Court of Appeal upholds hijab ban in University of Ibadan International School

By Adeola Badru

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan has overturned an earlier High Court judgment that permitted students of the International School, University of Ibadan, ISI, Oyo State, to wear the Islamic headscarf, popularly known as the hijab, as part of the school’s uniform.

The court declared that the institution is a private school and, therefore, entitled to enforce its dress code.

The appellate court, in a split decision of two to one delivered on Friday, held that the Supreme Court’s judgment permitting the use of hijab in public schools does not apply to private schools such as ISI.

The appeal followed an earlier judgment by the High Court, in which Justice Moshood Ishola ruled in favour of 11 students, who instituted the suit with the support of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC).