Unveiling the hijab
Hijab
Hijab, the veil that Moslem women wear which covers the head and the chest, is being gradually unveiled in Osun State with an immense potential for katakata. Here are the facts: Recently the Osun State Moslem community filed a case against the state government urging it to allow Moslem female students to use the hijab in public schools. Justice Jide Falola of the Osun State High Court on June 3 this year gave a verdict that Moslem female students should be allowed to wear hijab in all public schools in the state because it is their fundamental human right. The Moslems gave the verdict a storm of applause.
The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) in the state says it will do two things: appeal against the judgment and mobilise Christian students to turn up in schools in their full religious regalia which will include choir robes and full white garment ensemble, the trademarks of some of the feuding mainstream and Pentecostal churches.
The State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, who has been in the trenches with his workers over nonpayment of their salaries, is now in the eye of a different tornado. The state government fully aware that the state may explode in a rage of religious combat is now fretting like a fuzzy storm. The truth is that even though the governor is a Moslem the state is almost evenly divided in population between moslems and Christians and the invocation of the hijab as the ultimate expression of fundamental human rights for female moslem students has convulsed the state because the Christians suspect rightly or wrongly that this may be a first step towards the Islamisation of schools in the state.
The security agencies have invited the Moslem and Christian leaders for a meeting to avoid a breakdown of law and order. The twist in the tale is that, truly speaking, these public schools are not public schools. They are schools that were founded and funded by Christian missionaries which were forcibly taken over by military governments when they ruled the roost. In some states, these schools have been handed over back to their original owners but that is not the case in Osun State. That is perhaps the meat of the matter.
The hijab is gradually becoming a major subject of public discourse in Nigeria. It is perhaps time to fully address or undress it. In December last year, a group of Moslem youths under the aegis of Moslem Youths in Da’wab wanted the hijab introduced into the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) programme. They went to the headquarters of the NYSC to protest against the ban of the use of the hijab for female Moslem corps members during the orientation period. They said that the rights of the female corps members were being infringed upon if they were not allowed to use the hijab. The then Director General , Brigadier General Johnson Olawumi, told them that he was a respecter of the rights of all corps members but that the ban was for security reasons.
It did not apparently occur to these youths that the NYSC is a national institution that had been in existence since 1973 with its rules, regulations and a nationally identifiable uniform used throughout all the states of the federation. It didn’t also occur to them that since terrorists had made the hijab an instrument for suicide bombing something had to give if people’s lives were to be guaranteed by the NYSC authorities. It did not also dawn on them that in the hierarchy of rights the right to life is the pre-eminent right that stands atop other rights or freedoms. However, the Director General gave them a reason that was difficult to counter. They may not have been satisfied but they have been quiet since then.
Hijab is an Arabic word that means “a screen or curtain,” according to Wikipedia. Three scholars, Karem Armstrong, Reza Ashan and Leila Ahmed, have stated that actually “the stipulations of the hijab were originally meant only for Prophet Muhammad’s wives and were intended to maintain their inviolability. This was because Muhammad conducted all religious and civic affairs in the mosque adjacent to his home “The three scholars maintain that during the Prophet’s life time no other Moslem woman wore the hijab. Aslon says that Moslem women started to wear the hijab simply to emulate Muhammad’s wives who were revered as “Mothers of the Believers” in Islam. She also states that there was no tradition of veiling until around 627c in the Moslem community.
Some Moslems seem to rely on the provision in Sura 33:53 as their authority on the wearing of the hijab or veil: “And when you ask (his wives) for something, ask them from behind a partition. That is purer for your hearts and their hearts.” The three experts, Armstrong, Ashan and Ahmed, explain that this verse was not addressed to women generally but to Muhammad’s wives specifically.
The reason for this was that the Prophet received and entertained lots of visitors in the mosque which was then his home and he wanted to shield his wives from these strangers. It is apparent that the Prophet considered privacy as the most important attribute in relationships with the female gender, but he did not seem to make it a prescription for all female Moslems.
The hijab has been a source of controversy in contemporary times especially where the authorities have enacted sharia laws. In Afghanistan, the Taliban scrupulously enforced the wearing of the hijab. In their own case, they wanted the women to cover their heads and faces fully because as they said the “face of a woman is a source of corruption” for men not related to them. Weird, you would say.
However, in some of the more liberal Moslem countries there is a sensible moderation of the hijab culture. In Tunisia, Turkey and Tajikistan, all of them countries with huge Moslem populations, the wearing of the hijab is prohibited in government buildings, schools and universities. In 2008, the Turkish government tried to lift the ban on Moslem headscarves at universities but the constitutional court overruled it.
