Hijab controversy: Amasa Firdaus finally called to bar

Amasa Firdaus, the law graduate who sparked controversy for challenging the restriction on use of hijab during call-to-bar ceremonies, has been called to bar.

Firdaus was called on Tuesday, seven months after the controversy.

Firdaus was in December denied entry into the hall for the ceremony which took place at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, for refusing to remove her hijab.

She had described the action as “a violation of her rights”, adding the hijab does not violate the dress code set by the law school.

She also said the the restriction was a mere convention “that the British gave to us and we have to stick to it.”

Firdaus told TheCable that she wore the hijab to the ceremony to challenge the status quo.

“Actually there are no rules preventing us from wearing hijabs. They just call it convention that the British gave to us and we have to stick to it,” she had said.

Islamic bodies, including the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), had rallied around her, calling for a review of the dress code.

In a historic ruling, the body of benchers responsible for calling law graduates to bar, in June approved the use of hijab as proper dress code.

Photo credit: Ajibola Basiru