Traditional Leaders Reject Sharia Law in South-West, Warn of Chaos and Division

|By Adejumo Adekunle –

• Traditional leaders in South-West urge unity to prevent the spread of Sharia law.
• Inauguration of Sharia court in Oyo sparks national debate over religious law.
• Controversy over Sharia law highlights the growing divide between Nigeria’s regions.

Traditional leaders in the South-West have fiercely opposed the move to introduce Sharia law in the region, warning that such an initiative will spark chaos, division, and instability. They stressed that Sharia law has no place in Yorubaland.

The controversy erupted after a flier surfaced on Tuesday, announcing the inauguration of a Sharia court in Oyo, scheduled for January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre. The event’s fliers listed prominent figures such as the Bashorun of Oyo Land, High Chief Yusuf Akinade Olayinka I, and the Mufairu of Oyo Land, Alhaji Abdullateef Eleyele, as key hosts.

The announcement quickly sparked outrage across Nigeria, with many pointing out that the South-West, predominantly Yoruba, differs significantly from the northern regions where Muslims are the majority. In 2021, Bishop Wale Oke, President of the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, had already warned the Senate about covert efforts to introduce Sharia law during the ongoing constitutional review.

In response, Ishaq Akintola, Director of the Muslim Rights Concern, urged critics to stay out of Muslims’ affairs, insisting they have the right to practice Sharia law.