In France where there is a sizeable population of Moslems from north Africa, the French parliament had to enact a law to restrict the use of the headscarves or other “symbols or clothes through which students conspicuously display their religious affiliation” in public primary schools, middle schools and secondary schools.
The pro-hijab fraternity in France kept pushing for recognition of their fundamental rights but on July 13, 2010 the French Lower House of Parliament passed a bill into law by 335 votes to one banning the wearing of the full hijab in public. This arose from the increasing security concerns that the country was exposed to by some Moslem extremists.
The Osun and NYSC cases in Nigeria are indications that the pro-sharia titans are determined to push their agenda to the limit despite the perils posed by blood thirsty insurgents. They are also unmindful of the traditions of the public institutions that they seek to invade with the hijab as the banner of religious freedom and fundamental human rights.
The truth is that certain institutions have from time immemorial been arranged for discipline and orderly conduct of affairs. These institutions include the Armed Forces, the Police, NYSC, Customs, Immigration, Road Safety, schools and several others. The uniformisation of these institutions is for the purpose of discipline and exemplary conduct as well as an easy identification of the brand. If the hijab proponents have their way, the women Moslems in our armed forces will not wear their prescribed army uniforms but the hijab.
The situation in Osun is a test case. If the various religious groups in the state carry out their threats to send their children to school in uniforms of many colours, then we will have a riot of school gears which will be an epitome of indiscipline.
Nigeria has been walking through fire in the Northeast. We do not need to add more woes to our woes. The political sharia that some politicians started some years ago is still haunting us today like an inscrutable mystery. Violence has convulsed the country and the hijab has become a handy tool. We have recorded a sordid diary of disaster.If we want to stop the gathering storm, we must seek to practise our religion with sensitivity.
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28 Comments
Islam!what a tranquil,peaceful world we would have had in its absence…
It is quite unfortunate seeing the shallow knowledge of the writer of the article! Why limit the understanding of Islam or the interpretation of the Glorious book from just those three? It’s a glaring thing that the Muslim females wear the hijab not just to schools but in their everyday activities which is contrary to the other fate. Am sure if a nun is asked to remove her hijab there will be an uproar from this same writer that she is just practicing her religion and going against that is blasphemy. In addition to this, in looking at the history of schools in Nigeria, we are made to know that Muslims were converted forcefully and baptize all in the name of education. However the last time I checked, there is still right to freedom to dress according to ones religion.
The writer seeks to cause mayhem by misinforming. Hijab is the normal dressing of female Muslims on their way out of their homes. Not for non Muslims. Our Constitution guarantees our right to freedom of religious beliefs and expression.
But my dear, the uniforms are strictly for institutions. It is called Uniform. There should be no variation. Let there be discipline. Our beliefs and religion is personal to us. The schools have no religion (although the said school is a missionary school)How will you appreciate me if I entered your mosque with my shoes on. I will not say I have freedom to wear shoes. I have passed the boundary of that freedom the moment I entered a mosque. That judgement should be done away with. The same goes for the school. The moment the child enters the territory of the school he or she is subject to the authority of the school. When we start giving judgement that ridicule discipline and orderliness we are creating anarchy in the society. As a Christian I am not allowed to enter Mecca. I will not say I have fundamental right of movement I will go and stay there. My human right to movement as a Christian is limited to the boundaries of Mecca. Let us educate our children that not wearing veil does not spoil their religion. The school uniform does not expose the chest. We that went to school in the sixties and seventies were without veils and many of my colleagues today are good muslim. The faith is not in the veil. We are importing a practice that is not in the religion. We have had too much enemity over this frivolous matter. Let us concentrate on thing that unite us and do away with those that scatter us. We did not Vote Ogbeni to scatter us but to develop the state. He should be a father to all not a trouble shooter.
CAN SOMEONE TELL ME WHY MUSLIMS DRESS LIKE THE PEOPLE OF THE BIBLE AND CHRISTIANS DONT?
By Ogbonnia Nwachi
“When I was a child in the elementary school, so many years ago, I enjoyed “My Book of Bible Story”. Of all my textbooks at the time, it was this “My Book of Bible Story” that was my favourite and I so much cherished it, more because of the pictures of Bible personalities like Noah, Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Samson, Deborah, Eli, Samuel, King Saul, King David, Elijah, Elisha, Joseph, the father of Jesus, Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene, the 12 disciples of Jesus and so many others. As a child, I was also in love with Bible movies.
