The Supreme Court Ruling on the Hijab Crisis in Nigeria and the Dynamics of Tolerance

Abstract

Rights to religious freedom manifest in various social practices. They remain essential characteristics of a complex society like Nigeria. However, such rights sometimes appear threatened for the sheer reason of their oddity in certain places, and this could lead to social exclusion which may lead to a series of lawsuits. The foregoing captures the issues surrounding the use of hijab as part of school uniforms in Western Nigeria. The article draws on the socio-religious perceptions of 17 individuals resident in Nsukka, on the Supreme Court ruling over the use of hijab in government-owned schools. Respondents were drawn from Nigeria's three dominant religions. Analysis shows that several individuals appear dissatisfied with the ruling which ended the hijab controversy. The article argues that the judgment has heightened the extant religious fault lines, hence the need for a robust understanding of the dynamics of tolerance in diversity.