One of the corps members posted to Ogun State, Miss Tolulope Ekundayo, a
graduate of the Lagos State University (LASU), has been decamped by the
authorities of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) over her refusal to wear trousers at
the orientation camp in Ogun State. Tolulope, who reported to the camp in
Shagamu on Tuesday, March 5, in her khaki skirts, was said to have been shown
the way out of the camp last Friday at about 11:00 pm Tolulope told newsmen in
Lagos yesterday that wearing of trousers negated her Christian belief and
values.
While saying she did not condemn anybody wearing
trousers, she asserted that her resolve not to wear it stemmed from a personal
conviction and the fact that she was a missionary. “When I was 10 years old, I
had a dream. In the dream, an old man appeared to me and told me to read
Deuteronomy 22:5. The old man told me to observe what is there. Then, I have
not memorised what the verse says. When I woke up, I went for a Holy Bible.
I opened to Deuteronomy 22:5 and the instruction is that I must not wear clothes pertaining to men. “Before I had the dream, I have never worn trousers and after the dream up till now. I have not worn trousers. I explained everything to the leadership of the NYSC but they said the penalty for not wearing the khaki trouser is decampment. “I faced a panel and I was directed to submit all the kits that were given to me at the camp, which I did. I was also ordered to go to the account unit and refund the N2, 500 transportation and bicycle allowances I was paid on the camp and I did so.
All these happened on the same Friday that I was ordered to leave the camp. “I want to serve my father land and if NYSC will allow me to wear skirt on the camp, I am ready to return to the orientation camp. My khaki and white skirts were made in such a way that they did not give me any problem. I was in Platoon Four and I participated actively in all the exercises from Tuesday to the Friday that I was thrown out of the camp,” Tolulope said.
When contacted on phone yesterday evening, the Head/Press and Public Relations Unit of NYSC in Ogun State, Mrs. Tarkighir Diana, said that Tolulope Ekundayo signed an undertaking during her registration on the camp, which she later disobeyed. She requested for the email address of this reporter so that she could send details of the issue. But the details did not come as at press time. At a press conference addressed by the General Overseer, Faith Revival Apostolic Church (FRAC) and President, Apostle Paul Gospel Outreach (APGO),
Apostle Paul Taiwo Adenuga in Lagos yesterday, he lamented that a lot of Nigerians were being forced to do things they did not want to do, adding: “For anyone who wants to put on the trousers, she should be allowed and for those who feel it is indecent dressing, they should be allowed to put on skirts. According to him, “The issue of dressing in a man’s attire is forbidden to the Christian girls, ladies and women. God created them ‘he and she’ and places a gender distinction between them and forbids them not to be adorned in men’s attires.
“Even in regimented environments such as the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Air Force, women are given option of dressing in shirt as their religious belief permits. In the airline operations, ladies are permitted to dress in skirt.” A lawyer, Mr. Sunday Fatade, described the decampment of Tolulope from the Shagamu NYSC orientation camp as an unconstitutional act. He disclosed that the national headquarters of the NYSC would be officially informed about the decampment of Tolulope Ekundayo in the first instance for her to get justice.
I opened to Deuteronomy 22:5 and the instruction is that I must not wear clothes pertaining to men. “Before I had the dream, I have never worn trousers and after the dream up till now. I have not worn trousers. I explained everything to the leadership of the NYSC but they said the penalty for not wearing the khaki trouser is decampment. “I faced a panel and I was directed to submit all the kits that were given to me at the camp, which I did. I was also ordered to go to the account unit and refund the N2, 500 transportation and bicycle allowances I was paid on the camp and I did so.
All these happened on the same Friday that I was ordered to leave the camp. “I want to serve my father land and if NYSC will allow me to wear skirt on the camp, I am ready to return to the orientation camp. My khaki and white skirts were made in such a way that they did not give me any problem. I was in Platoon Four and I participated actively in all the exercises from Tuesday to the Friday that I was thrown out of the camp,” Tolulope said.
When contacted on phone yesterday evening, the Head/Press and Public Relations Unit of NYSC in Ogun State, Mrs. Tarkighir Diana, said that Tolulope Ekundayo signed an undertaking during her registration on the camp, which she later disobeyed. She requested for the email address of this reporter so that she could send details of the issue. But the details did not come as at press time. At a press conference addressed by the General Overseer, Faith Revival Apostolic Church (FRAC) and President, Apostle Paul Gospel Outreach (APGO),
Apostle Paul Taiwo Adenuga in Lagos yesterday, he lamented that a lot of Nigerians were being forced to do things they did not want to do, adding: “For anyone who wants to put on the trousers, she should be allowed and for those who feel it is indecent dressing, they should be allowed to put on skirts. According to him, “The issue of dressing in a man’s attire is forbidden to the Christian girls, ladies and women. God created them ‘he and she’ and places a gender distinction between them and forbids them not to be adorned in men’s attires.
“Even in regimented environments such as the Nigeria Police and Nigerian Air Force, women are given option of dressing in shirt as their religious belief permits. In the airline operations, ladies are permitted to dress in skirt.” A lawyer, Mr. Sunday Fatade, described the decampment of Tolulope from the Shagamu NYSC orientation camp as an unconstitutional act. He disclosed that the national headquarters of the NYSC would be officially informed about the decampment of Tolulope Ekundayo in the first instance for her to get justice.
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Obey those in authority that's the order! The code bends for no man ..kamzy baby
ReplyDeleteWho is she?
ReplyDeleteMr Apostle should remember that the bible said we should give to ceasar his and God should also have his.And Mr. Lawyer instead of looking 4 cheap popularity should put more effort in upholding the constitutional provision. It was only Tolu, who saw the vision that has no national value. Come to think of it she is not the only one that who has seen visions; a lady from Benue meet Virgin mary but still wore trouser, I myself have seen various religious vision and still tolorate the breach of my fundamental by some Nigerian authorities who wanted me to pay 4 Job.Prophet tolu should go back to Camp before it is too late. Obasi
ReplyDeletetolupe deserves to be decamped because she is very ignorant of the bible and that's her problem. after reading Deutronomy 22:5, she should also read verse 9,10 and 11 of the same Deutronomy 22. folishness and religion. am a Pastor and i can tell u what her problem is. was she being force to adopt trouser as her way of dressing or for the purpose of the exercise? she should go back to the bible and learn to submissive to authority.
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