Every Easter and Christmas seasons, I sat glued to Daddy’s Black and White TV Set as I stayed tuned to NTA Channel 8, Enugu, the only TV Station with the brightest reception, East of the Niger in those days. It was normally a holiday period and NTA Enugu usually began transmission in the morning. Throughout this morning transmission, the station showed movies of Heroes of the Bible like the story of Joseph, Moses, Samson and Delilah, Jesus Christ and many others. Those days, I believed that those movies were real with the real personalities as actors. Dont blame me; it was all childhood reasoning and I was entitled to it.
However, the love for these stories and movies evaporated as I attained adulthood. But something remarkable keeps reverberating in my mind any time I see a Muslim. It is the way they dress. They dress exactly the way the people in the pictures of my Bible Story and the ones in the Bible movies, dress; the males wear flowing garments and tie something like a scarf on their head. Watch the pictures or movies of Jesus Christ and his disciples, that is the way they dressed too. For the female Muslims, watch the picture of Mary, the mother of Jesus, Mary Magdalene and other Biblical women, you will affirm that they also wore flowing garments and covered their heads with hijab just like female Muslims. I have been thinking about this and I have been asking myself; how come the Christians, who are Christ-like and who own the Bible, dont dress like this, but Muslims do? Is there any major relationship between Islam and the people of the Bible, including Jesus Christ, than with Christians?
Could the gospel according to Barnabas wherein he stated that Jesus prophesied the coming of Mohammed and Islam, be true? My eyes are no longer the eyes of childhood. They are now the eyes of adulthood. Can someone tell me why Muslims dress like personalities of the Bible, including Jesus, Christ, his disciples, his mother, Mary, Mary Magdalene etc, and Christians dont?”
Aregbesola was accused sometime ago of having an agenda to Islamize Osun state, he denied it. The scenario in display now shows there was and still is agenda to Islamize Osun state. The constitution of apc as a party gave credence to the fact that apc, their chieftains are fundamentalist. They started their campaign of hatred with the main aim to cause disharmony and division among various ethnic groups. They have spent only one year in the saddle and Nigerian are groaning in pain and sadness. Now their second term is to carry out with Islamizing Nigeria. We are all in for it. But God will not allow it to happen.
A Christian wrote the article below and I found it worthy of sharing for the benefit of all honest and objective persons:
“Below is my reply to a Christian bigot:
@ Yemi Adeleke, I am not a big fan of Aregbe but I can confirm to you that his hands are clean in this matter. If anything, his govt has served the interest of Christians than Muslims in terms of appointments and financial assistance. Lemme mention some:
1. His appointments, commissioners and Special advisers were skewed in favour of Christians 75-25%
2. He donated #30million to OSUN Baptist for the construction of their auditorium.
3.Another #35million for the burial of late Obadare.
4. CAC olaiya was valued at #59.7 when government demolished it to pave way for road construction. Aregbe added another #30m to make it #89.7 in spite of the fact that majority of the individual property owners have not been paid.
I just decided to mention these few for you to know that Aregbe has served xtains the more.
Now to the main issue of hijab.
1. All the schools, including missionary schools, were taken over by government in 1975 by the military govt. Govt discovered at that time that the subvensions given to xtian missionaries were not judiciously utilised! This was discovered when govt gave similar subvension to May Flowers school ( a school founded by Tai Solarin, an atheist) and the money was judiciously spent. Govt was surprised that same could not be said of the xtain missionary schools. Govt had to call for a probe and it was discovered that most of the subventions were not used for the purpose they were meant for. Again, the pieces land for the construction of the churches and schools were donated by the community.
This prompted the govt to ask them to value their property and place side by side the subvention they got from govt. It was discovered that most of them were even indebted to govt and govt had to take over the schools. Those who had spent beyond the subvention were compensated.
If govt had changed all d names of the missionary schools, possibly nobody would be laying claim to any name or heritage today.
2. Ever since then, govt has been responsible for the financing and running of the schools but the church still interfere vicariously. For example, in some schools, people of other faith or denomination cannot head a school that is run and funded by govt.
3. Muslim students are subjected to Christian mode of worship on assembly grounds in all schools, whether missionary named, community named or government named schools.
4. The agitation to allow Muslim students practise their faith without being subjected/forced to follow the creed of others had been on for long.
5. For instance, during the regime of Oyinlola, he was approached. His administration granted Muslims female students the right to wear hijab only in Muslim named school but not in Christian-named, community-named or govt named schools despite the fact that they are all owned by government and financed with public fund.
6. The agitation continued under Aregbe who called both Muslim and Christian leaders to meet and resolve the lingering issues amicably. They could not!
7. In 2013, the Muslim community approached the court to seek justice.
Pls note that the Muslim community took govt to court and NOT CAN! But CAN chose to join in the case which was eventually won by the Muslims.
