By Eric King-
A High Court in Nigeria will tomorrow hear the preliminary case of a legal battle over the rights of Muslim girls in a private school in Nigeria to wear the Hijab . The actual hearing date for the case is expected to be set tomorrow.
The case which has been boiling over since late 2018 is over the insistence of Muslim parents for their daughters to wear the Hijab in school, something the school have refused. Fifteen Muslim parents have jointly lodged the suit against the authorities of the school.
International School Of Ibadan- a private school of notable academic achievement- has declared its policies for the students of the school to wear its traditional school uniform. This does not include any religious attire. Parents of Muslim girls have insisted that their daughters wear the Muslim Hijab, claiming this to be their constitutional right under the Nigerian Constitution. The Eye Of Media.Com has heard that many of the Muslim parents jointly agreed to pull their resources together and take the case to court to make a statement which they hope will set a landmark decision for Muslim children in Nigerian schools.
Authorities in the school say never in the 55 year history of the school has religious issues created such a problem as this, and blame the parents from the Muslim group for creating an unnecessary problem.
Talks between the school and the group of parents rebelling against the school’s policies led to the authorities of the school to shut down their premises twice in 2018, after re-opening it once on the grounds that the school rules will be respected and upheld.
The school stood firm on its policies, eventually leading to the Muslim parents to push the case to court. Respondents in the legal suit include the School Principal, Mrs Phebean Olowe, the Chairman, Board of Governors, Prof. Abideen Aderinto and Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of the University campus where the school is located. The case has made national headlines in the troubled country, rich is minerals and natural resources, but hindered by a weak economy.
Nigeria is a country that has long suffered religious tensions, with killings being a common occurrence in various parts of the country. This offici On Friday, the court will hear just the basic outline of the case, whilst the judge will set a date for the hearing later in the year.
A representative of International School Of Ibadan told The Eye Of Media.Com: ”the school has its set of rules and regulations. We have given our students an undertaking in writing about the codes and conduct of the school. They sign the paper, and this is their binding contract with the school. Any parent who has any objections with our rules and regulations are expected to do it through the Parent and Teachers Committee. We don’t relate to parents on a religious basis, this group are a strange body”.