BY OLA AJAYI, IBADAN

THE stir caused by a female student who allegedly preached against Islam during a Jumat service in the University of Ibadan mosque, has led to the paralysis of all academic and commercial activities in the institution.

A religious crisis was averted on Sunday by the efforts of the Vice Chancellor of the institution, Professor Olufemi Bamiro who condemned the action of the female law student and appealed to the muslim students who cried foul of the action.

Led by the Muslim Youths leader, Ajibola Akeem, thousands of Muslim students in the institution staged protest round the campus yesterday blaming the school authority for releasing the student to her parent.

As a result of the protest, all gates leading to the institution were blocked by the protesting students who spread their mats on major roads within the campus vowing to continue doing so until the institution acceded to their demands.

Other demands of the students who trooped out as early as 6am were that the female student, Miss Adegunsoye be expelled outrightly from the institution adding that her continued presence would be antithetical to peace on campus and a threat to the muslim community; that her  fellowship, Mountain of Fire and Miracles Ministry (MFM) should be asked to vacate the institution.

They also demanded that “preaching and disturbing forms of worship should stop in lecture rooms, halls, cabs, buses, cafeteria, laboratories, common rooms and other public places outside designated areas; that the free period on Jumat day should be between noon and 3pm irrespective of the period it is”

While pleading with the students to calm down, the Vice Chancellor said, “it was the height of provocation. It is unbelievable. It has never happened in the history of this university because what this administration has been doing is to ensure inter-religious harmony on campus”.

“This one that happened beats everybody’s imagination. When it happened, the muslim community invited me to the mosque to appeal to the students. What we promise is that this administration will do all within its power to get to the root of this matter and that is what we are doing”, he explained.

He said the affected student had already been suspended from the institution and that  investigation into the matter would continue.

Bamiro added, “I assure the muslim students that justice will be done at the end of the day. This is what I am re-assuring them. I have been at the mosque and I know the gravity of what the girl has done.”

The protest denied academic and non-academic workers of the institution entry into
The school premises and this resulted into traffic snarl-up as motorists on the ever busy Ibadan-Ilorin road had hectic time from going to their destinations.

The students marched from one faculty to the other under the watchful eyes of the security agents with the angry students crying for the removal of the Chief Security Officer of the institution.

Ajibola said the protest was to register their grievances on alleged injustice of the school authority  in handling the case of the  400 level student who allegedly disguised into the mosque to preach against Islam.

The lady, whose name was given as Oluwaseun reportedly deceived other Islamic faithful with a veil and sat among other females at the upper chamber of the mosque last Friday.

Immediately, after the Jumat service, muslim students who were predominantly male had gathered to beat the lady but the situation was checked by the security personnel in the institution.

She was said to have been protected and moved away from the angry muslim students.

Bamiro described the incident as very surprising and unfortunate. He said, “We will look into the matter and ensure that justice is done. We will take a drastic step. We must prevent this kind of occurrence,”.

It was further learnt that the incident prompted some Islamic faithful to stage a peaceful protest yesterday morning.
As at the time of filing this report, there was tension and the management of the institution was having a closed door meeting on the issue.