8. The judgement was based on the fact that it’s the fundamental human right of the Muslim female students to wear hijab especially since all schools belong to govt and not any religious body!
9. The xtains are unsatisfied with the judgement but instead of approaching the court for stay of execution and appeal, they have resorted to propaganda and blackmail!
10. They’ve asked their children to wear church garments to schools without recourse to legal approach. But can this be sustained judging from the fact that church garments are not an everyday wear of the xtains whereas hijab is an everyday Muslim female outfit ordained by Islamic injunction.
11. I do not know what is detestable in wearing hijab in a public institution when your children are not forced to wear it.
12. Are we truly tolerant as we make people to believe?! Your guess is as good as mine!
13. As a journalist who practise in the state and is abreast of the situation, I decided to put this across to you (my AGOSA friends) for us to know the true situations of things, instead of the lies and propaganda that fly around.
14. I hope we all read this objectively and pass comment on it objectively too.”
Do Muslims ever look in the mirror to see how pathetic they look wearing the hijab? They look pretty much like masquerades, plain and simple. The wife of the president has never worn or seen to wear the hijab. If the wife of the president has some reservations wearing the hijab, why enforcing it on young and innocent school girls? What benefits do Muslims get wearing this outdated camouflage in 100 degree heat? School environment should be devoid of unnecessary distractions. Period!
In your evil eyes that is just what you will see and definitely those walking about half-naked will be appealing to you.
The wife of the Nigerian president is not a source of religious guidance for Muslim women. If you don’t have a religion, shame on you. We have one and that it how we are commanded to do….. and you can’t change that
There are school uniforms prescribed for public schools. Every child should abide by the rules. Send your children to muslim schools to dress the way you like. Gov Aregbesola started all this confusion and trouble when he began to move children from schools established by Muslims to ones established by Christians, in some places against their will. He knew what he was looking for with the so called “rationalization in schools” and he has achieved it.
Although, this seems to be a call against hijabs in public schools but those crying about Muslim girls going to school in hijabs knows what they really wanted. Its actually more of a war against Islam and Muslims altogether. They are only starting from the schools because that is where they seems to have the power for now. They will never stop their so-called war against Islam until they ensure all Muslim women do not wear hijabs and all Muslim men do not grow beards.
After all, if really their agitation is to maintain strictly uniforms prescribed by schools then they won’t force Christian students to come to school in their garments.
As for me I don’t have a problem in a Christians coming to school in robes as long as it doesn’t disturb anybody much as the hijab is actually disturbing no one except hypocrites.
There are no Christian schools anymore in the state…the government took them over cause the school managements were not using govt funds appropriately.
I learnt the Muslims won the case in court. So I expect any grieving parties to go challenge the case at a higher court rather than making a nice or trying to cause any confusion in the state. I thought this is democracy????
@Alabasta:disqus , your statement ” They look pretty much like masquerades” is a bad statement from an educated person like. I think what you like is nakedness, If you reason very well, you will say the truth.
I put it to you that there are hardly school uniforms that make children look half-naked. The uniforms are sown as prescribed by the authorities. There may be exceptions to the rule, but where that crops up, the rules should be strengthened to make school pupils cut their skirts very low enough. It is also severally acknowledged, however, that some of those hooded girls are often much more immoral than those who wear normal school uniforms. Lust occurs inside and cannot be suppressed by hijabs. People who have lived in the far north can attest to this. There is too much hypocrisy.
The above write up is full errors, I think Ray Ekpu is an ignoramus, You know nothing about ISLAM, please go and learn more
@Jamrah. Religion and education are two different things. why must islam doctrine be introduced into our education in this multi-religious nation for fairness sake?. The judgement was full of sentiments, discrimination, biases and bigotry. Of course Justice Falola is a fanatic muslim I had known since 1998. We lived together when he was still a lawyer before he became a magistrate. All is well. God is the ultimate judge
@Obaken: but the judge didn’t compel schools to adopt hijab, but rather don’t debar Muslim girl students from wearing hijab. We need to get our facts right before casting aspersions at people
Religion and education are not different. That statement is at the least fraudulent. I was thought philosophy in the school and I understand the contribution of religion to education. Its disappointing. Are saying the Christian missionaries did no job to propel western education in nigeria? In fact, religion is the main medium through which education was propelled before and even after the secularists gained access to political powers the world over.
And for the records, Ray may be whatever you call him, yet, he has just given his biased view on the issue, at least, from the perspective of a secularist from Christian background. His references to the scripture as well as interpretation with reference to some countries like Turkey, Tunisia etc is proof that he has denied himself the knowledge of history as well as flaunting his ignorance of Islam.
However, this article is very good to teach writing skills.
