The Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has asserted that no government can deny Muslims in the South-West their constitutional right to adopt Sharia law.
Tribune Online reports that some netizens recently took to social media, reacting differently to the news of the planned inauguration of a Sharia Court in Oyo State.
In a viral flyer shared on X, the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria, Oyo State chapter, announced its plans to inaugurate a Sharia Court in Oyo town and its environs in January 2025.
While some netizens expressed support for the announcement, others strongly criticised it.
Opponents argue that establishing a Sharia court in the South-West, a region predominantly inhabited by Yoruba people, undermines the area’s cultural and religious diversity, where no single faith is dominant.
Reacting to the development in an interview with The Punch, Oba Akanbi stated that the implementation of Sharia law in the South-West aligns with religious freedom guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.
The monarch stated that Sharia law has been part of the South-West for over a century, citing examples such as Sharia-compliant banking systems and a Sharia college in Iwo.
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The first-class traditional ruler maintained that the legal framework addresses specific issues like inheritance, marriage, and divorce among Muslims, ensuring their cultural and religious needs are met.
He stressed that Sharia laws are exclusively for Muslims, and people of other religions need not be concerned about their implementation in the South-West, as its rulings do not bind them.
He said, “We have Sharia banks in the South-West, and these banks operate according to Sharia law. Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years, and there is a Sharia college in Iwo. It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court.
“Many Muslims feel disenfranchised when it comes to the sharing of inheritance and divorce matters. Western education doesn’t understand the ways of Muslim divorce, marriage, and inheritance. Sharia law is in the constitution of Nigeria, and it’s visible in the North, where there are Nigerians. Anywhere we have Muslims, there is Sharia.
“If any other person likes it, they can convert to Islam, and Muslims can also convert to Christianity. Everyone is free. Sharia shouldn’t be a problem for other religions. No government can deny Muslims their inalienable rights.”
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