Umaru Musa Yar’Adua University (UMYU), formerly Katsina State University has banned all activities on campus except from the activities of the Muslim Society of Nigeria according to a memo released by the school authority.
The Acting Dean of Student Affairs of the University, Sulaiman Kankara, had in January 17 memo informed students of a new guideline for the registration of clubs and associations in the institution.
In the circular, Dr. Kankara indicated that participation in clubs and associations, including departmental ones, were strictly optional and that no student should be compelled to pay dues.
He also outlawed the formation of tribal and local government associations in the university.
But the controversial part of the memo which made the document to go viral was the dean’s pronouncement that the "Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN) is the only religious association allowed to operate on campus.”
See Memo below:
See Memo below:
A Nairaland user, Built2last who i believed is a student of the school wrote:
"Why will a University in a secular state ban freedom of Religion in school and publish their bias for all to see. I make bold to ask, Is Nigeria an Islamic State?
"Before you answer? Note. Every Federal government agency in Abuja has an original in-built mosque from inception. Name them-CBN, SEC, FIRS, University of Abuja, PTDF, FCDA, Federal Secretariat etc. Aso Rock villa was modeled After Moroccan kings palace. With 3 standard mosques. OBJ built a chapel in 2004 and All hell was almost let loose. Now a FEDERAL university built with Tax payers money issues a memo making it obvious"
The authorities of the Umaru Yar’Ádua University, Katsina, have since denied discriminating against Christian students in the approval granted a students religious association to operate on its campus.
When contacted on Sunday morning by PREMIUM TIMES, Dr. Kankara said that aspect of the guideline was actually targeted at Islamic groups which were beginning to mushroom on campus, creating division among students of the same faith.
The dean said, “Actually there is one misconception in the memo. But the fact of the matter is that in Umaru Yar’Ádua University, there is no association known as Christian Students Association".
“There is one religious association and subsidiary Islamic students associations like the Tijjanniya Students Movement in Nigeria, Academic Forum of Islamic Movement in Nigeria and many associations like that.
“They are Islamic students association. So what we want is to have a single union which will be the mouthpiece of Muslim Students and that is the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria.
“It has nothing to do with any Christian group because up till now, I have not received any application requesting registration of Christian Students Society.
“And once they do that, we are ready to register them. Even as at last week, we said the two religious group to be recognised by the university will be the Muslim one and one from Christian side.
“Up till now we are to receive any application for the registration of any Christian association in the university from any group.”
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