We should ask ourselves some salient questions. Why is the agitation for Hijab so vehement in the last few years? Why are people just asking now about the rights of their women to wear certain garments? Why just now or is it just now they discovered that their women need the hijab to be holy? In the 1980’s it was the Sharia. Now it is hijab. Is it proper to adopt or allow a distinctly religious garb in a secular society and multi-religious setting? Where is the respect for others and consideration for others if Muslim girls wear hijab to schools founded by Christians when they would never allow such in their own? Let us learn to cultivate peace, to do to others as we desire they should do to us.
Am appalled at the level at which discussions in an open forum like this has degenerated to.Using abusive words and calling an accomplished journalist,a mentor,a role model like Ray Ekpu an ignoramus is carrying this far.Why dont you make your point and try to convince others as pursuasively as possible.I think there is a need for this newspaper to screen before allowing any comment.The best so far and I agree with him is Wisehead’s comment.Clear and educative.Not some of these comments that should not have been allowed in the first place…just sentiments and biased opinions.
Thanks for the Brilliant information Ray Ekpu. That is exactly what I met when I was young. No body wears any veil. The yorubas have their iborun and ipele on their buba. It is only fulanis and hausas both male and female that cover their head and shoulder because of dust. All these covering have no religious backing. In my youthful days I only see the Elehas (Wives of Alfaas, Lemomu and high ranking muslims wearing veil. And they stay locked in the house.s to mosques with their iborun and this iborun is general in youruba land when a woman is going out in the sun. We have lost our culture to the foreign religions, we are proud of their names. We feel so inferior to the point that we now feel until we look like them we are not holy. Today we are killing ourselves because of their ideologies. I have never seen an arab name his child Labake or Funmilayo. We are not proud of our color. We should be ashamed of our selves. That dress is not compulsory for us as African. We have our own dress. Lets wear them. He who is not proud of his color is not fit to live. I will rather throw away any dress that will make me hate my brother. Lets love each other and forget the stupidity of foreign culture. This applies to the Christians too. We should not fight our brother because of what he wears. We should pray for them and show them the way.
Mr Segun, you are missing the point. The hijab or veil is not a cultural garment neither was it worn because of any weather. The Catholics nuns that cover their heads is it based on culture too? And if whether is the reason why was it that the ancient Egyptians do not dress like that even thought they live in desert-like terrain as well. Dressing morally is a sign of piety and you can’t be half-nude and claim to be pious. The fact that Yorubas formerly uses iboruns and ipeles but are now increasingly using hijabs is just a sign that their understanding of Islam is increasing. Christians should learn to be more tolerant, no one is saying Christians should wear hijabs they can put on what they like but they shouldn’t try to stop what God has commanded.
There are no Christian schools anymore in the state…the government took them over cause the school managements were not using govt funds appropriately.
And I learnt the Muslims won the case in court. So I expect any grieving parties to go challenge the case at a higher court rather than making a nice or trying to cause any confusion in the state. I thought this is democracy????
A Christian wrote the article and I found it worthy of sharing for the benefit of all honest and objective persons:
“Below is my reply to a Christian bigot:
@ Yemi Adeleke, I am not a big fan of Aregbe but I can confirm to you that his hands are clean in this matter. If anything, his govt has served the interest of Christians than Muslims in terms of appointments and financial assistance. Lemme mention some:
1. His appointments, commissioners and Special advisers were skewed in favour of Christians 75-25%
2. He donated #30million to OSUN Baptist for the construction of their auditorium.
3.Another #35million for the burial of late Obadare.
4. CAC olaiya was valued at #59.7 when government demolished it to pave way for road construction. Aregbe added another #30m to make it #89.7 in spite of the fact that majority of the individual property owners have not been paid.
I just decided to mention these few for you to know that Aregbe has served xtains the more.
Now to the main issue of hijab.
1. All the schools, including missionary schools, were taken over by government in 1975 by the military govt. Govt discovered at that time that the subvensions given to xtian missionaries were not judiciously utilised! This was discovered when govt gave similar subvension to May Flowers school ( a school founded by Tai Solarin, an atheist) and the money was judiciously spent. Govt was surprised that same could not be said of the xtain missionary schools. Govt had to call for a probe and it was discovered that most of the subventions were not used for the purpose they were meant for. Again, the pieces land for the construction of the churches and schools were donated by the community.
This prompted the govt to ask them to value their property and place side by side the subvention they got from govt. It was discovered that most of them were even indebted to govt and govt had to take over the schools. Those who had spent beyond the subvention were compensated.
If govt had changed all d names of the missionary schools, possibly nobody would be laying claim to any name or heritage today.
