President-General, Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) and Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has expressed support for the establishment of an Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel in Ekiti and Oyo states.
But the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, condemned the attempt to introduce Sharia in the South West, saying it is alien to Yoruba culture and religious beliefs.
The 20th Sultan of Sokoto and the spiritual leader of Nigeria’s Muslims also expressed concern about the spate of intolerance and disregard for the rights of Muslims, especially in the southern part of the country. He noted that Muslims in the South West had been denied their constitutional rights to a Shariah Court of Appeal.
In a statement, yesterday, by the Deputy National Legal Adviser of NSCIA, Haroun Eze, the traditional ruler lamented the unwarranted resistance and objections from political and traditional quarters to the Muslim community’s efforts to establish an Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel in Ekiti.
He said this was coming barely a few weeks after the announcement on the inauguration of a Shariah panel in Oyo generated “unnecessary anxiety, thereby leading to its indefinite postponement.
“The Independent Arbitration Panel, which is a voluntary platform designed solely for the resolution of civil and marital disputes among consenting Muslims, was to fill the inexplicable vacuum created by the failure of the political elite in the South West to establish Sharia courts, as allowed by the Nigerian Constitution, in South West, despite the huge population of Muslims in the region,” Sultan said.
According to the monarch, such scenarios as the denial of the rights of female students to wear the Hijab despite a Supreme Court judgment, are nothing but calculated attempts to prevent Muslims in the region from practising their faith.
Speaking during the 2025 Oodua festival at Enuwa Square, Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday, Adams stressed that the introduction of Sharia was to destabilise the Yoruba land by religious fanatics and fundamentalists. He emphasised that while Saudi Arabia is an Islamic kingdom where Sharia aligns with religious teachings and is widely accepted, Nigeria remains a nation where the constitution guarantees freedom of religion.
According to him, Saudi Arabia is a good example of an Islamic kingdom that practises Sharia law according to the Holy Quran. He said: “The Saudis also adhere strictly to the law, and they are happy because Sharia law is in tandem with their religious beliefs and teachings. But Nigeria is a secular nation where the constitution allows every citizen to practise whatever religion they believe in freely without any intimidation.
“Sharia law is alien to our culture and religious beliefs in Yoruba land; therefore, those religious fanatics masquerading as Muslims should stay away from acts that could set Yorubaland on fire.”
Meanwhile, berating the recent influx of Islamic State’s West Africa Province (ISWAP) in the South West, Adams called on the federal and state government to intensify efforts to tackle insecurity in the region. Adams further expressed the readiness of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC) to partner other security groups in curbing the scourge in Yoruba land.
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