So as people keep on raving about the lady who refused to
remove her Hijab when she was about to be called to bar, an eye witness,
has shared what actually happened during the course of the controversy.
This eye witness, who shares his own view of the whole saga, happens
to be one of the officials who screened the aspirants at that time.
He wrote:
I witnessed the baring
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. Pls 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?
Pls 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 circular
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?