2. Ever since then, govt has been responsible for the financing and running of the schools but the church still interfere vicariously. For example, in some schools, people of other faith or denomination cannot head a school that is run and funded by govt.
3. Muslim students are subjected to Christian mode of worship on assembly grounds in all schools, whether missionary named, community named or government named schools.
4. The agitation to allow Muslim students practise their faith without being subjected/forced to follow the creed of others had been on for long.
5. For instance, during the regime of Oyinlola, he was approached. His administration granted Muslims female students the right to wear hijab only in Muslim named school but not in Christian-named, community-named or govt named schools despite the fact that they are all owned by government and financed with public fund.
6. The agitation continued under Aregbe who called both Muslim and Christian leaders to meet and resolve the lingering issues amicably. They could not!
7. In 2013, the Muslim community approached the court to seek justice.
Pls note that the Muslim community took govt to court and NOT CAN! But CAN chose to join in the case which was eventually won by the Muslims.
8. The judgement was based on the fact that it’s the fundamental human right of the Muslim female students to wear hijab especially since all schools belong to govt and not any religious body!
9. The xtains are unsatisfied with the judgement but instead of approaching the court for stay of execution and appeal, they have resorted to propaganda and blackmail!
10. They’ve asked their children to wear church garments to schools without recourse to legal approach. But can this be sustained judging from the fact that church garments are not an everyday wear of the xtains whereas hijab is an everyday Muslim female outfit ordained by Islamic injunction.
11. I do not know what is detestable in wearing hijab in a public institution when your children are not forced to wear it.
12. Are we truly tolerant as we make people to believe?! Your guess is as good as mine!
13. As a journalist who practise in the state and is abreast of the situation, I decided to put this across to you (my AGOSA friends) for us to know the true situations of things, instead of the lies and propaganda that fly around.
14. I hope we all read this objectively and pass comment on it objectively too.”
In one breath, some Muslims would claim Islam is ‘a religion of peace’.
Yet their constant by-force-by-force actions and reactions are the stuff of violence.
Always threatening to make the world uncomfortable for others unless they (Muslims) have their way.
From Africa, to Middle East to Europe and America, Islam inspires nothing but violence, violence and more violence everywhere. Why?
This is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul . nobody is deceived by what is going on . The only tragedy is that has the education policy of the govt bring any progress to the state.? Rather the 2015 record from waec showed the state was in the 29th position out of 36 states. It took the last among the southern states. Since the govt ran out of ideas of positive governance ,the state has become pauperised and in order to pool a wool over the citizenry he gave the masses opium .That is to confuse, distract and contend against one another. The govt has succeeded in sowing the seed of discord and possible social upheaval in an otherwise peaceful community.
TMC PRESS RELEASE
The Muslim Congress (TMC)
1 Thanni Olodo Street, Off Ikorodu Road, Jibowu Bus-stop, Lagos
08023462555, 08033096636
21st June, 2016
REACTION TO THE GUARDIAN’S MISGUIDED ARTICLE STYLED “UNVEILING THE HIJAB”
The Muslim Congress (TMC) like other Islamic Organisations in Nigeria is disturbedby the orchestrated attempts by a section of the print and electronic media to subvert the historic court judgement on Hijab in the state of Osun through sponsored write-ups and misguided Newspaper editorials. These venomous editorials have been strategically rolled out in succession, a trend which suggests that there is a grand plan somewhere to stifle the rule of law and court judgment in the peaceful state of Osun. The elements behind this diabolic agenda are also trying to make the state ungovernable through their intolerant actions and inactions.
The most recent article designed to malign Islam and the Muslims was the publication in The Guardian Newspaper on July 21, 2016 purportedly written by one Ray Ekpu with the title ‘Unveiling the Hijab’. The title and its content confirmed our presumption that previous editorials in the Punch, the Nation newspapers and several online platforms were pre-planned and launched to misinform, gather support and elicit underserved sympathy for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Osun state chapter. What Ray Ekpu and his cohorts have failed to tell the reading public is that CAN Osun chapter has taken the laws into its hands by instigating innocent Christian students to defy court ruling by wearing choir robes and other religious garments to schools in order to heat up the polity. Are these instigators really religious leaders or spoilers? This dance of shame by the leadership of CAN in the State of Osun ought to have been condemned and criticized by Ray Ekpu and other writers. It is rather unfortunate that they attack the court ruling and Hijab despite the fact that the Muslims have sacrificed a lot for peace to reign for the past three years. Are these writers qualified to play the role of interpreting the laws and court pronouncements, a function reserved for the Supreme Court? We say boldly that this defiant behaviour is capable of compromising peace and progress in the state that is presently suffering the pang of economic downturn. The leadership of CAN and the foot soldiers in the media have clearly and shamelessly shown their pathological hatred for Islam, the Muslims and the Hijab.
