COURT GRANTS FEMALE MUSLIM STUDENTS RIGHT TO WEAR HIJAB IN OSUN PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Female Muslim students can now wear
hijab in all public primary and secondary
schools in Osun state.
This is according to Justice Jide Falola of
the Osun state high court in a judgement
he delivered on Friday in Osogbo.
The case was instituted in February, 2013
by the Osun state Muslim Community and
Muslim Students Society of Nigeria.
The applicants had sought the relief of the
court to compel the Osun state
government to allow female Muslim
students wear hijab in public primary and
secondary schools.
The Osun state Christian Association of
Nigeria also applied to be joined in the
case as defendants arguing that Hijab
should not be allowed in public schools.
In a 51-page judgement on Friday, justice
Jide Falola of the Osun state high court
ruled that the use of Hijab by female
Muslims is their fundamental human right
to freedom religion, conscience and
thought and as such no female student
must be molested or sent out of school
for wearing it.
Justice Falola declared that since all
missionary schools had been taken over
by government in 1975, all students have
equal rights to practice their religions.
He warned that such hijab must match
the colour of their school uniforms