12year-old given 43 strokes of cane over hijab

…MSSN calls for suspension of erring principal

Twelve-year–old and a JSS 1 student of Kadara Junior Grammar School, Ebute Metta, Lagos, Aisha Alabi was recently subjected to very horrible and inhuman treatment by the School Principal, Mrs. E.C Ukpaka, because she used hijab.

The Muslim Students’ Society of Nigeria (MSSN) Lagos State Area Unit in a press release signed by its PRO, Sulaimon Alamutu, therefore called the attention of the state government and the entire peace-loving citizens of the state to the inhuman, unprofessional and barbaric act of the principal.

“Our findings show that Aisha wore the Hijab outside the class in the school compound when she was seen by Mrs. Ukpaka who immediately called an emergency assembly and allegedly ordered her to be beaten. The students at the assembly, we learnt, counted no less than 43 strokes of cane landing on the hapless little girl’s body!

This happened on Tuesday February 5, 2013 around some minutes to 4pm. This is quite unfortunate and unacceptable in a country where the constitution guarantees the citizens right to practice and manifest any religion of their choice without any interference from any quarter.”

If all these provisions are clearly guaranteed in the nation’s constitution, we are seriously at a loss as to why Mrs. Ukpaka, who we expected to know better and act accordingly, would deliberately and with impunity; violate the provisions of the constitution. Aside the fact that the principal brazenly violated the constitution, what if the little girl dies in the process of beating her, what excuse would she give as her reason?

This amounts to child abuse!” Mrs Ukpaka’s action demonstrates the deep hatred and disgust that most non- Muslims school principals in Lagos State have against our law abiding female members.

Hers is not the first as others had done similar thing in the past without any disciplinary action against them by the state government. In the light of this, the student body called for the immediate suspension of Mrs. Ukpaka and orders a full investigation into the matter.

“Ours is a law abiding organisation and the state government can attest to this fact. It should be noted that the leadership of the MSSN Lagos State Area Unit had had course in the past to keep its members across the state calm over recurrent abuses and discriminations against our sisters in the face of government’s indifference towards bringing to justice those maltreating them because of Hijab.

However, we must state that failure to take disciplinary action against Mrs. Ukpaka this time around would draw the anger of the entire Muslim Students’ population in the state.”

http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/12year-old-given-43-strokes-of-cane-over-hijab/

Inexplicable hatred!!

Giving the girl in question 43 strokes of cane is uncalled for, but I believe there's a code of dressing every student must abide with, when you are in Rome it's better you behave like a Roman in order to avoid the consequences of behaving otherwise, there are better ways of handling this issue than subjecting the poor girl to this kind of treatment.

Eneze1: Giving the girl in question 43 strokes of cane is uncalled for, but I believe there's a code of dressing every student must abide with, when you are in Rome it's better you behave like a Roman in order to avoid the consequences of behaving otherwise, there are better ways of handling this issue than subjecting the poor girl to this kind of treatment.

which code of dressing stop the girl from using hijab after wearing her uniform ma'am? Didn't the constitution give room for the poor girl to practice her religion everywhere even in the school premises?

if she want to practice her religion nobody is stopping her but in a school that has a code of dressing which should be adhere to, I dont believe the hijab is part of the code of dressing and if her parents want her to be using hijab they should have sent her to a school that uses it.

Eneze1: if she want to practice her religion nobody is stopping her but in a school that has a code of dressing which should be adhere to, I dont believe the hijab is part of the code of dressing and if her parents want her to be using hijab they should have sent her to a school that uses it.

The school in question is a public/government school and all female Muslims are expected to wear hijab in conformity with their religion, if your post is anything to go by, you are saying all Muslim girls shouldn't attend government school

siddiq202:

The school in question is a public/government school and all female Muslims are expected to wear hijab in conformity with their religion, if your post is anything to go by, you are saying all Muslim girls shouldn't attend government school
Btw I still don't know of any law stopping the girl from using hijab

Don't get me wrong am not saying all muslims girls should not attend government school but have you forgotten there are rules and regulations you must follow when you attend certain schools which should be adhere to, am not supporting the principal's inhuman treatment but there are government schools that are purely muslims schools which their code of dressing allows the use of hijab, simple as ABC

43 strokes of cane? haba what if she had killed the girl, eh? or is she boko haram activist trying to deprive muslim women of the righjt to education and religion? the State government must sit up and address this issue clearly, people like the shameless principle act that way because they feel the law or the govt has not defined what the law says on such issues!

This thread would have been filled with a lot of insults and hate speech if it was a Muslim school principal that flogged a christian 43 times maybe for wearing a rosary.
Good thing Islam teaches civility in actions and in speech.

