Mrs Oluruntobi Abiola Bisi, the principal of Herbert Macaulay Senior High School, Sabo, Yaba, Lagos, might be dragged to court over flagrant disobedience to the Supreme Court judgment on hijab.
Muslim News reports that the apex court had on Friday, July 17, 2022 upheld the use of hijab for students in Lagos schools and by extension, Nigeria, but some overzealous school principals and teachers in Lagos State have disregarded the verdict, thereby harrassing female students who have chosen to adorn the hijab on school uniforms.
The Amir of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria, MSSN, Lagos State Area Unit, Mr. Miftaudeen Thanni on Tuesday, September 6, raised alarm over a fresh case involving two students, Onanuga Basirah and Mutiu Zaynab, who were reportedly sent home by their principal, Mrs Oloruntobi, for refusal to remove their hijabs.
According to him, “Report reaching MSSN Lagos is that there was a case of hijab harassment in Herbert Macaulay Senior High School, Sabo, Yaba this morning.
“Two Muslim students were directly affected. The two girls were asked to remove their hijabs by the principal and they rightly declined, which led to the principal sending them back home.
“As a result, they have been denied the opportunity to partake in the resumption test week.
“The principal was reported to have said that she cannot harbour Boko Haram in her school.
“A parent and representatives from MSSN Yaba Area Council are on their way to the school,” he added.
We’re yet to receive circular – Principal
The Principal of the school founded in 1983 with tax-payers’ money, Mrs. Oloruntobi, told the Muslim students’ body representatives that there is no document from the state government mandating them to allow the use of hijab in the school.
She said, “I have not received any written document to permit the use of hijab from the district. Until I receive such written document, the students will not be allowed to use hijab in this school.”
Meanwhile, a source who sought anonymity told Muslim News that the principal did not ask the students to go home.
According to the source, the principal only told them to stay at the back on the assembly ground.
“It is true that the principal told them to remove their hijabs, but she didn’t ask them to go home. She only asked them to stay at the back on the assembly ground. In fact, the principal said she had told one of the teachers to go and call the students after the assembly. Unfortunately, they had left.
“The mother of one of the students came to school to meet the principal. Some brothers of the MSSN were also around to engage the principal. She, however, insisted that they would not use the hijab because she has not got any circular from the government to that effect.
“Though the principal didn’t call the students Boko Haram, she said on the assembly ground that they were rude and that she wouldn’t be breeding Boko Haram in her school. Despite the intervention of the brothers from MSSN, she insisted the students would not be allowed to use hijab in the school.”
Muslim News findings revealed that the students, Zaynab Mutiu, SSS 3 and Basirah Onanuga, SSS 1 later removed their hijabs and wore berets before they could be allowed into their classes to write the tests.
They replaced the hijab with berets, according to our source, who witnessed the incident.
The need for LASG to issue circular
The need for the state government led by Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu to urgently issue a circular on the use of hijab was the thrust of the first stakeholders forum held on Thursday, September 1, at the Old Secretariat Mosque Hall, Ikeja, Lagos.
At the meeting championed by Muslim Lawyers Association of Nigeria, MULAN, Lagos State Chapter, the Muslim leaders vowed to drag any teacher or principal who denied their children’s right to adorn the hijab to court for contempt.
“The Lagos State government must ensure that any teacher who violates the judgment of the court is promptly disciplined by the appropriate authority of the state to avoid any embarrassment that may be caused to the government functionaries who may be cited for contempt of court, for failing to comply or ensure compliance with the orders of the highest court in Nigeria,” the communique issued at the end of the forum stated in part.
