The Nigerian Law School graduate, Firdaus Amasa denied access to the venue of the call to the bar ceremony earlier this week for appearing in hijab (Islamic headscarf), on Saturday insisted that no law stops her from appearing in the apparel to the venue.
Amasa, a graduate of the University of Ilorin (UNILORIN) was specifically refused entry into the hall for insisting to wear the wig on top of her hijab.
She insisted that her decision not to put off the hijab was a deliberate attempt to set those coming her free.
The case has attracted significant attention on social media, with Nigerians divided on her decision and that of the authorities of the law school.
Speaking in an interview with Premium Times on Saturday, Amasa said she remained resolute in her convictions to set a precedent for Hijab-wearing Muslims during the ceremony.
In her words: “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).”
Asked whether she was aware of rules and regulations that guide against the use of Hijab at the ceremony, she said there was none, stressing that it was merely based on conventions.
“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.”
Asked what motivated her to take the decision, she explained that she wanted to change the narrative and give Muslim sisters the rights to express their constitutional rights as enshrined in the constitution.
“I knew that was what was going to happen,” she said of the consequences of her decision. She, however, said she remained 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 affirmed.
Efforts to get the reaction of the Nigerian Law School, on the issue was however unsuccessful as at the time of this report.