Besides, it is regrettable that a respected body like CAN would descend so low to cause anarchy in reaction to a mere court injunction it considers unfavorable to it, rather than explore the civil approach of appeal at a higher court. This unfortunate resort to impunity becomes more harrowing when it is considered that innocent Christian students are being used as cannon fodders to pursue an unwholesome enterprise of prejudice, Islamophobia and sheer intolerance. This instigation of minors is not only an exploitation of the innocence of the latter, but also constitute a disregard for the law court and a denigration of the essence of the judiciary that is looked upon by every decent and sane person as the arbiter of disputes and the last safeguard against anarchy and disorderliness. Most disturbing is that these minors are being taught from their tender age how to place little or no premium on the institutions of the society, some of which they may come to occupy in the future, and that self-help is a ‘nobler’ path to seek redress. The Osun state chapter of CAN ought to have borrowed a leaf from the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit, which lost a similar case in a court ruling, but took to the legal instrument of appeal rather than resort to anarchy and dance of shame!
Moreover, it is worrisome that journalists who are supposed to be the conscience of the nation are being paid to attack court judgement by their religious constituency. In the article mentioned earlier, Ray Ekpu goofed professionally by making sweeping comments without having his facts right on the duration of the court case in the state of Osun. He stated arrogantly that “Recently the Osun State Moslem community filed a case against the state government urging it to allow Moslem female students to use the hijab in public schools. Justice Jide Falola of the Osun State High Court on June 3 this year gave a verdict that Moslem female students should be allowed to wear hijab in all public schools in the state because it is their fundamental human right. The Moslems gave the verdict a storm of applause.” The fact of the matter is that, the Muslim community filed and endured a legal battle for three good years. Is three years of filing and waiting for a court judgement “recent”? For the avoidance of doubt, Ekpu should be educated that the Hijab case in the state was officially instituted by the Osun Muslim Community and the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria in February 2013. Why should a veteran journalist murder a fact to please his constituency and sponsors?
Pathetically, Ray Ekpu has also assumed the status of Islamic jurist and analyst. He wrote on Hijab citing Wikipedia that “the stipulations of the hijab were originally meant only for Prophet Muhammad’s wives and were intended to maintain their inviolability. This was because Muhammad conducted all religious and civic affairs in the mosque adjacent to his home …. that during the Prophet’s life time no other Moslem woman wore the hijab. Aslon says that Moslem women started to wear the hijab simply to emulate Muhammad’s wives who were revered as “Mothers of the Believers” in Islam”. This poorly researched write-up is nothing but garbage and trash!
To Islamophobic journalists, we advise that Wikipedia is not a reliable source for academic and intellectual discourse in Islam. The three scholars mentioned by Ekpu are Orientalists. All write-ups by the orientalists including the one cited by Ray Ekpu are not inspired by the purest spirit of scholarly impartiality, and the sincere intention to educate and inform the public yearning to learn; rather such write-ups are dubiously put together with intention of belittling Islam and its adherents. Learned scholars have warned that “Articles in Wikipedia may be well written and insightful, but they are not embedded in the world of scholarly discourse. Without knowing who wrote the article, it is more difficult to judge whether the author’s writing is worthy of consideration, or to critique his or her motivations or qualifications. Without a known author, Wikipedia articles cannot be considered authoritative” (Williams College Libraries, 2016).
For the avoidance of doubt, Ekpu and his cohorts should please note that the Hijab is unlike a choir robe worn occasionally in the Church by women and girls. For the matured Muslim women, the dress code is not complete until the Hijab is worn. This is a divine commandment. The Qurán is the authentic source for understanding Islam. We state with pride that Islam has strongly emphasized the concept of decency and modesty for women through the use of Hijab. The verse of the Qur’an that enjoins the observance of Hijab are many, but the following two are relevant to the present discourse. Allah enjoins:
“And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what must ordinarily appear thereof; that they should draw their veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons, their husbands’ sons, their brothers, or their brothers’ sons or their sisters’ sons, or their women or the servants whom their right hands possess, or male servants free of physical needs, or small children who have no sense of the shame of sex…(Quran 24:31).
