Bishop David Oyedepo Rejects Demand for Hijab in Mission Schools, Warns Against Church Harassment

Bishop David Oyedepo, founder of Living Faith Church, has strongly condemned recent demands by some Muslim groups for female students in Christian mission schools to be permitted to wear the hijab. Speaking during a church service, Bishop Oyedepo described these demands as an overreach, likening it to “a tenant decreeing for the landlord.”

He emphasized that mission schools, founded and owned by Christian organizations, should maintain their original religious standards without being pressured to accommodate policies contradictory to their beliefs. Oyedepo urged those advocating for the hijab in these schools to establish their own institutions where Islamic dress codes could be freely practiced.

“This is a nasty development in Kwara State, where Muslims are asking for their students in our schools to wear hijab, and the church said no,” he said. He warned that continued harassment against the church could provoke divine judgment, invoking the biblical image of God as a “consuming fire.” The cleric cautioned that when God “turns His back on any system, that system becomes grounded and cursed.”

Beyond the hijab controversy, Bishop Oyedepo also prayed fervently against societal ills plaguing Nigeria, including ritual killings, kidnapping, and the destruction of farmlands. He called on God’s judgment against those responsible for such crimes and urged members of his church to remain steadfast in prayer and unwavering in defending their faith.

This statement echoes tensions that have been ongoing in Kwara State, where there have been clashes and government interventions regarding the wearing of the hijab in mission schools, some of which were temporarily shut down. The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state has firmly opposed the use of hijab in mission schools, insisting the schools be returned to their original owners and remain aligned with their founding Christian principles.

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Critics have accused Bishop Oyedepo and some Christian groups of infringing on the constitutional rights of Muslim students to religious expression. However, supporters argue that faith-based schools possess the right to enforce dress codes that reflect their religious values and that those unwilling to comply should seek admission elsewhere.

Bishop Oyedepo’s firm stance underscores the challenges Nigeria faces in balancing religious freedoms with the autonomy of faith-based institutions, highlighting the sensitive intersection of religion, education, and cultural coexistence in the country today.