From a witness
I witnessed the barring of the lady from gaining entry into the call auditorium .kindly note that I was part of the officials that screened Aspirants to the Bar on that very day and I participated in the entry screening for the four batches that were called on those two days. I witnessed the whole drama … You don’t have an idea of the attitude of that religious extremist of a lady who was not ready to submit her personal sentiments to the rules of this profession. .. See eehh we have what we call “regulation dress code for ladies” in the legal profession..
The attire is clearly spelt out in our code of conduct book.. Hijab is obviously not part of it and you must deal with that obvious fact.. All our laws should not be bent for every wave of religious doctrines or practices ..otherwise we won’t have a functional and fair law… My religion makes us believe that black represents evil..should I now wear white suit to law school or for my call to bar because of my religion?
There were over a thousand Muslim ladies we screened for the two days I was on duty ..why should her case be different ? We asked her to step aside and remove her hijab .. Imaging about 5 law school lecturers from Abuja campus begging a mere aspirant to the bar to do the right thing and she bluntly refused .
Please we should stop giving this misfit of a lady an undue publicity for such an unpardonable display of crude rudeness to constituted authorities.
Denying her access to the call hall did not in any way violate her right to freedom of worship under Sections 38 or 39 of the 1999 CFRN , We all know that none of the rights enshrined in Chapter 4 of the 1999 CFRN is absolute. The denial was fair, proper and lawful.
Note that some Christians prohibit wearing of trouser by ladies , but they allow their ladies wear it during their NYSC . Will you say they are not serious with their religion ?
Please we should all jointly condemn this misbehavior of the lady in question and put an end to this emotional sentiments we project here ….
Buhari’s daughter during her call to bar last year .. She wasn’t putting on her hijab ..but she wears it to any other places she goes ..I have met this Buhari’s daughter twice at Coscharis Office in Abuja and at both occasions she wore her hijab, but never wore it during her stay in law school or on her call day….
The lady should go to court if she feels she is above the law or that Islam is superior our secular laws.
This country is not an Islamic State and will never be … If she is not ready to submit to the rules of the profession, she should as well go and study Islamic studies and bash her PHD in it.
I hope nobody will raise an eye brow if a Revd Father insists that he should be called wearing his cassock and rosary? Hope you will be ok to attend a call to bar ceremony in the nearest future only to see a man wearing a red skirt decorated with cowries because that is what the gods have asked him to wear?
Do you know how many christians whose faith does not support the wearing of trousers but are compelled to do during the compulsory service?
During NDA passing out parade, women (including muslim female soilders) cut their hair to the skin. No strand of hair is allowed on your hair let alone hijab. How many persons have challenged that? The dress code for lawyers in Nigeria predates Nigeria. If you bend a little, you will have to continue to bend to allow other religions and faith at the end of the day the beauty of the profession will be lost. Law is not for all. If you are too religious for law, try other professions. Law is not religious fanaticism.
And we should also note that no attire covers ones body than that of a Catholic Reverend Sister , who took her religion very serious to the point of electing never to get married throughout her lifetime , all of them appear in the prescribed regulation dress code for ladies during their call to bar. Reverend Fathers alike. The Lady could have still cover her body totally in her regulation dress without humiliating her entire family and kindred by bringing them to Abuja only to disgrace them by her unreasoned religious bigotry. Law with its tradition is older than Christianity and Islam and should for no reason whatsoever be made a slave to any of the two.
Let’s keep this debate straight and fair in order not to sacrifice the nobility of this profession on the alter of religious sentiments.
We should resist any unholy temptation to rewrite our laws just because of the attitude of one person who has refused to be purged of personal sentiments throughout her 6 years of education.
My people . .
Just like the popular case of Kayode Bello in law school, this very case will soon be swept under the carpet . Just like Kayode had enjoyed his unprofitable publicity and now languishing in lonely regrets ,this very demonstration of foolery by the lady will still face same fate… In two months time all these dusts will settle and the bigot of a lady will be left to suffer the consequences of her stupidity in solitude ,while all her chanters will proceed with their normal daily activities.
In conclusion, if the lady should be donated the so much alarmed sympathy and condonation ,the following should also be considered in other to balance the equation:
*Muslim lawyers should be allowed to wear hijabs.
*Deeper life members shouldn’t be made to wear NYSC trousers.
*Lords Chosen lawyers can wear their bullet proof vests to call to bar auditorium.
*Celestial lawyers should be allowed to wear their white garments.
*Traditional Idol worshipers like witch or native doctors should be allowed to appear in their red wrappers, feathers of birds, chocks and beads/cowries to law school and call to bar auditorium.
Since we’re all mad, right?