Muslim community stakeholders in Lagos have applauded the state government’s move to release a circular regarding the wearing of the hijab in state institutions and public schools.
On Monday, December 5, the circular—with reference number CIR/HOS/’22/Vol.1/068—was released and signed by Hakeem Muri Okunola, the State Head of Service.
The Supreme Court’s decision in favour of hijab, which put an end to the eight-year legal battle about hijab in Lagos schools, came more than six months before the issue of the circular, which became effective right away.
On Friday, June 17, 2022, a majority of the Supreme Court’s justices, including Olukayode Ariwoola, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, John Inyang Okoro, Uwani Aji, Mohammed Garba, Tijjani Abubakar, and Emmanuel Agim, ruled in favour of the hijab.
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The court found that the hijab prohibition infringed the Muslim students’ rights to freedom of expression, conscience, and religion as well as their rights to human dignity and equality under the law, all of which are protected by the 1999 Constitution.
Recall that the State administration had outlawed the hijab, an Islamic veil worn by female Muslim students, on the grounds that it was not an official component of the school uniform. This led to a protracted legal dispute that the Supreme Court ultimately decided to settle.
Since the Supreme Court’s decision, the Muslim community has experienced an uneasiness due to the state government’s silence and refusal to release a circular to implement the decision.
In a statement released on Monday, Prof. Lakin Akintola, the director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), said that “LASG appears unaware that its silence regarding the Supreme Court judgement can be construed as a deliberate attempt to undermine the rule of law and that it may be held in contempt of the highest court in the land.”
But soon after MURIC’s statement went viral, the state government released a circular that gave the ruling full effect.
The letter was headed, “Supreme Court Judgement on the Use of Hijab in Lagos State Schools read: “It’s hereby notified for general information that the supreme court judgment 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 delivered that the 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.”
Hijab Rights Advocacy Initiative (HRAI), one of the groups that has promoted the wearing of the hijab and whose membership spans a number of Islamic organisations in the state, responded to the development by expressing satisfaction with it.
According to HRAI’s executive director, Hajiah Mutiat Orolu-Balogun, the state has demonstrated that it is an accountable and law-abiding government.
“Those who tend to take laws into their own hands don’t have any excuse again,” she said, referring to the state’s circular that was sent to all state officers.
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria also praised the state administration for the circular and demanded strict adherence to the Supreme Court’s instructions.
Miftahudeen Thanni, the Amir (President) of the MSSN Lagos State Area Unit, praised the administration but showed hesitation over the circular’s second paragraph, adding, “It’s a settled subject.”
He claims that the Supreme Court’s ruling already contains instructions on how to wear a hijab.
