Nigerian lawyer Rodiyah Omotoyosi Mikhail was called to the Bar during the September 2025 Call to Bar ceremony while wearing a niqab beneath the traditional legal wig and gown required for new legal practitioners.
Mikhail was among 6,009 lawyers admitted to the Nigerian Bar during the ceremony organized by the Body of Benchers. Photos from the event showed her dressed in the formal black legal attire while wearing a black niqab, leaving only her eyes visible.
The images were shared online shortly after the ceremony and quickly circulated across social media platforms. Mikhail’s appearance drew attention because the niqab is not part of legal dress during formal proceedings in Nigeria.
The photos led to discussions about religious expression within professional settings, according to Nigerian outlet Pulse, with some users questioning whether face coverings are compatible with legal practice, while others defended Mikhail’s insistence on maintaining her religious dress while entering the legal profession.
Friends and supporters described her as a committed legal professional and said her qualifications and career should be the focus rather than her clothing.
Online claims have described Mikhail as Nigeria’s first lawyer to wear a niqab, but no official confirmation of that claim has been provided by the Body of Benchers, the Nigerian Bar Association, or the Nigerian Law School.
The case has drawn comparisons to Amasa Firdaus, who in 2017 challenged restrictions on wearing a hijab during her own Call to Bar ceremony. Firdaus’ case focused on the Islamic headscarf, while Mikhail’s situation has centered on the niqab, which covers the face except for the eyes.
Mikhail was among 6,009 lawyers admitted to the Nigerian Bar during the ceremony organized by the Body of Benchers. Photos from the event showed her dressed in the formal black legal attire while wearing a black niqab, leaving only her eyes visible.
The images were shared online shortly after the ceremony and quickly circulated across social media platforms. Mikhail’s appearance drew attention because the niqab is not part of legal dress during formal proceedings in Nigeria.
The photos led to discussions about religious expression within professional settings, according to Nigerian outlet Pulse, with some users questioning whether face coverings are compatible with legal practice, while others defended Mikhail’s insistence on maintaining her religious dress while entering the legal profession.
Friends and supporters described her as a committed legal professional and said her qualifications and career should be the focus rather than her clothing.
Online claims have described Mikhail as Nigeria’s first lawyer to wear a niqab, but no official confirmation of that claim has been provided by the Body of Benchers, the Nigerian Bar Association, or the Nigerian Law School.
The case has drawn comparisons to Amasa Firdaus, who in 2017 challenged restrictions on wearing a hijab during her own Call to Bar ceremony. Firdaus’ case focused on the Islamic headscarf, while Mikhail’s situation has centered on the niqab, which covers the face except for the eyes.
