and disappointment the recent utterances credited to Bishop David Oyedepo on the lawful use of hijab by Muslim female students in Kwara State public schools.
In a widely reported sermon, Oyedepo described the demand for hijab as a “nasty development,” likened Muslim students to “tenants dictating to landlords,” and issued inflammatory spiritual threats, describing the matter as a “time bomb” that could invite “the consuming fire of God.”
Such language, coming from someone who positions himself as a moral compass, is factually wrong, historically distorted, and unbefitting of a figure who claims to speak for peace. By portraying an entire faith community’s constitutional right as “nasty” and “dangerous,” David Oyedepo has traded the dignity of responsible leadership for the fleeting applause of those who thrive on division.
It bears restating that the schools in question are state-owned public institutions—acquired, funded, and managed by the Kwara State Government for decades—not private properties of any religious denomination. The “tenant vs landlord” analogy is therefore not only false but a careless attempt at historical revisionism. It exposes either a worrying ignorance of the facts or a deliberate willingness to mislead the public.
The hijab is a divinely mandated act of modesty in Islam (Qur’an 24:31; 33:59) and its lawful use in public schools was affirmed by the Supreme Court of Nigeria in Asiyat AbdulKareem & Ors v. Lagos State Government (SC.910/2016). No individual—no matter the size of his congregation, wealth, or stage—has the moral or legal authority to brand a constitutionally protected act of worship as a provocation or threat.
Furthermore, invoking spiritual curses and violent metaphors against lawful religious practice is not the mark of a statesman or a unifier. It is the conduct of one who sees moral responsibility as optional and regards truth as expendable when it conflicts with personal sentiment. Nigeria’s fragile peace requires leaders who can rise above prejudice, not those who inflame it under the cloak of piety.
In light of this, MSSN strongly advises Muslim parents and guardians to be vigilant in the choice of schools for their wards. We encourage the patronage of Muslim-owned or government-owned institutions where the religious rights of Muslim students are respected, protected, and upheld without prejudice. Entrusting our children’s education to institutions hostile to their faith is a direct risk to their spiritual and moral development.
We urge Oyedepo to reflect soberly on the danger of his words, retract his misleading statements, and choose the higher path of fostering harmony over discord. We equally call on the Kwara State Government to reaffirm its unwavering commitment to protecting the religious rights of all students in public institutions.
The MSSN Kwara Area Unit remains steadfast in defending the dignity and rights of Muslim students through all lawful means.
Signed:
Adnan Muhammad Nasir
Amir / Chairman
Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, Kwara Area Unit.
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