Ibadan Court Rules in Favor of Hijabs for Muslim Students After 2018 Ban by International School Ibadan

An Oyo State High Court in Ibadan has ruled in favor of female Muslim students at the International School Ibadan (ISI) who sought the right to wear the hijab as part of their school uniform. The ruling comes after a legal battle that has stretched over several years, sparked by a 2018 ban imposed by the school management.

On Tuesday, November 12, 2024, Justice Moshood Ishola struck out an application filed by ISI, requesting a stay-of-execution on a previous ruling that upheld the rights of Muslim students to wear hijabs. This marks the second time in six months that the school has lost an application of this nature. Justice Ishola ruled that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the application, stressing that it could only address cases where an appeal had been duly filed and numbered by the Court of Appeal.

The case revolves around the decision of ISI’s management in 2018 to prohibit female Muslim students from wearing the hijab as part of their school uniform. The ban had led to a series of legal actions, with Muslim students and their supporters challenging the restriction on the grounds of fundamental human rights.

The legal team representing the 11 female Muslim students, led by Hassan Fajimite, expressed their satisfaction with the ruling. Fajimite condemned the school’s attempts to delay the enforcement of the High Court’s earlier judgment, which ruled in favor of the students’ right to wear the hijab. Magnus Ejelonu, the lead counsel for the applicants, argued that the case met the conditions for admissibility, as the appeal had already been assigned a number in the Court of Appeal registry.

Supporters of the ruling have welcomed the decision as a victory for inclusivity and religious freedom. Abdur-Rahman Balogun, Chairman of the ISI Muslim Parents Forum, praised the judgment, highlighting its significance in ensuring that students of all faiths are treated equally. He pointed to the school’s 2024 Yearbook, which he said reflected a harmonious environment that embraces diversity.

The legal battle began in 2018 when ISI, a prestigious school affiliated with the University of Ibadan, banned the hijab, prompting the Muslim community to take legal action. The ruling is seen as a significant step toward upholding the rights of Muslim students in Nigerian schools, with calls for broader acceptance and accommodation of diverse religious practices.

The management of ISI, including the school’s principal and the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academic) of the University of Ibadan, had filed the stay-of-execution application in a bid to reverse the earlier court decision, but Justice Ishola’s latest ruling has effectively dismissed their plea.