SIR: Mr. Nelson Ekujumi as Executive Director, Centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiative got it fundamentally wrong when he opined that the use of Hijab by Muslim girls in Lagos State public schools amounts to illegality and is unconstitutional. Perhaps he has forgotten that it is the same constitution that guarantees religious rights, which by extension empowers Muslims to practice their religion in as much as it is within the ambiance of the law and does not constitute any breach of harmony, progress and peace of the state.
The question is; how does the use of Hijab violate the modus operandi of our educational system? How does it affect discipline? As we are aware, the use of Hijab by Muslim girls/women are very much visible in western democracies which are bastions and ideals for democratic practice worldwide, and Mr. Nelson would be much aware of this.
The use of Hijab by Muslims is just a fragment of what the Fundamental Human Rights profess and its value and nobility are very much entrenched in Islamic scripture. Mr. Nelson needs to understand that while we were growing up as Muslims, we were subjugated to adapt our childhood educational ethos to Christian missionary educational systems in our public schools wherein it was expected that each pupil must have memorised hymns from the ‘Songs of Praise’ booklet. How do you describe this?
Islamic morals are meant to inculcate as well highest degree of human values and thus mould humans in line with the dictates and commandments of Allah.
• Yusuf Afunku,
Lagos.
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