Eneze1:
Don't get me wrong am not saying all muslims girls should not attend government school but have you forgotten there are rules and regulations you must follow when you attend certain schools which should be adhere to, am not supporting the principal's inhuman treatment but there are government schools that are purely muslims schools which their code of dressing allows the use of hijab, simple as ABC

From your posts, I know you don't support what the principal did but certain government schools that are Muslims schools? I beg to disagree nothing like government schools that are purely Muslims schools. If what you are referring to is some schools that were created by Islamic missionaries like Ansar-ud-deen and the rest, I'm in a good position to tell you that you are very wrong because I attended Ansar-ud-deen Grammar school, randle avenue surulere Lagos and I can tell you that there is no difference on how the school was run compared to other government schools that wasn't created by Missioners.

Even if your claim that there are government schools that are purely muslims schools, the question will be is that supposed to be so?

flogging.

first, it is child abuse.

siddiq202:

From your posts, I know you don't support what the principal did but certain government schools that are Muslims schools? I beg to disagree nothing like government schools that are purely Muslims schools. If what you are referring to is some schools that were created by Islamic missionaries like Ansar-ud-deen and the rest, I'm in a good position to tell you that you are very wrong because I attended Ansar-ud-deen Grammar school, randle avenue surulere Lagos and I can tell you that there is no difference on how the school was run compared to other government schools that wasn't created by Missioners.

Even if your claim that there are government schools that are purely muslims schools, the question will be is that supposed to be so?

I beg to disagree with u that there is no government muslim schools, there are certain government schools that are muslim schools, this remind of of an issue that happened when I was in secondary school muslim students decided to be using hijab to schools then, the principal after seeing them in school sent them all home which was reported to the governor then, the governor in question said since schools have rules that guide the way the students dress to school, students must always abide by this rule and if u r interested to put on hijab on your uniform go to a school that allows it, the said governor was a muslim. I think it is always important to follow the rules and regulations that are laid down wherever we are, if it doesn't conform to our religious belief I think its better you change to whr ur religious belief will be acceptable.

Poor little Aisha...I can imagine how she has felt. What happened to right of Religion? Don't some xtian student express their right of religion? Y all this hate? This is very very un-called for n wickedness at the apex of it. Its painful, shldnt her have punished her in another way if there was any need?
When will the whole world see the hijab as part of a normal clothing for a woman? Its high time people saw the hijab as a RIGHT n respect it, seriously.

The principal shld be put to check as this will serve as a lesson to those who r involved in this terrible act n those whose r atempting to n also prevent further re-ocurance. Haba!

I will like to stay up to date on this matter, I don't know how though, since I am not in Lagos.
The principal has to be dealt with to the 'satisfaction' of the girl in question.
The gravity of the matter is such that there are grave psychological implications for the girl if justice is not optimally dispensed- her morale might be severely decimated and she might be stripped of her self confidence as a backlash.
This matter had better not be thrown into the trash can by the influence of the 'Nigerian factor'; for the good of the girl and the rest of us.
I reiterate my hope again that may we not have to do the 'unnecessary' before the 'necessary' is done. I hope!

This is very wrong, i thought that it had been passed to law allowing Muslim female students to use hijab in Lagos public schools. Even, Gov. Fasholah had prohibited flogging in public schools! The principal must be sanctioned.

She should be fired immediately.then she should be sued for discrimination that threatens the peace of Lagos and Nigeria at large.

Failure to act by the authorities is not an option.otherwise this Christian ignorance built on fanaticism and extreme hatred for Muslims would continue.

The hater should be arrested and taken to court.and I hope one of her punishments would be to double the beating 10 times and give her 430 strokes of the cane.then according to the bible in Corinthians,she (the principal) should have her head shaved for not covering her own head.we are not living in a Christian country.

Eneze1:


I beg to disagree with u that there is no government muslim schools, there are certain government schools that are muslim schools, this remind of of an issue that happened when I was in secondary school muslim students decided to be using hijab to schools then, the principal after seeing them in school sent them all home which was reported to the governor then, the governor in question said since schools have rules that guide the way the students dress to school, students must always abide by this rule and if u r interested to put on hijab on your uniform go to a school that allows it, the said governor was a muslim. I think it is always important to follow the rules and regulations that are laid down wherever we are, if it doesn't conform to our religious belief I think its better you change to whr ur religious belief will be acceptable.

In a government school,where all students are equal citizens,if a female decides not to wear hijab because she a Christian (who haven't read Corinthians),she shouldn't be forced to wear hijab even if the majority of the school is muslim.likewise,if a female decides to wear hijab,she has the right to even if the government school is majority non-muslim or Christian.had this happened in Anambra state,I won't be suprised.but this principal obviously from another region of Nigeria is bringing her ignorance and fanaticism in Lagos,a Yoruba state where indigenous Yorubas are majority muslim.this is NOT acceptable.the principal should go back to the east or wherever she is from to practice her extremism and hatred for Muslims.

siddiq202:
which code of dressing stop the girl from using hijab after wearing her uniform ma'am? Didn't the constitution give room for the poor girl to practice her religion everywhere even in the school premises?

you're very wrong. There're rules in every organization just as we have rules on NL. in some organizations or institutions, you have to wear a tie and in others, you dont have to. beating the little girl is unreasonable.

she could have been ordered to pull of rather than being beaten.

