The governor of Niger state, Mohammed Bago, has clarified that the state government is not against the wearing of hijab by female teachers and students in the state.
Team@orientactualmags.com learned that Bago has done this to respond to media reports claiming that the state Commissioner for Education, Hajiya Hadiza, condemned the wearing of hijab by teachers, alleging that she said ‘ I see no reason why a female teacher will wear Hijab and be comfortable with her teaching’.
The governor in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, said his administration is not against the wearing of Hijab by female teachers and students being a religious injunction with constitutional backing.
The Commissioner was according to him quoted out of context.
‘The commissioner’s statement is contextual and does not reflect the position of the state government on the use of Hijab by women in any field of endeavor. The commissioner’s meeting with the principals, headmasters and other stakeholders was organized to sensitize them to the strategic plans of the Bago-led administration to boost education as well as the upcoming screening and competency test for teachers in the state.
The state government is not, and has never been, against the wearing of a Hijab; the commissioner’s statement must have been misconstrued. The wearing of a Hijab is a religious obligation and the Supreme Court had, in June last year, ruled that the constitution allows Muslim students and, by implication, teachers to wear a Hijab.
The commissioner, as a Muslim, was not unaware of the importance of the Hijab and could not have been an impediment to its use.
Niger is a law-abiding state. Since the Nigerian Constitution allows Muslim students and teachers to wear the Hijab, the state government has the responsibility to ensure that the rights of the citizens are protected’ the statement said-Team@orientactualmags.com Do you have any information you wish to share with us? Do you want us to cover your event or programme? Kindly send SMS to 08059100286, 09094171980. Thank you
