Triggered by reports of a proposed move to introduce Sharia law in the South-West, traditional leaders in the region have warned that any such attempt would lead to widespread anarchy, division, and instability.
They asserted that Sharia law, in any form, is inappropriate for Yorubaland.
The controversy began after PUNCH Online reported that a flier went viral on Tuesday, inviting attendees from across the country to the inauguration of a Sharia court.
The event was scheduled for January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre, located on Oba Adeyemi High School Road in the Mobolaje Area of Oyo.
The flier named prominent figures as key participants: the Bashorun of Oyo Land, High Chief Yusuf Akinade Olayinka I, was listed as the Royal Father of the Day; the Mufairu of Oyo Land, Alhaji Abdullateef Eleyele, as the Spiritual Father of the Day; and the Aare Musulumi of Oyo Land, Alhaji Tajudeen Kamorise, as the Chief Host.
However, the announcement drew significant criticism from various quarters, with many Nigerians emphasizing that the predominantly Yoruba South-West differs culturally and religiously from the northern region, where Muslims form the majority.
This follows earlier concerns raised in 2021 when the President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), Bishop Wale Oke, cautioned the Senate against subtle attempts by certain groups to introduce Sharia law in the South-West through constitutional amendments.
At the time, the effort was met with staunch resistance and ultimately shelved.
Reacting to the current controversy, the Director of the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Ishaq Akintola, dismissed the opposition, urging the PFN to “mind its business and stop opposing Muslims’ right to operate Shariah.”
Amid the brewing tensions, Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde acknowledged the proposed Sharia court and the uproar it has generated, reflecting the deep divisions surrounding the issue.
“Regarding the establishment of a Sharia court in Oyo town, people may try, but as for me, I swore to uphold our laws and the Constitution of Nigeria. If their actions are within the law, fine; if not, they should expect that I will insist the law must be followed,” the governor stated in a broadcast.
The announcement has generated intense debates, with critics cautioning that establishing a Sharia court could jeopardize the state’s religious harmony.
Expressing his opposition to the proposal, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Gani Adams, told Saturday PUNCH that introducing Sharia law in Oyo State would lead to serious challenges.
He stressed that implementing Sharia law in Yorubaland, a region with diverse religious practices, would be highly problematic.
“I am not against Sharia law; it is a good law. But it is easier to implement in the North. Even in the North, Sharia law is not deeply enforced in the Middle Belt, because the majority there are Christians.
“We have been running the South-West with the modern constitution, promoting coexistence among religions. We do not want religion to divide us,” Adams stated.
He advised the Oyo State Government to tread carefully, as religion is a sensitive issue in Yoruba land.
Gani Adams added, “Sharia law has been in place in the 19 northern states of Nigeria, based on the penal code. Since Nigeria’s inception, the southern part has been using the modern Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For anyone to want Sharia law introduced to Yorubaland is to plan for division, disunity, and anarchy.”
He highlighted the region’s unique social fabric, saying, “In Yorubaland, there is intermarriage; you’ll see a Muslim marrying a Christian, and a Christian marrying a traditionalist. I was born a Muslim. Today, I am a Muslim, Christian, and traditionalist. We do not define ourselves based on religion.”
He further observed that in Oyo State, the Muslim and Christian populations were nearly equal, a balance also reflected in Ogun and Lagos states, while Christians maintained a majority in Ondo and Ekiti states.
In an interview with Saturday PUNCH, the Olugbon of Orile-Igbon in Oyo State, Oba Francis Alao, Akinbola I, emphasized that the practice of religion in northern Nigeria differed significantly from that in the southern region.
He pointed out that in the South-West, activities such as alcohol consumption, which is prohibited under Sharia law, were commonplace. Enforcing such laws in the region, he argued, would be contrary to the people’s way of life.
The monarch stated, “This will not work in Yorubaland. Our strength is our social life. If we accept Sharia law, how many people will conform to it? This will later bring chaos and instability. It will also interfere with the peaceful coexistence in Yoruba land.”
He added, “This will not work in the South-West because of our way of life. I don’t foresee Sharia law happening now. Our diversity in religion is our strength. Irrespective of our religions, what matters most is that we live in unity and love. I don’t have anything against any religion as long as the public accepts it. The government needs to carry the people along and sample their opinions.”
The Eselu of Iselu Kingdom in Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Oba Akintunde Akinyemi, has opposed the introduction of Sharia law in the South West and urged other traditional rulers in Yorubaland to join in rejecting it.
He said, “Nigeria is a multi-religion country for Muslims, Christians and traditionalists, so bringing Sharia to Oyo and the South West is imposing a religion on others and we have to respect ourselves.
“It is a way of fueling an unnecessary crisis in the South West. We have enough problems already in the region; we should not allow religion to bring another civil war into this country.
“The constitution of the country should be paramount to all of us, including traditional rulers; they should not bring religious law into the constitution of the country. Everybody should rise against this, irrespective of religion.”
The President of the Christian Association of Nigeria, Daniel Okoh, said the Christian body was working on a reaction to the matter.
He said, “We are working on it. At the appropriate time, we’ll come out with our position.”
But the Oyo State Chairman of CAN, Apostle Joshua Akinyemiju, dismissed the initiative, describing it as unconstitutional and a threat to the state’s secular nature.
He stated, “This should not happen in Oyo State, where Christians and Muslims coexist in nearly every family. There’s no law to support this, and the government is not aware. We won’t allow anything that jeopardises the peaceful coexistence we enjoy.”
(Punch)
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