6th
August, 2018
PRESS RELEASE:
LAGOS HIJAB SAGA: ALLOW RULE OF LAW
The Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC) has waded into the controversy surrounding comments on the hijab issue made
by the Lagos State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Dr. Abdulateef Abdulhakeem on
a Television Continental (TVC) programme, ‘YourView’ on Tuesday, July 31st,
2018.
According to MURIC, the
commissioner’s comments have been severally misreported and misunderstood. The
Islamic group argued that the commissioner merely stated the obvious.
“What was reported was not
exactly what he said. What he said reflected the official position of the state
government. It was not his personal opinion. His response may have been
different if asked about his personal opinion. But that would have breached
protocol. Once you are in government you owe total allegiance to that
government. That does not diminish from your faith as a Muslim.
“Islamic organizations must
always give informed reactions. We must understand the intrincacies of
governance. It is complex. It is technical. It is like the judge in a court of
law. He does not make pronouncements based on personal feelings because he must
allow the law to take its due course. Most times the hearts of judges weep
inside as they boldly make judicial pronouncements.
“Press interviews are equally
technical and tricky. Sometimes they are booby traps particularly for government
functionaries and journalists often use such occasions to make or mar, to build
or destroy the person being interviewed. More often than not the target
question is smuggled into the conversation to catch the guest offguard. The
issues discussed at the “Your View” interview on that occasion were many. It
was not hijab matter alone and it was slipped in as an uppercut. Fortunately
the commissioner handled it very well”.
Akintola insisted that he saw
nothing wrong with the commissioner’s response. “Dr. Abdullateef Abdulhakeem is
an erudite Islamic scholar. He is well grounded in Islamic jurisprudence. He
can separate the wheat from the chaff when it comes to the relationship between
Islam and politics. He is also the most successful Islamic scholar who has
dabbled into politics in Lagos State in particular and in Nigeria in general.
We are proud of him.
“We repose full confidence
in Dr. Abdullateef Abdulhakeem. He has not in any way shied away from his
responsibility as an Islamic scholar. Anyone with the same versatility like he
brandishes must have certain limitations particularly when he wears two caps.
This is what we want Muslims to understand.
“An Islamic scholar in
government has certain challenges. He must postulate Islamic principles as an
Islamic scholar and articulate government’s position as a government official. What
is important, however, is that he must know where to play the role of an
Islamic scholar and where to wear the garb of a government official. These two
roles may contradict themselves sometimes and this is what has happened. On the
commissioner’s part in this episode, he has displayed astounding dexterity and
maturity by knowing when to speak for government and that was exactly what he
did during the interview which some Muslims found offensive.
“But it takes
understanding to be able to know that there is more to ten than five and six.
His critics have missed 7, 8 and 9! We must know that there is a difference
between his role as an Islamic scholar and his role as a government official.
He needs to maintain a balance between the two roles and we must allow him to
do that if we do not want to destroy him. What happened was that some Muslims
expected him to speak as an Islamic scholar at the interview but that would
have been wrong.
“Only those who want to
deliver him into the hands of journalists who are seeking sensation without
regard for a man’s career will insist that he should have stated the wish of
Muslims at the interview. He was there representing the Lagos State government
at that material time. In any case, he was not asked for the position of Islam
on the issue or the viewpoint of Lagos Muslims”.
MURIC also threw a jab at the
Lagos State government on the hijab issue. “LASG should have allowed the use of
hijab in schools when the Supreme Court rejected its application for stay of
execution. Its continued refusal to allow the use of hijab is capable of being
interpreted as deliberate perpetuation of anti-Muslim policies.
“In view of the fact that
the Constitution of any nation is the font
et origo of all laws, codes, ordinances, rules and regulations of that
country, Lagos as the center of excellence in Nigeria should not have allowed
the issue of hijab to become so contentious to the extent that it became a
matter of litigation. Lagos should have liberalized the matter and allowed the
use of hijab by female Muslim pupils in its public schools.
Afterall
Ekiti State government during the first tenure of Kayode Fayemi issued a
circular permitting the use of hijab in public schools in the state without the
Muslims going to court and without them staging public protests. Hijab has also
been in vogue in public schools in the state of Osun since the landmark
judgement of the High Court on 3rd June, 2016 and heaven did not
fall. What Lagos requires is the political will to liberate Lagos Muslims”.
“LASG cannot claim
ignorance of the position of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of
Nigeria on religious freedom with particular reference to manner of dressing,
appearance in public or ‘manifestation’ of one’s faith. Section 38 (i) &
(ii) of the 1999 Constituion (as amended in 2011) states inter alia: ‘every person
shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including
freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in
community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate
his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance’.
“We therefore contend that LASG’s continued restriction on the use of
hijab in public schools particularly after a court of competent jurisdiction
has declared hijab constitutional and the Supreme Court has rejected the state
government’s application for stay of execution is illegal, unlawful,
illegitimate and unconstitutional. This restriction should be lifted with
immediate effect and a circular to that effect should be issued by the Lagos
State Ministry of Education. Better still, LASG should withdraw its appeal at
the Supreme Court because it is an open attempt at judicial procrastination. We
all know that justice delayed is justice denied.
The
Islamic human rights outfit also condemned the frequent persecution of female
Muslim students who are allegedly beaten up by Christian teachers outside the
school premises for wearing hijab.
“It
is the height of tyranny for Christian teachers to flog female Muslim students
for wearing hijab outside the schools’ premises. These students wear their
hijab from home and remove it at the school’s gate. A teacher’s legitimate
authority stops at the school’s gate. It does not extend to the streets. It is ultra vires. It is tyrannical, atrocious,
inhuman and fanatical. It is abuse of power”.
Commenting
further on criticisms leveled at the commissioner, MURIC added, “We are of the humble
opinion that Muslims who complain when governments either at Federal or state
level marginalize them should learn to appreciate presidents and governors who appoint
Muslims into cabinet positions and parastatals. They should also appreciate
their own and avoid running them down. The pull-them-down syndrome is alien to
the spirit of Islamic brotherhood. Muslims should appreciate the sacrifices
being made by Muslim appointees in government. They are our ambassadors. We
should therefore be praying for their success instead of attacking them.
“We
therefore advise Islamic organizations and leaders to tread with caution and to
guard their utterances with regard to the comment made by Dr. Abdullateef
Abdulhakeem. We contend that the media report of the honourable commissioner’s
speech has been characteristically tainted with sensationalism.
“In
our closing remarks, we assert clearly, categorically and unequivocally that Dr.
Abdullateef Abdulhakeem has not compromised his faith as his comment was merely
factual and not anti-Islam in any way. We charge LASG to allow the rule of law
to prevail on the issue of hijab and to call fanatical Christian teachers who
persecute female Muslim students to order. We appeal to Muslims in Lagos State
to remain calm and law abiding and to continue to cooperate with LASG”.
Professor Ishaq Akintola,
Director,
Muslim Rights Concern
(MURIC)
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