Date: 2021-03-17

The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) has condemned in the strongest possible terms the flagrant and arrogant refusal of some recalcitrant elements to allow the resumption of academic activities as reported on Wednesday, March 17,2021 in a few schools in Ilorin, urging the Kwara State Government to mobilise every governmental power towards the effective and immediate implementation of its position on the hijab matter.

The Union, in a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Imam, on behalf of the National President, Alhaji Aliyu Otta Uthman, fsi,said that "the people of Ilorin at home and in diaspora have watched with absolute disappointment the attempted attempt of some criminals to turn the harmonious city of Ilorin into a place where anything goes over a matter that has been judiciously concluded".

"The government should direct all the affected Principals and teachers to either implement the resolutions in their schools or face the music. We are not in a Banana republic. We are a people with laws and order.", Alhaji Uthman said. While commending the authorities of some schools that have since toed the path of honour as regards the directive of the government,the Union encouraged the Kwara State Government to fish-out Heads and teachers of schools who are instigating some members of the public against the implementation of the government directives for adequate reprimands.

Ahaji Uthman said that the unwise resistance of some elements to allow the affected schools to reopen was not only a disservice to national development and criminally inspired but also a clear attempt of a few misguided individuals to either test the will and capacity of the constituted authorities to govern or possibly run a paralleled government.

The Union pointed out that the matter can be liken to a dialogue of the deaf or a debate between the constituted authorities and the over pampered religionists and a manifestation of the conflict between legality and illegality; morality versus immorality; and sanity against insanity.

While assuring the government and other law abiding citizens of Kwara State and Nigeria that the people of Ilorin Emirate,who are still the owners of the land on which those schools are built and the greatest stakeholders in the needless friction, would maintain their characteristic pacific dispositions, Alhaji Uthman implored the government of Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to swiftly and permanently close down the affected schools and premises used by the identified trouble makers to forestall total breakdown of law and order.

The Union said that if the situation persists it would not hesitate to implore the government to permanently close down such schools and transfer staff and students to other schools within and around the State to ensure that the innocent ones neither suffer nor get polluted by the unnecessary profanity of those who want to be more catholic than the pope.

While insisting that naysayers on the issue are culpable of contempt of court,the retired security technocrat enjoined the Kwara State Government to watch its back and also go a step further by also identifying the perpetual trouble makers from outside the school system with a view to quickly bringing them to justice so as to serve as deterrents to others.

Alhaji Uthman said that the government cannot and should not capitulate on the implementation of the well considered judgement of the Court of Appeal,saying that doing so will be an invitation to anarchy.

Abubakar Imam,
National Publicity Secretary,
Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.