The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Ogun State Chapter has condemned what it described as “unwarranted attacks” by the Christian-led Management of Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Aro, on Muslim nurses and its penchant for ecclesiastical pursuit in a Federal government hospital.
In a press statement on Monday, Ogun MURIC Coordinator, Luqman Soliu, and PRO, Olawale Muritala, posited that “the issue of hijab (veil) by nurses in hospital is a fundamental human right and Allah-ordained injunction contained in the holy Qur’an (Surat an–Nur chapter 24 verses 30 – 31) and even the Bible in I Cor. 11:4-12 that women should cover their heads.”
MURIC said when it received the information, it was investigated and confirmed that “the management under the leadership of Dr A.O Akinhanmi was aware of the circular yet it was bent on executing the mission of removing all vestiges of Islam in the Hospital.”
He stated that “The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigerian Midwife and Nursing Council in a Circular dated February 11, 2002 referenced N& MCN/CMF/721/1/3 stated that the use of hijab is a constitutional and fundamental right of Muslim women for anyone who chooses to wear it”
Ogun MURIC however lamented that the Neuro-psychiatric Hospital management has been denying Muslim nurses the right to use hijab.
According to MURIC, the claim by the hospital management that there is no extant rule or directive approving the use of hijab is not only pure insubordination but outright disregard for a federal agency such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council that issued the circular authorizing use of hijab by nurses.
Soliu asked the hospital management to state if there is any directive from Federal government banning hijab use by nurses and if not, why prevent Muslim nurses from using hijab if not pure extremism of the Management and the Islamophobic venture it has vowed to promote?
“In our effort to call the attention of the management to our displeasure with their extremism and insubordination, we wrote a protest letter dated and submitted on August 23, 2016 and acknowledged by the Provost office but to our dismay, the Hospital management went weird by assigning and directing Mr Odigili and Mrs Akeweje to ensure none of the nurses using hijab is allowed into the ward even when nuns use theirs without hindrance.
“The intimidation has continued since then and if not checked in time may be reciprocated by resistance of the Muslim Community and Dr Akinhanmi and his messengers should be held responsible for the consequences.
“From the position of the management of Neuro-psychiatric hospital, Aro, Abeokuta, it is glaring that it has some pre-emptive agenda and having such management to continue leading the hospital will create chaos.
“Therefore, we call on the Minister of Health Professor Isaac Adewole and other relevant arms and agencies of government to intervene by restraining the management of Neuro-psychiatric Hospital, Aro from further intimidation and victimization of Muslim nurses and other staff using hijab unless it wants us to mobilize in full force to resist the fanatical disposition of Management of the hospital.”
“The management should let peace reign and stop intimidating, victimizing and disturbing Muslims and ensure unrestrictive permission to Muslim nurses to use hijab as guaranteed by the constitution which provides “every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance’’ of which the use of hijab (veil) signifies manifestation of one’s belief which the constitution guarantees.”
