Female Corps Members Win Right to Wear Skirts in NYSC

A quiet win, years in the making

Two young women, Blessing Ogunjobi and Vivian Ayuba, just made history. Not with loud protests or viral tweets, but with patience, paperwork and a few long days in court. Their fight? The right to wear skirts during their National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) year because of their Christian faith.

It started with a simple stand: trousers, they said, go against what their religion teaches. They pointed to Deuteronomy 22:5 and stood their ground. NYSC didn’t budge. So they took it to court.

Last month, Justice Hauwa Yilwa of the Federal High Court in Abuja sided with them.

Skirts and the Constitution

On June 13, 2025, the court declared the NYSC’s no-skirt policy for female corps members unconstitutional. Justice Yilwa didn’t mince words. She ruled that forcing women to wear trousers when it clashes with their faith tramples on their right to religious freedom and dignity.

The court said what many had whispered for years: the NYSC uniform rule had crossed the line. Religion isn’t a dress code. It’s personal. And it’s protected by the Constitution.

Same story, two voices

Blessing and Vivian filed their suits separately, but their experiences echoed each other. In camp, they were mocked, harassed, and made to feel like troublemakers for wearing skirts. They weren’t trying to break rules for fun. They were just trying to obey their faith.

The court combined their cases and heard them together.

Their legal team leaned on Nigeria’s Constitution, especially Section 38, which defends the freedom to practise religion. They also cited the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and NYSC’s own Bye-Laws. The message was clear: this wasn’t just about fashion, it was about rights.

What the court ordered

Justice Yilwa didn’t just give a verdict, she gave action points:

• NYSC must allow skirts for any female corps member with genuine religious reasons.
• The two former corps members must be recalled and given their NYSC certificates.
• Each woman was awarded ₦500,000 as compensation for the harassment and humiliation they faced.

Sure, ₦500,000 is a far cry from the ₦10 million they originally asked for. But that’s not what this case was really about.

Not just about Blessing and Vivian

This judgement isn’t just for the two women who brought the case. It’s for every woman who’s felt torn between her faith and a uniform. For every young girl heading into NYSC camp, unsure if she’ll be forced to choose between obedience to God and serving her country.

It’s also a reminder to institutions: rules must evolve. Especially when they hurt more than they help.

So, what now?

NYSC hasn’t said much yet. But they’ve got orders to follow. The court has spoken. Female corps members with religious objections can now wear skirts.

And maybe, just maybe, this ruling nudges other bodies to rethink their blanket policies. You can’t build unity by ignoring belief.

Sometimes, change comes in quiet courtrooms. And sometimes, two women in skirts help move a nation forward.