EAGLE ONLINE
The Lagos Sate Government has said it is prepared to begin the usage of Islamic headscarf, hijab, in all schools in the state.
The government said this in a circular dated December 5, 2022, by the Head of Service, Hakeem Muri-Okunola, copied to relevant stakeholders, including the Deputy governor, Speaker of the House of Assembly, the Chief Judge of the state, 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.
The statement titled, ‘Supreme Court judgment 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 judgment 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.”
Meanwhile, an Islamic organization, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has expressed gratitude to Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Governor Babajide Sanwo-olu and others for their ‘perceived’ role in facilitating the issuance of the circular.
Recall that MURIC on Monday made a passionate appeal to Tinubu to intervene in the hijab affair in Lagos State.
The organisation which believed that its appeal was instrumental to the issuance of the government circular, expressed gratitude to Tinubu and others who it believed played a role.
