Court of Appeal in Split Ruling Bars Hijab at Ibadan Private School, Overturns Earlier Permission

The Court of Appeal sitting in Ibadan overturned on Friday a May 2024 judgment that permitted female Muslim students at the University of Ibadan International School to wear the hijab with their uniforms. AllAfrica reported that the appellate court, in a split 2-1 decision, allowed an appeal filed by the school management and set aside the Oyo State High Court ruling of 22 May 2024.

The original suit had been filed by 11 Muslim female students who accused the school of violating their fundamental rights by banning the headscarf as part of the uniform.

Justice Biobele Georgewill delivered the lead judgment, with Justice K.I. Amadi concurring. He held that the University of Ibadan International School is a private institution, unlike the public school addressed in an earlier Supreme Court decision from Lagos State.

Georgewill stated that the Supreme Court judgment granting hijab use applied only to public schools and that the right to practice religion is a personal right that can be voluntarily waived. "The students had agreed to abide by the school's rules, including its dress code, when they enrolled," Georgewill ruled.

" Justice Fadawu Umar dissented, holding that the appeal lacked merit and should be dismissed while upholding the High Court decision that recognized the students' right to wear the hijab.

The case originated from a suit filed after the school banned female Muslim students from wearing headscarves with their uniforms.