LagosShia:

In a government school,where all students are equal citizens,if a female decides not to wear hijab because she a Christian (who haven't read Corinthians),she shouldn't be forced to wear hijab even if the majority of the school is muslim.likewise,if a female decides to wear hijab,she has the right to even if the government school is majority non-muslim or Christian.had this happened in Anambra state,I won't be suprised.but this principal obviously from another region of Nigeria is bringing her ignorance and fanaticism in Lagos,a Yoruba state where indigenous Yorubas are majority muslim.this is NOT acceptable.the principal should go back to the east or wherever she is from to practice her extremism and hatred for Muslims.

so what are you going to do? strike the principal or leave her to God?

toba: you're very wrong. There're rules in every organization just as we have rules on NL. in some organizations or institutions, you have to wear a tie and in others, you dont have to. beating the little girl is unreasonable.

she could have been ordered to pull of rather than being beaten.

Madam or Mr,

Hijab is not a tie you put and take off for fashion.its a religious matter that if not properly handled can lead to a situation of racism,hatred and intolerance.

The beating shows the deep hatred that evil thing had in her mind for Muslims/Islam.I wonder what brought her to Lagos.

toba: so what are you going to do? strike the principal or leave her to God?

There is a government in Lagos State that must do the necessary and decide what should be done.I'm not the governor of Lagos State nor the commissioner for education.

LagosShia:

Madam or Mr,

Hijab is not a tie you put and take off for fashion.its a religious matter that if not properly handled can lead to a situation of racism,hatred and intolerance.

The beating shows the deep hatred that evil thing had in her mind for Muslims/Islam.I wonder what brought her to Lagos.

Imagine o, more than 43 strokes on a 12year old girl! she must be sacked, and sent to a mental home. she's not fit to work in a school.

LagosShia:

Madam or Mr,

Hijab is not a tie you put and take off for fashion.its a religious matter that if not properly handled can lead to a situation of racism,hatred and intolerance.

The beating shows the deep hatred that evil thing had in her mind for Muslims/Islam.I wonder what brought her to Lagos.

Nigeria is not a one religion state. I cant carry my bible everywhere in order to prove to Muslims im a christian. There're rules in everywhere. Back then in school we were compelled to wear brown belt, cut our air to low level, not to put on face caps and ladies must wear beret.

Authorities wants uniformity and no prefential treatment. caning is bad but there must be obedience for the rules

toba: Nigeria is not a one religion state. I cant carry my bible everywhere in order to prove to Muslims im a christian. There're rules in everywhere. Back then in school we were compelled to wear brown belt, cut our air to low level, not to put on face caps and ladies must wear beret.

Authorities wants uniformity and no prefential treatment. caning is bad but there must be obedience for the rules

Hijab is not meant to prove to anyone that the female wearing it is Muslim,as much as it is meant to create a connection between God and the female as a step of devotion.it is part of worship and not just a uniform.

This is clear violation of human rights. She has the right to wear hijab and not to wear it as someone points out the state allows the use of it in public schools. I hope the principal made to face the law to serve as deterrent to others that likes taking the law into their hands cus they've got some authority.

LagosShia: 1 Corinthians 11:6

"If a woman does not cover her head, she should have her hair cut off; and if it is a disgrace for a woman to have her hair cut or shaved off, she should cover her head...".

1 Corinthians 11:15

but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory. For long hair is given to her as a covering.

Paschal007: This is clear violation of human rights. She has the right to wear hijab and not to wear it as someone points out the state allows the use of it in public schools. I hope the principal made to face the law to serve as deterrent to others that likes taking the law into their hands cus they've got some authority. 1 Corinthians 11:15

but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory. For long hair is given to her as a covering.[/b]

So how many 12 years old in public schools do you know having long hair?


@ topic

This is wrong and the principal must be punished, we have Muslim schools in Nigeria and in Lagos and Christians attend these schools, yet they are not forced to wear Hijab, some catholic pupils wear rosary to school and no one has ever stopped them from wearing it. (what is the difference between rosary and hijab?)

Some students also go to school with bible, but they're not punished for coming to school with bible. What is wrong is wrong and that principal must be punished accordingly. she must also be flogged 43 times, then suspended for 5yrs.

The Principle should be expelled for physically and mentally harming a child that wasn't even old enough to make her own decisions.

The parents should have been reprimanded instead, for making their child put on something that the school authorities obviously frowned upon.

fellis:
Good thing Islam teaches civility in actions and in speech.

Couldn't help laughing out loud at the irony in your sentence.

lakumdinukum walyadin; TO U B UR RELIGION AND TO ME IS MY RELIGION... so why d nonsensical attitude put up by the teacher.

did Lagos pass the child rights act into law?

that principal must be s ued

What is the essence of that hair covering?