By Luminous Jannamike
The Oyo State High Court has ruled that the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, cannot force female candidates sitting the Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, to remove their hijab before taking the examination, declaring the practice unconstitutional, illegal, null and void.
For Muslim girls seeking admission into tertiary institutions, the ruling settles a question that has repeatedly surfaced at examination centres: they cannot be compelled to remove their hijab as the price for writing the UTME.
The court held that such a condition infringes the constitutional right to freedom of religion.
Justice Y. S. Adekunle, in a judgment delivered on July 20 in Suit No. I/560/2025, found in favour of Lawal Hameedat Adenike Olamide, a minor who sued through her mother, Mrs Basirat Ojo-Oba, after she was allegedly prevented from writing the April 25, 2025 UTME unless she removed her hijab.