“O Prophet, tell your wives and your daughters and the women of the believers to draw their cloaks close round them (when they go abroad). That will be better, so that they may be recognized and not molested. Allah is ever Forgiving, Merciful.” (Quran 33:59)
These verses and several others provide theological foundation for the use of Hijab. Even liberal societies such US, Canada and Britain appreciate the seriousness of the Hijab dress code. In these countries, the public and private schools permit the use of Hijab. Whereas, the choir robes are not worn nor are they allowed because they obviously would conceal school uniforms. Apart from this, unlike the Qurán there is no known injunction in Bible compelling the wearing of a particular attire, otherwise, it would have been accommodated in western liberal societies. Therefore inventing a choir robe to counter the hijab at this point is an exercise in bad faith and a lack of consideration for tolerance, respect and peaceful coexistence.
The Congress avers that both EQUALITY andEQUITY are essential to keeping the peace among multi-religious groups in a complex society like Nigeria. For instance, that Nigeria maintains two embassies in Italy (one for state matters and the other for religion) is anchored on the principle of equity – the recognition and granting of the need (s) of each segment of the society without prejudice to the rights of others. It would therefore be untoward for Muslims to agitate for equality in that regard. We therefore frown at a decoy where ‘equality’ is invoked only as a means to prejudice the rights of others as CAN and its sponsored media consultants are currently advocating for Osun state.
More importantly, it is our belief that the world has gone global and cultures are intermingling on a daily basis. A look at some of the advanced countries that we emulate as a people shows how hijab-wearing females have provision for them in public institutions in recognition of the need for citizens to balance between civic obligations and religious injunctions and Nigeria cannot be an exception. It is worthy of note that anti-Hijab reactions staged by CAN and the paid journalists/writers in The Guardian, The Punch and The Nation newspapers are borne out of sheer intolerance, Islamophobia, selfishness, ignorance and lack of consideration for the religious rights of fellow men.
It is sheer propaganda to label the Governor of the state, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola as the harbinger of the confusion that is now raging in Osun state. With or without the Governor, those who see the denial of the hijab as a violation of their rights would still have gone to seek redress before the law. And when the law speaks, law abiding citizens ought to sheath their swords. Neither should the school re-classification policy of the state government be held in contempt as its aim is to accelerate the level of development of all public schools in the state. If ‘Opon Imo’ is novel, it came out of the same genuine concern as the re-classification policy.
In conclusion, The Congress counsels Islamophobic Nigerians and media organisations that Hijab stands for peace, unity, tranquillity, decency and compliance with the laws of Allah. These facts have been realised and accepted by the developed countries. We urge all stakeholders in the Nigerian project including CAN Osun chapter to see the Hijab as such too, and accommodate the Hijab and its wearers in government schools as important contributors to the Nigerian quest for greatness. For biased writers, we say “what you don’t have, you cannot give’’.
Long live Nigeria, Long live the Muslim Ummah, Long live the State of Osun!!
SIGNED
Dr. Luqman AbdurRaheem MNIM, FAAE, FCEnt
Amir, The Muslim Congress
A MUST READ!
Unveiling the Hijab, Who has the Right?
In recent times there have been many articles and opinions written about the hijab. From the Guardian editorial by Ray Ekpu to the publication by the Nation Newspapers on the June 16, and many other comments on news and social media.
The issue of hijab is still trending ever since the purported call to ban the hijab for security reasons and now the ambers have been fanned by the recent judgement of June 3, 2016 by Justice Falola of the Oshogbo High court in Osun state.
Still, as envisaged and premeditated by the Osun State Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and its media cronies, hijab issue continues to trend and generate noise.
And ever since the purported call to ban the hijab in the North East Nigeria for security reasons to the recent CAN protest against the judgment of June 3, 2016 of Justice Jide Falola of Osogbo High Court, Osun State on the rights of willing Muslim ladies to adorn hijab, the ambers of fire have been fanned and fire stoked.
The first thing that comes to mind, is that most people who have given “authoritative” analysis/comments about this decision of the court have obviously not read the judgement and have decided to fault it based on mere sentiments.
The mind boggling question is how would a person who has not studied Islam even at beginners level, nor has carried out any objective research using the primary sources of Islam ie the Quran and the Hadith and writings of reputable Islamic scholars on what the hijab is; would seek to educate Muslims on the meaning of hijab, its origin and importantly how, where and if it should be worn at all.
Ray Ekpu in the Guardian article without fuss quoted Wikipedia! And goes ahead to pronounce a verdict on the hijab!. The Fact speaks for itself. It is obvious that when the issue of hijab and Indeed Islam; it becomes open season for every Tomiwa, Dike and Haruna to give an “Expert Opinion”.
If Muslims do not poke their noses into how and when a Nun should wear her wimple, how a bishop his robe and collar…
Read all at https://therenaissanceng.com/who-has-the-right-to-unveil-our-hijab
**Barrister Mutiat Orolu-Balogun is the Coordinator, Hijab Advocacy Coalition
We will review and take appropriate action.