A Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Mr. Malcolm Omirhobo was the cynosure of all eyes at the Supreme Court on Thursday as he appeared before the judges dressed in the attire of a traditionalist.
He said his dress code was informed by last Friday’s Supreme Court’s approval to female Muslim students to wear hijab to schools in Lagos State.
The Delta State-born legal practitioner said he dressed to court in that manner to exercise his fundamental rights following the court’s verdict on hijab.
“I am a traditionalist. I have been missing all along until the Supreme Court gave the judgment on Friday that people can now appear in their religious attires of worship in their school and public school for that matter.
“So, in the circumstance, I just interpreted everything and said they have done the right thing by guaranteeing more of our rights under Section 38 of the Constitution that gives Nigerians the freedom of thought, conscience, and religion from that decision that female students can wear hijab because it is the mode of their worship and any attempt to stop them from wearing it amounts to a violation of their fundamental right. I said, ‘It is good!’
“So, I said I need to also be appearing in my religious attire of worship because it is good for man to be with God all the time. This is my mode henceforth.”
Omirhobo said he will encourage others to wear their religious attires to work, expressing gratitude to the Supreme Court for the ruling.
“My children will go to school like this. I will encourage my relations, my friends; those in the army; those in the police; those in the Navy; doctors; lawyers; they will dress in their mode of worship.
“I am very grateful to the Supreme Court. I am very happy about this,” he added.
According to TheCable, the lawyer’s wig was accessorised with two black feathers while white circle was drawn around his right eye.
Although dressed in a white shirt with a jabot like lawyers, Omirhobo placed a charm around his neck hanging on a red cloth.
His black trousers, which he rolled up just below his knees, had his shirt neatly tucked within them.
But he wrapped red cloth over his waist, hiding the pants. He also wore a long black robe used by lawyers.
