Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, has authorised the immediate implementation Supreme Court judgement approving the use of Hijab in all schools in the state.
This was contained in a circular released by the state’s Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola, on Monday, December 5, 2022.
The circular was copied to relevant stakeholders, including the Deputy Governor, Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Chief Judge, Secretary to the State Government, Commissioners, Permanent Secretaries/Tutors General, Local Government Chairmen, Teaching Service Commission Chairman, heads of tertiary institutions and Chairman, State Universal Basic Education Board.
It explained that having exhausted all legal avenues on the matter and the verdict of the Supreme Court that students should be allowed to wear the hijab if desired, it had no choice but to abide by the law.
It added that its desire to enforce compliance is immediate.
Although the circular stated that a Comprehensive Guidelines on the use of the Hijab in schools will be issued by the government in due course, “however, you are to note that the judgement is binding on all schools in the state.”
Even though Muri-Okunola did not differentiate between public and private schools, he said that as a law-abiding administration, the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu government directs all accounting officers that “the contents of this circular for immediate compliance and give it the deserved service-wide publicity.”
The statement titled, ‘Supreme Court Judgement on use of Hijab in Lagos State Schools,’ reads partly, “It is hereby notified for general information that the Supreme Court Judgement SC.910/2016 delivered on the 17th of June, 2022, on the use of Hijab as it affects Pupils/Students in Lagos State Schools has declared that Students should be allowed to wear the Hijab if desired.
“A Comprehensive Guideline on the use of Hijab in Schools will be issued by the State Government in due course, however you are to note that the judgement is binding on all schools in the State.
“As a law abiding administration, all Accounting Officers are to note the contents of this Circular for immediate compliance and give it the deserved Service-wide publicity.”
