Lawyer Wears Priest Regalia To Court In Protest Against the Hijab Ruling

Image: BarristerNG.com

It was all drama on Thursday at the Okpoko magistrate court in the Ogbaru Local Government Area, near Onitsha, Anambra State, when Ogbachalu Goshen, a lawyer, appeared in court in full priest regalia to defend a case.

When a case was called up by the presiding judge, Her Worship CB Mbaegbu, Goshen came up as a defense counsel in the priestly attire.

The Magistrate objected to his appearance and wouldn’t allow him to address the court in his costume. The lawyer then objected, citing the recent Supreme Court judgment on hijab. Recall that the judgment gave female students the right to wear hijab in public schools.

When the Magistrate insisted that Goshen could not appear in his mode of dressing, Goshen held that it was his right that the Magistrate, by her objection, was infringing on his fundamental human rights as enshrined in Section 38 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

After a few minutes of back and forth, the Magistrate got fed up and then rose, thereby forcing the court to dismiss immediately.

Several lawyers and individuals at the court for different matters filed outside the court as the Magistrate entered her car and left the court premises.

When interviewed, Goshen stood his ground and said his action was legal since it has become a constitutional matter based on the Supreme Court’s ruling.

He asked the court to answer what would happen if a female Muslim lawyer appeared in court in her hijab.

According to him, he is an ordained pastor, hence has the right to appear in court as such since the Supreme Court has decided.

When asked of the judiciary's ruling if it was in their best interest, he answered that it will remain a precedent that must be obeyed unless there is a judicial review.

Source

#Anambra lawyer

#Hijab ruling