The management of Covenant University, owned by the popular religious leader, Bishop Oyedepo of Living Faith Church Worldwide has barred Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME candidates from sitting for mock examinations at its campus in Otta, Ogun State.
The decision of the management of the university has generated condemnations from members of the public.
It was gathered that the said candidates witnessed delay before gaining entrance into the premises of the school simply for putting on Hijab.
In a video which has gone viral online, about 4 female candidates could be seen passing through difficult time, as they were stopped from entering the university because of the Hijab.
Mr. Olayode Akeem who accompanied his child to the mock examination centre
narrated that the security officers stopped candidates wearing Hijab from entering the premises of Canaanland because they were following order given to them from the top authority of the school.
The Informant247 learned that the intervention of Joint Admissions Matriculation Board, JAMB made them allow the candidates to enter the premises of the examination centre after waiting outside the school for more than one hour.
A resident of Ota said, “I was at Convenant University on Friday and I witnessed it. A lady was told she can’t go in to write her mock exam or else she put off her hijab or turn it into scalf. This is height of impunity. This is pathetic and should be addressed before the exam date.”
The development has generated reactions from social media users, condemning the decision of the management of the university.
The people called on the JAMB to rescue the situation before the examination day.
“I call on Dr. Isaq OLOYEDE @JAMBHQ to look into this matter… The centre was given randomly why denying them of writing their exams…(sic) Christians do write JAMB in Alhikmah University Ilorin, Summit University in Offa and in Fountain University Oshogbo without any problem… It’s only oyedepo that has problem…,” a Twitter user Taiye Hassan said.
Another Twitter user, Ago Ugbaja, has a contrary opinion, saying, “It’s a private institution and that’s it!!! Go and sort it out with Oyedepo…. And JAMB.”
The Islamic organisations has spoken against the decision of the management of the institution in separate statements made available to newsmen.
The Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI) and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), in separate statements, condemned the development, saying some candidates were forced to remove their veil before they could gain entrance into the centre.
The Executive Director of the organisation, Mutiat Orolu-Balogun, said : “The security guards insisted that the university being a Christian institution does not permit hijabs in their premises and as such the candidates could not enter. Some candidates removed their hijabs in order to gain entry, while Maryam the daughter of Mr. Olayode and two others who did not remove their hijabs were denied entry.
“The Centre coordinator at Covenant University CBT centre was contacted and he joined the denied candidates at the gate and promptly let them in,” Orolu-Balogun said.
Also, MURIC Executive Director, Prof. Ishaq Akintola, called on the examination board to sanction both universities for not allowing Hijab-wearing candidates to enter the school for mock examination which took place on Thursday.
“In the case of Canaanland, the students who begged for permission to enter were ignored until a parent sent Save Our Soul Message (SOS) to MURIC headquarters which sprang into action by contacting JAMB authorities as well as the Ogun State branch of MURIC.
“The SOS produced some result and the coordinator of the centre soon came with his car to ferry three hijab-clad girls into the exam hall.
“The number of Muslim girls who wore hijab was actually more than that but about five or six had surrendered by removing their hijab after begging for more than one hour. Those who removed their hijab were allowed to go inside.
“Those who cannot tolerate Muslim girls in hijab should not apply to host public examinations. Canaanland and Covenant have subjected Muslim girls to embarrassment, stigmatization and persecution,” Akintola said.
The Informant247 recalls that Oyedepo was borne into an Islamic family but has become a leading Christian religion figure in the country.
While reacting to the crisis over Hijab in Kwara State 2 years ago, Oyedepo said: “It is such a nasty development in Kwara state where Muslims are asking their students in our schools to wear Hijab, and the church said “no”, I have never seen a place in my life where a tenant will be decreeing for the landlord.”
JAMB has not reacted to the development at the time of filing this report.