Court endorses Lagos State Government Ban on use of Hijab in Public Schools

A Lagos High Court sitting in Ikeja on Friday upheld the ban by the Lagos State Government on the wearing of hijab by Muslim students in public primary and secondary schools in the state. Hijab is a a veil popularly worn by muslim women to cover their head and chest. 

It would be recalled that the Lagos state chapter of the Muslim Students of Nigeria had dragged the state government over the ban of the use of hijab in schools, saying it violates their fundamental human rights as Muslims. The state government in its response to the suit said the students can only wear the hijab during special occasions such as religious classes and during prayers. 

Justice Grace Modupe Onyeabo while delivering judgement on the matter upheld the ban, saying it was not discriminatory as it did not breach Sections 38 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution. The judge said Section 10 of the Constitution made Nigeria a secular state and that government must maintain neutrality at all times, and since the state government is the one funding the public schools, it had the right to issue dress codes to the student. 

“The non-Hijab wearing students will feel inferior to those who are putting on Hijab. “The values of plurality and the respect for the rights of others who have subscribed to a non-faith based educational system cannot be breached. “In that effect, the issue is resolved in favour of the respondents and the suit is accordingly dismissed,’’ Onyeabor said. The counsel on behalf of the muslim students, Chief Gani Adetola-Kazeem, said his clients were not satisfied with the judgement and as such would file an appeal.

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