President General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar III, has said there is no law banning the use of hijab in schools.
Abubakar, who is also the Sultan of Sokoto, said freedom of religion gives people a right to practise religions of their choice.
Abubakar spoke on Sunday in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, at the fourth General Assembly of Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) with the theme: Muslim Unity and Contemporary Political Challenges in Nigeria, at the Conference Hall of the University of Ibadan (UI) Mosque Complex in Ibadan.
He said: “There is freedom of religion in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, nobody should be stopped from using hijab (the female Islamic veil). People are free to practise any religion they want. We have been practising this religion for over a century.
“If the court is taking too long to resolve the issue of hijab with constitution, then, it means politics is in it. Our political leaders must know that they should not take false as right.”
The sultan said he was passionate about education, adding that as a Muslim leader, he had been looking for a solution to hijab controversy.
According to him, most of the commotion happening in the country is caused by politics.
Abubakar said: “Islam is under a serious challenge. There are controversies going on in Nigeria concerning the use of hijab by Muslim pupils in schools.
“We are law-abiding. There will be no peace the moment we pick up arms to attack anybody. Where there is no peace, there can never be stability of development anywhere in the world. And where there is no development, we cannot worship Allah.”
The sultan urged the Ummah in Oyo State and the Southwest to be law-abiding, adding: “It is unfortunate that issues like this are happening and people continue to escalate it just to embarrass Muslim leaders.
“All of you should be patient because Allah wants you to be patient. Whatever happens to you as Ummah, let us count it as a challenge. It is for us to wake up from our too much slumber because we have not been doing what is supposed to be done.
“We are divided along ethnicity line and, even as Muslim brothers, the division among us is worse than that of inter-religion.
“If we understand ourselves and do the right thing and continue to add our voice towards nation-building, we shall come out victorious at the end of the day,” he said.
The Chairman of the Board of Trustees (BoT) of MUSWEN, Prince Bola Ajibola, said the conference would be the first General Assembly after the 10th anniversary celebrated last year as a milestone that witnessed the beginning of a new experience.
The former Justice Minister urged stakeholders to support the new leaders as may be decided by the assembly.
Muslims, he stressed, must forge ahead as united and indivisible Ummah at all times and place the interests of the Ummah above personal interests.
“I want to remind the new leaders that will emerge today of the imperative of selfless service and inclusive leadership. They must be broadminded in their dealings with our internal stakeholders and accord everybody a sense of belonging to the umbrella body.
“The incoming leaders should make sure that they faithfully implement MUSWEN’s third strategic plan, which is to guide our operations for the next 10 years and strive to play a greater role in the socio-economic and political development of the region and the nation at large,” Ajibola said.
