Law School Anti-Hijab Action: Sultan of Sokoto asks if Law School is above National Judicial Council, other courts of Nigeria, wonders why Muslims who adorn hijab are ‘molested’ if Constitution permits Hijab

*Says it’s denial of Muslim women of their rights

*’Hijab mode of dressing in Islam, Christianity and Judaism’

“Secondly, in Nigerian Constitution it is absolutely clear. Why should Nigerian Muslims be molested and even denied their own right? The Appeal Court ruling in Ilorin is there, the Appeal Court in Lagos and also the High Court all delivered judgment in favour of Hijab. Justice Alooma, the former CJN, Justice Bukalchuwa and other Senior Justices in Nigeria wear their Hijab and then the wig on top of it. The Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC), the highest body in the judiciary has not said, ‘no, they should stop’ which means the Nigerian Constitution allows the Hijab, the Nigerian Courts through these three judgments have allowed the Hijab and the NJC through these senior judges has allowed the Hijab. Why will a legal school refuse our sister’s induction into the judiciary simply because she is wearing Hijab?”

Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has decried the recent controversy over hijab, particularly as regards a lady law school graduate identified as Firdaus Amosa, denied the honour of Call to Bar for reason of her hijab.

According to the Sultan, hijab simply means decent dressing for Muslim women and part and parcel of Islam.

Speaking during the fifth National Convention of Muslim Public Affairs Centre (MPAC) with the theme, “Public Trust and Accountability”, held in Lagos on Saturday, the leader of over 90 million Muslims of Nigeria and several of other West African countries, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, who was represented at the event by the Wazirin of Katsina, Professor Sanni Abubakar Lugga, said he could not decipher why the issue of hijab would be so controversial to the extent that female Muslims who adorn hijab would be ‘molested’.

He spoke against the backdrop of the recent controversy over the denial of a University of Ilorin law student, Miss Amasa Firdaus, from being called to bar last week for refusing to remove her Hijab worn under her wig.

The Sultan, at the occasion also attended by World Court Judge Bola Ajibola (Rtd), said Hijab is not only a mode of dressing in Islam but that it is also an accepted mode of dressing in Christianity and Judaism.

He stressed that Muslims are peace-loving people and that they should be allowed to practice their religion as stipulated by Allah and as contained in the traditions of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him).

Professor Abubakar said: “His Eminence wonders while Hijab has now become a controversial issue. Hijab simply means decent dressing, decent dressing by the females. So why should decent dressing be a problem? The Hijab is just an Arabic word. In English it means decent dressing.

“His Eminence has asked Nigerians to reflect and see that this is not only an Islamic mode of dressing but a Christian mode of dressing. It is also a Judaism mode of dressing and it is a dressing for every decent woman. It is a dressing for any woman who wants to preserve her chastity in public.

“Secondly, in Nigerian Constitution it is absolutely clear. Why should Nigerian Muslims be molested and even denied their own right? The Appeal Court ruling in Ilorin is there, the Appeal Court in Lagos and also the High Court all delivered judgment in favour of Hijab.

“Justice Alooma, the former CJN, Justice Bukalchuwa and other Senior Justices in Nigeria wear their Hijab and then the wig on top of it. The Nigeria Judicial Council (NJC), the highest body in the judiciary has not said, ‘no, they should stop’ which means the Nigerian Constitution allows the Hijab, the Nigerian Courts through these three judgments have allowed the Hijab and the NJC through these senior judges has allowed the Hijab.

“Why will a legal school refuse our sister’s induction into the judiciary simply because she is wearing Hijab? Is the law school saying they are above the NJC, are they above the Nigerian Constitution, are they above these three senior courts?”

Meanwhile, the lady at the center of the controversy, Miss Firdaus Amasa, has said she was aware of the outcome of her action, adding that she remained resolute in her conviction to speak for the recognition of rights of female Muslim law graduates.

She added that the law school has not said anything on the case, even as she acknowledged the support she has been getting from the Muslim community.

“There is nothing like laws preventing the use of hijab. When you ask them too, they tell you it is convention; that that is how it is done and it has to remain like that,” she said.

Respondents, who spoke to The DEFENDER, on the matter believed that now that the Leader of the Muslims in the person of Sultan of Sokoto had waded into the matter the issue would be resolved permanent to the favour of Muslim law graduates at the Nigerian Law School or that whoever among the operators of the Law School still headstrong over the matter was driving to hit his or her own head against the rock of time.

One of them said, “It is a good thing that we have a courageous woman like Firdaus, standing for her rights and the rights of other Muslim women passing through the Nigerian Law School.  What is still hypocritical about the actions of these Law School operators and their co-opts in other institutions is that, when a Catholic system wears such wig on her head scarf or does not remove it for whatever convention, they don’t complain.  But they must attack the Muslim women for wearing their hijab in public places, which is the place to wear it, because they feel that, being Christians in the saddle of power, they must seize the opportunity to force Muslims to embrace their own Christian way.  Where is it done, if even Islam does not permit Muslim to force non-Muslims into its fold?

“This is the issue in Nigeria especially in Southern Nigeria and that is why I wonder sometimes when some people claim that Southern Nigeria is the most peaceful talking about religious peace and harmony.  And I asked, ‘If the Muslims have chosen to be as provoking and intolerant in the face of provocations by the Christians in position of authorities in this part of the country, would there be anything to be called most peaceful in term of religious peace and harmony in the South of Nigeria?  This is what we must begin to watch and work upon from now on.  And it is a great thing to know that our Leader, the Sultan of Sokoto and Leader of Nigeria’s over 90 million Muslims have waded into the matter and that is vital,” He asked.