Twitter Nigeria has been engaged in a huge to-do all day over whether The Nigerian Law School was right to deny Firdaus her call to Bar as a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria simply because she refused to wear a hijab, which isn’t regulation attire for Call.
Muslim faithfuls are divided over the issue. Some think she picked the wrong fight/profession, but the majority are convinced the NLS is wrong and all who say otherwise are “Islamaphobes”.
Our duty is to present all sides of the argument, so here’s the Muslim case:
Gimba Kakanda calls out Islamaphobes.
Some of you are not even good at masking your islamophobia.
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) December 15, 2017
This is a democracy, and the constitution is unequivocal about our individual and collective freedoms. As long as a citizen's religious practice does not harm the adherents of other religions or the non-religious, why the fuss?
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) December 15, 2017
The shame is, we are demonizing that Muslim lawyer for wearing hijab without seeing the irony of our lawyers still wearing wigs, which were actually embarrassing court dress that only reminds us of our humiliating history as a colony.
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) December 15, 2017
American courts have long thrown those clownish wigs away, disassociating themselves from the British colonizers who introduced the wigs there. But, then, we are not a thinking people. We have legitimized colonial history, we praise it as the best thing after a politician parent.
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) December 15, 2017
The same way I abhor religious impositions, is how I detest policing of harmless religious practices and values. This space is big enough for all to co-exist without friction.
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) December 15, 2017
Even athletes wear hijab now, and these are people who have a reason not to. How does hijab, especially of small size, affect a lawyer's professional engagements? Why can't we think beyond sentiments, beyond Britain, beyond colonialism, beyond imperialism, beyond our self-hate? pic.twitter.com/5WtjwI7Ebp
— Gimba Kakanda (@gimbakakanda) December 15, 2017
Roqeebah Olaoniye insists that the hashtag is necessary, if only for the conversation it spurred. She also wants to know why her faith (and its affiliates) should be separated from her career.
See below:
https://twitter.com/Roqeebah/status/941578510413586433
https://twitter.com/Roqeebah/status/941579750497243136
https://twitter.com/Roqeebah/status/941591108534112256
https://twitter.com/Roqeebah/status/941591830398996480
https://twitter.com/Roqeebah/status/941592814701473793
https://twitter.com/Roqeebah/status/941594043578019840
https://twitter.com/Roqeebah/status/941595087242440704
Zainab reiterates the islamophobic sentiments and goes on to explain the constraints hijabis face:
https://twitter.com/zizzycarter/status/941430492594917376
https://twitter.com/zizzycarter/status/941432220463652864
https://twitter.com/zizzycarter/status/941433185036046336
https://twitter.com/zuleykhha/status/941431546300567552
Summary of it is:
We as Muslims are not advocating for everyone to put on Hijab during Law Dinner and Call to Bar, what we are advocating for is that the Muslim lady should be allowed to express her religious values. It is her right and not a choice. #EndDiscriminationAgainstHijab
— Abu Jabir Penabdul (@PenAbdull) December 14, 2017
Eyewitness report
https://twitter.com/Stef_23rd/status/941450511382990859
Wrong conversation
Please let’s stop the Hijab talk, she has right to make her decision and she did… also she must face the consequences of her decision on earth, later she can enjoy her benefit in heaven and it’s none of our business.
— Samuel Philip (@The_improviser) December 15, 2017
I have no opinion on the hijab issue.
My only contribution is that Nigerian lawyers should get rid of those silly 18th Century vintage pantomime wigs.
I mean, the temperature in Lagos is like 30 degrees Celsius and we are bothered about some silly colonial relic.
— Onye Nkuzi (@cchukudebelu) December 15, 2017
Both the Hijab and the wig are borrowed cultural attires. You can blame colonialism if you like, but other former British Colonies have long abolished d wig and gown for lawyers, only judges wear gown without the wig. But in Nigeria we must do more than the owners of the culture.
— Chima Nwagwu (@NwagwuEverest) December 15, 2017
Reactions:
Dress code, not hijab
https://twitter.com/KelvinOdanz/status/941619249994436613
Let everybody wear anything they so please to wear. Can that work ??? Never! Bikini in Arab countries will never work. You see, this is not about freedom but sentiments.
— Xavier Ayua (@GTAyua) December 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/SageKyngDavid/status/941610236019990528
Oga, if you could gather all these pictures to back your argument, how come the word 'context' appears alien to you?
If the IOC, FIFA, IAAF and other sport bodies ban the Hijab, will the athletes use it?
In this context, the lady's Hijab isn't acceptable. It's not a debate.— Unekwuojo (@iamMista_jay) December 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/Kwasimodo_/status/941624475921108992
Islamophobe?
https://twitter.com/_Sir_LeRoy/status/941442206837207041
I swear! In the north where i serve, GOVERNMENT schools (not private) force every girl to cover their hair. My neighbor was not only forced to cover her hair but to wear Hijab that must cover her shoulders. No! But we are islamaphobes. Lubbish
— Sam (@ilynem) December 15, 2017
https://twitter.com/coajnr1/status/941476826077114371
Sensitive, much
https://twitter.com/OgbeniDipo/status/941605594192056320
Finally,
No consensus here.
