The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has commended the Nigerian Law School, the body of Benchers and the Council of Legal Education for calling Firdaus Amasa to bar with her hijab on.
Amasa Firdaus, who was called to bar on Tuesday, had sparked controversy after she challenged the restriction on the use of hijab during call-to-bar ceremonies.
DAILY POST had reported that Firdaus was in December denied access into the hall for the ceremony which took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, for refusing to remove her hijab which generated controversies.
She had described the action as, “a violation of her rights, adding that the hijab does not violate the dress code set by the law school but was a mere convention that the British gave to us and we have to stick to it.”
However, reacting to her call-to-bar, the Director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) Prof. Ishaq Akintola in a statement on Wednesday said the Nigerian law school had succeeded in restoring the confidence of Nigerian Muslims in legal education by giving recognition to the identity of Amasa.
MURIC appealed to the authorities to allow other female Muslim students who had decided to wear hijab below their wigs in the future to be called to bar.
“Muslims cannot be fully integrated into all aspects of Nigerian life unless authorities make inclusiveness a cardinal principle in their policies, rules and regulations.
“We also commend all Islamic organisations that showed interest in the struggle to liberate the Nigerian Muslim woman from the shackles of neo-colonialism as epitomized by the Amasa.
“In particular, we treasure the advice and diplomatic support by the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs under the leadership of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III.
“We also commend Muslim youths who heeded our appeal for calm and therefore avoided public demonstrations over the Law school hijab imbroglio.
“This is indubitable evidence that MURIC’s efforts at re-engineering Muslim youths towards non-violence is yielding fruits.
“We salute Amasa, her father, Alhaji Abdullahi Amasa, for sacrificing so much for a cause which they believe in.’’
The director urged female Muslim law students who were already accustomed to using hijab to continuing wearing it without nursing any fear of persecution.
“Hijab is an Allah-given fundamental human right of every Muslim woman. Our hijab is our right and our right is our right.
“We assure Nigerian Muslim women of unflinching solidarity and full support of Nigerian Muslims.”
Akintola urged Muslims in the country to be humble in victory, to seek no vengeance, to avoid issuing provocative statements and to pray for a successful law career for Amasa.
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