2019: No hijab in schools, no votes - Muslim group tells Lagos governorship candidates
- Candidates for the 2019 governorship elections in Lagos have been told by some Muslim students that a key criteria to get their votes would be approval for female students to wear hijab in schools
- According to the students, assaults on school children over the use of hijab is a violation of their fundamental rights and freedom
- Principals who go against a circular from government and still punish students who wear hijabs have been warned to desist from such
The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN), Lagos state area unit, has stated that one of the criteria its members will use for voting gubernatorial candidates in Lagos state in 2019 will be the unconditional approval for female students to wear hijab in schools.
According to a statement released on Thursday, December 27, the head of the MSSN in Lagos, Saheed Ashafa, made the disclosure public at the group's ongoing 106th Islamic Vacation Course taking place at the Human Capital Development Center, Noforija, Epe, Premium Times reports.
Legit.ng gathers that Ashafa called on government and school authorities to embrace the use of hijab in schools, pointing out that assaults on school children over the use of hijab is a violation of their fundamental rights and freedom. He said if the rights of Muslims are trampled on, the MSSN will address the issue without resorting to violence.
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He said: “Let me get something clear, MSSN Lagos is not a political organisation but millions of our members are qualified voters. We have sensitised them enough to get their Permanent Voters Cards and the need to be peaceful during the election.
“We have been very careful in taking a position on the governorship election in Lagos state, but something is clear - we will not support any candidate that will pose a challenge to the use of hijab by our members in schools or deny any of our rights.
“We urge the candidates to engage in issue-based campaign and avoid maligning others. We are interested in the ideas that these candidates have to solve the country’s challenges and defamation of character.”
Ashafa further warned principals who go against a circular from government and still punish students who wear hijabs, to desist from such as their action could malign the peaceful coexistence of people of different faiths in Lagos state.
He said tremendous progress has been made on the matter so far and that the MSSN would not relent. He said as a group of people who are civilised, they are in court over the matter. "We are not going to go that way. We will follow the constitutional procedures to make our case," he added.
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According to Ashafa, school children should be able to enjoy the use of use hijab.
Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that the Lagos state government gave a go-ahead to Muslim female pupils to use hijab in public schools, after series of protests and several legal battles between the government and numerous Muslim groups.
The development was announced in a circular by the state’s area unit of the Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria.
A Lagos high court had in October 2014, ruled against the use of hijabs in schools; a judgement that was upturned by an appeal court in July 2016.
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Source: Legit.ng
