HIJAB IN NYSC ORIENTATION CAMPS

Over the past several days there have been active discussions in social media on the use of hijab in NYSC orientation camps. The discussions followed an incidence that occurred in one of the camps. A Muslim youth corper wore a ‘long’ hijab and was consequently beaten by an Army officer. The NYSC authorities did not deny it and immediately redeployed the officer and according to the Director-General of the NYSC, more punishment will follow. How far that is true remains to be seen. My intention here is to look at the issue from a Muslim observer’s point of view.

Hijab is the dress stipulated by Islam for a Muslim woman when she is to appear before men who do not belong to the category of male relations known as maharim. The dress may be of any colour but it must satisfy certain conditions. In the first place, it must not be transparent. Second, it must cover all parts of her body in such a way that her shape is not revealed. The hijab must not resemble any dress known to be exclusively used by men and should not be attractive. A dress that portrays a woman as a follower of another religion is also not allowed just like any dress that depicts arrogance. By this, therefore, the so-called ‘short hijab’ that exposes the shape of the lower parts of a lady does not qualify as a proper hijab.

Opponents of the use of proper hijab by Muslim corpers have expressed different kinds of arguments. One of them is that Nigeria is a secular state and the use of hijab by Muslim corpers will depict it as an Islamic state. Another argument is that the NYSC camp is a paramilitary camp and since women in paramilitary agencies like immigration and Customs do not use long hijab, it is wrong for Muslim lady corpers to be allowed to use same. Another argument expressed in a Newspaper editorial is that the NYSC has never allowed the use of long hijab and what the DG has done is simply to continue with what he has met.

To start with, the meaning of the secularists’ argument is that since Nigeria is a secular country, no one is allowed to practice his/her religion. If that is the case, then all churches and mosques should be demolished and Nigerians should become pagans. What this group of people do not understand is that hijab is an integral part of a practicing Muslim life and Muslim women who use hijab are happier in it and do not use it for any other reason than the satisfaction of a religious requirement.

To compare the NYSC with paramilitary agencies is not acceptable. While women who apply to serve in paramilitary outfits have by implication accepted not to use proper hijab, following a degree or a HND programme does not imply that a Muslim woman has accepted to remove her hijab. The implication of the continuation of the ban on proper hijab is that Muslim women who insist on practicing this religious obligation are denied access to employment in their own country. It is noteworthy that completion of NYSC is a requirement for employment and admission into postgraduate programmes in Nigeria.

Perhaps the most laughable of all arguments is the one stating that since the wrong practice of banning proper hijab has been on for a long time, the wrong thing should continue to be. Even if the ban on the use of hijab were a written law, there is nothing wrong in taking it back to the National assembly to repeal it the moment it is discovered that the law denies a section of Nigerians the right to practice what they believe.

In effect, therefore, the issue of ‘long hijab’ is never dead as claimed in some quarters and can only die with Islam. The best thing to do, therefore, is to solve it once and for all. Certain steps can be taken in this direction. For instance, why must men and women be combined in the same camp if they must all participate in paramilitary activities? If those of us who participated in NYSC orientation before are to speak with honesty, we will say that the kind of immoralities that take place on NYSC orientation camps are not compatible with the basic teachings of Islam and we do not expect a decent and respectful Muslim woman to give in simply because she wants an employment or the rest of us to keep quite because we don’t want to be accused of being extremists. Another question is that must the women take part in those activities? The NYSC can do justice to this problem by making paramilitary activities optional for women.

If the NYSC cannot be creative in providing a solution, my expectation is that the Government will come in and provide justice for the Muslim ladies that are yearly being harassed in the name of serving their country. It is well known that justice is the only panacea for peace and when people cannot get justice in peace they resort to violence. It is needless to state that religion is a volatile issue for which many Nigerians are ready to kill and die as demonstrated in the past. The continuous silence of Muslim leaders on this issue does not help matters. I cannot imagine a Christian lady being molested anywhere in Nigeria in the name of religion and the Christian Association of Nigeria keeping mum simply because she is not a daughter of CAN President or a Christian VIP. This is how the Emirs who are the leaders of both JNI and SCIA have continued to lose their respect in the eyes of public because of their selective approach to issues that affect Muslims.