Oyo Muslims to seek court affirmation of hijab in schools | EduCeleb
EduCeleb
22nd November 2021
The Chairman of the Muslim Community of Oyo State, Alhaji Kunle Sanni, said that the community is planning a legal action to pursue the usage of the Hijab in public schools in the state.
Sanni stated this in Ibadan during a summit organized by the Oyo State Muslim Community with the theme “Unity of Muslims in Oyo state: An inevitable option”.
He was speaking against the backdrop of cases of alleged harassment of Muslim girls and women who wear hijab in basic schools, secondary and institutions of higher learning in the state.
Sanni said the idea of denying Muslim students from using hijab in government schools under the pretence that they are Christian schools would no longer be tolerated.
The chairman said that the community has concluded a plan to go to court to seek legal action on the matter in order to bring a lasting situation on the issue.
“What section 32 (2) of the constitution says “is that a Muslim is entitled not only to freedom of religion but freedom to manifest his religion. The use of the Hijab is a manifestation of Islam,” he said.
The Chairman said that there were no state Muslim communities that has lost the case of the use of Hijab because the constitution is clear about it.
“When my friend Christopher Alao-Akala was the Governor, some Muslim teachers started using Niqob in Kishi and they were dismissed, but they went to court.
“The Christian judge not only adjudicated that the teachers have right to put on their Niqob as their religious right, but she also said their three years backlog of salaries should be paid”.
“We would Insha Allah go back to court because we want hijab for all women in Oyo State,” Sanni said.
Also speaking, the Chairman of the Ibadan Muslim Community, Chief Bayo Oyero, said that the unity of Muslims is a paramount and veritable instrument for development which Muslims urgently need at the moment.
“Muslims in power used Islam to nurture their own political ambition and empower themselves,” Oyero said.
He said that it was high time that the community put in place a developmental agenda to advance the cause of the Muslims.
However, the Aare Musulumi of Yorubaland, Edo, and Delta, Alhaji Daud Akinola, called on Muslim leaders to look inwards in order to find a lasting solution to the challenges facing Muslims.
The Aare Musulumi said that it was imperative for Muslims to look inwards for the solution to the myriad of challenges facing the Ummah in Oyo State and beyond.
He further said that the love for one another among the Muslims is essential emphasising that the tenet of unity is love.