Barrister, please adorn your Hijab! , By Ibrahim Muhammed

The opening and closing chapter over the controversy generated by the House of law popularly called Nigeria Law School and about the legal or otherwise of Barr Firdausi Amasa wearing her Hijab when being called to the Bar is yet to settle down. It becomes more worry some when an apex academic institutions that breeds legal practitioner is involved over an issue that has been settled by appellate court.
The Nigeria Supreme Council for Islamic Affair has taken a strong position urging the Nigeria Law School to rescind its decision in the interest of justice. Many other Islamic NGOs and bodies are up against Nigeria Law School. What makes this issue complex is that it involves a Law School.
On social media the issue has gain an international attention as people from other part of the country continue to share their view over the hijab. One contributor that I found very educative is the one posted by Akeem Babatunde Dauda, who wrote from United States. His post titled “ON HIJAB, LAW SCHOOL & CALL TO BAR” an extraction reproduced below reveals it all”
“In 2015, my wife, a Soldier with the US Army, was told at the Army Annual Training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, United States that she either take off her Hijab or leave the Annual Training. My wife insisted that her Hijab is part of her and she will never remove it to please anyone or authority. Exactly like you reportedly insisted. Eventually, she was told to leave and she left the Annual Training. After the conclusion of the annual training, her Military unit said she cannot return….At another point, she was invited back to the drill and she went there with her Hijab on her head. Again, she was told she cannot use her Hijab and she had to leave and she left. Away from the limelight she fought this vehemently by escalating the issue to the top echelon of the command. We prepared a memo to the authorities explaining why she should be allowed to use her Hijab .
She was away for almost a year but eventually and in end, the Army Secretary under President Obama released a new regulation allowing the use of Hijab. It was a glorious moment. Her decision to remain undaunted paved the way for others who will come after her. Suddenly, the fight was worth it. All those periods she had to cry became a thing of joy. We were elated that her resolve to remain undaunted finally paid off. Today, she proudly wears her Hijab on her uniform, attends her drill sessions and performs well. She’s a badass solider who’ll soon be commissioned as an officer and I’m so darn proud of her.
You have once again reignited the conversation that has been on for years. You have brought our attention to the way the Nigerian Law School and Council of Legal Education who are empowered to train new lawyers show flagrant disregard to your rights under S .38 of the constitution. Your courage and sacrifice remind me of that of my wife. Your call to bar may have been delayed but in the end, Justice will prevail and it won’t be denied. Please, cheer up! The road ahead will be tough but Allah will strengthen and ease that burden for you.
To my Lawyer colleagues, once again, we have been called to task. How do we explain it that the Nigerian Law School & Council of Legal Education who are empowered to train new lawyers will themselves refuse to obey the judgments of the Court? Does that not worry us? As a Lawyer, I’m extremely disappointed. Several courts including the Court of Appeal in the case of Lagos State v Aisha Abdulkareem held that the use of Hijab
is a constitutional and fundamental right and no one can take it away. Also in Abidemi Rasaq & ors V. Commissioner for Health Lagos State suit no ID/424M/2004, the Lagos State High Court held that a circular issued by Lagos State School of Health Technology banning students from wearing Hijab is unconstitutional. Similarly in the case of Provost Kwara State College of Education, Ilorin V. Basirat Saliu suit no CA/IL/49/2009, the learned Justices of the Court of Appeal held that the use of Hijab by female Muslims qualifies as a fundamental right under Section 38 of the Constitution.
Despite all these decisions, the Nigerian Law School and by extension the Council of Legal Education continues to victimize Muslim Law Student who chose to cover their hair by threatening not to call them to Nigerian Bar. If the Nigerian Law School and the Council of Legal Education does not respect the decisions of a properly constituted Courts, including the Courts of Appeal, then what the hell are they teaching law students? Are we really going to debate this issue from our religious goggles or be objective and err on the side of common sense and humanity?
To MULAN and other Muslim Senior Lawyers and Judges, I once read that the Elders have said that they needed just one person who’s willing to face the consequences and stand her ground to wear her Hijab and they will take it up. Now Amasa Firdaus has given herself up. Will you fail her?
To the members of National Assembly especially those representing the State and district Firdaus came from, are you all going to fold your arms and let a Nigerian, a member of your constituency be punished unjustly for asserting her fundamental human rights as guaranteed under S.38 of the constitution?”
The world is watching…”