It was an unusual sight yesterday at the Supreme Court in Abuja.
Justices, who came into the courtroom to begin the day’s proceedings, ended it abruptly.
The justices, lawyers and litigants were shocked by the appearance of a lawyer who dressed like a god of river to the apex court. His lawyer colleagues and court workers were also taken aback
Malcolm Omirhobo sat on the front row without shoes. He tied a red wrapper on top of his black trousers that were rolled up to his knees. He also had a gourd tied around his neck with a red piece of cloth. There was also a feather attached to his wig and he encircled one of his eyes with a whitish substance.
But Omirhobo had a mission – he did all that to draw attention to the verdict of the apex court that allows pupils and students to appear in hijab in public schools.
The Justices, who came into the courtroom for the day’s business about five minutes after Omirhobo’s arrival, felt uncomfortable with the lawyer’s attire.
The Presiding Justice John Okoro promptly suspended proceedings after Omirhobo ignored entreaties by security officials to vacate the courtroom.
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Explaining his action, Omirhobo said: “I am very grateful to the Supreme Court. Just last week Friday it made a very resounding decision that promotes Section 38 of the Constitution, that is, our right to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion; that we are free to express our way of worship in our schools and in our courts.
“That decision was reached on Friday and that has encouraged me because I am a traditionalist and this is the way I worship.
“Based on the decision of the Supreme Court, this is how I will be dressing henceforth in court, because I am a strong adherent of ‘Olokun’ – the god of rivers.”
To Omirhobo, the implication of the judgment was that every Nigerian, including doctors, police, military students and journalists can now wear their worship robes or regalia in public places.
The lawyer said he has no objection to the verdict but is at peace with it because it has strengthened and enriched the rights of all Nigerians as enshrined in the Constitution.
According to him, his action was informed by last Friday’s judgment of the court in the appeal filed by the Lagos State Government. The court okayed the wearing of a head cover (hijab) in public schools by female Muslim students.
In a split decision of five to two, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court had in its majority judgment, dismissed the government appeal.
Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun wrote the lead judgment in the appeal marked: SC/910/2016. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola (who headed the panel) along with Justices Uwani Abba-Aji, Mohammed Lawal Garba and Tijani Abubakar agreed with the lead judgment.
Justice Emmanuel Agim wrote the minority lead decision which Justice Inyang Okoro agreed.
