Edo State Governor, Senator Monday Okpebholo, has pledged to address concerns raised by the Muslim community over Islamic religious education, the wearing of hijab in public schools and access to prayer facilities for Muslim civil servants.
The governor gave the assurance on Thursday, October 29, 2026, when he received an award for outstanding leadership, Muslim inclusion and representation in governance from the Edo State Council for Islamic Affairs (EDSCIA) at the Government House in Benin City.
According to a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Dr. Patrick Akhere Ebojele, the award was presented by a delegation led by the council’s chairman, Alhaji Abdulaziz Igbinidu, in recognition of what the organisation described as unprecedented Muslim representation in the Okpebholo administration.
Speaking on behalf of the council, Alhaji Bako Yusuf commended the governor for appointing Muslims to key government positions, including Secretary to the State Government, Chief of Staff, commissioner and Special Adviser on Islamic Religious Matters.
Yusuf said the level of Muslim participation in the administration represented a significant development in the state’s political history, adding that the community appreciated the opportunities provided for its members to contribute to governance.
The council, however, appealed to the governor to address several concerns affecting Muslims across the state, particularly access to Islamic religious education in public schools.
It alleged that some Muslim pupils and students were being compelled to study Christian Religious Studies (CRS) instead of Islamic Religious Studies (IRS), and called for measures to ensure that Muslim children could access religious education consistent with their faith.
The council also disclosed that more than 50 qualified teachers of Arabic and Islamic Studies were available within the Muslim community and could be considered for employment in the state’s teaching service to address the shortage of teachers in the subjects.
On the wearing of hijab, the council urged the governor to ensure compliance with existing legal provisions, alleging that some teachers continued to harass Muslim female students for wearing the Islamic head covering.
It said the matter had already been brought to the attention of the Commissioner for Education, who had promised to issue a statement on the issue.
The Muslim leaders also requested land within the State Secretariat for the construction of a prayer facility to enable Muslim civil servants to observe their daily prayers.
In addition, the council informed the governor that construction of its secretariat along Lucky Way in Benin City had commenced, with a school also operating at the location. It appealed for government support to facilitate the completion of the project during Okpebholo’s administration.
The delegation further announced plans to hold a Muslim summit in Auchi on November 21, 2026, to bring members of the community together and discuss civic and political participation. It also pledged to intensify efforts to keep Muslims informed about the policies and activities of the state government.
Responding, Governor Okpebholo thanked the council for the award and assured the delegation that its requests would be examined.
“I have heard your requests. We will look into them,” the governor said, according to the statement.
On the concerns surrounding Islamic Religious Studies, Okpebholo said his administration would explore ways to resolve the matter in a manner that accommodated the interests of all parties.
“For Islamic Religious Studies, it is something that we will see how we can resolve so that everybody will be happy. There is no problem at all. We will look at them one by one and see how we can make it up. We are one,” he said.
The governor also referenced the Quran’s mention of Jesus Christ, highlighting common ground between Islam and Christianity.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary to the State Government, Umar Musa Ikhilor; Chief of Staff, Hon. Yakubu Musa; Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua; Special Adviser on Islamic Religious Matters, Hon. Ahmed Musa Momoh; and Executive Secretary of the Edo State Muslim Pilgrims Welfare Board, Alhaji Eranga Abdulkabir Muhammadkabir, among other government officials and Muslim leaders.
The engagement comes as the Edo State Government and the Muslim community seek to strengthen relations, with the council expressing appreciation for the administration’s appointments while urging further action on religious inclusion, educational rights and access to worship facilities.
