Firdaus Amasa, the Nigerian law graduate who was denied admittance into the Nigerian Bar Association has finally spoken out about her decision to wear a hijab to the ceremony.
It was all done in the spirit of inclusiveness, to allow Muslim law graduates who wish to wear a hijab to the ceremony to be allowed to do so Amasa tells Premium Times.
A graduate of the University of Ilorin, Amasa was denied access to her Call to Bar ceremony after insisting on wearing a hijab during the ceremony. The incident attracted mixed reactions on social media and even the president of the Nigerian Bar Association, Abubakar Balarabe Mahmoud weighed in with his own opinion.
Meanwhile, nothing has been heard from the very pereson at the centre of the controversy, law graduate Firdaus Amasa, until now. Amasa, on Saturday, shared her experience and motivation with Premium Times.
She says: “My major concern is the approval of Hijab so that every person coming behind me will be able to use it for the call to bar (ceremony).
“There is nothing like that (laws preventing the use of Hijab). When you ask them too, they tell you it is convention; that that is how it is done and it has to remain like that.
On her motivation, Amasa says she “knew that was what was going to happen” but she was resolute in her convictions to speak for the recognition of rights of female Muslim law graduates.
She explained further that the Law School has not said anything on the case, adding that the support from the Muslim community has been impressive.
“My demand is that Hijab should be approved,” she affirms.
When you get to Rome,you behave like the romans. So when you get to your mosque or wherever, you can use your hijab. Don’t let all your efforts and time spent to go to waste.
@Kate thank you for this comment. Pls tell her that, seems she doesn’t know. The Bone of contention here is adaptation.
Aunty Law Graduate, all these one your talking is just talk
Let me tell you, Aloma Mukhtar was an Alhaja and Chief Justice of Nigeria. She used headscarves and not hijabs.
There are tons of Muslim female judges in the judiciary that don’t use hijabs, it doesn’t make them less pious than this young lady.
This is the legal profession and it’s a noble one. It’s not for unintelligent farmers, pepper sellers and touts to make emotional but dumb statements on human rights. When the Law School was having the compulsory dinners, why didn’t she wear the hijab?
God stands for honesty, truth, justice and faith.