African Muslim Media Practitioners Condemn Misrepresentation of Sharia Law in Southwest Nigeria
By Mustapha Salisu
The African Muslim Media Practitioners Organisation has issued a rejoinder to a recent report titled “Sharia Storm in South West: Sultan, Gani Adams, Ogun Govt, Yoruba Nation,” describing it as misleading and an attempt to misrepresent the essence of Sharia law in Southwest Nigeria.
In a press release signed by its President, Ambassador Hussaini Abdulkadir Kalmatan Esq, the organization stated that Sharia law primarily governs personal matters such as inheritance, marriage, business contracts, and family relations among Muslims.
It emphasized that Sharia is not an imposed system but a voluntary religious framework ensuring fairness and justice for those who choose to abide by it.
The organization expressed concern over the attempt to link the Sultan of Sokoto to the push for Sharia courts in the Southwest, stating that the claim was baseless and an attempt to create ethnic division. It noted that Yoruba Muslims are enlightened enough to advocate for their religious rights without external influence.
“The attempt to drag His Eminence into this debate is not just misleading but appears to be a deliberate effort to create unnecessary controversy and give an ethnic color to the issue,” the statement read.
The group also criticized Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, for opposing the establishment of Sharia courts, questioning whether his stance implies that Yoruba Muslims are not part of the Yoruba sociopolitical identity. It argued that Afenifere, a key Yoruba sociopolitical group, should not promote ethnic unity while disregarding the rights of Muslims within the region.
Similarly, it faulted some Southwest governors for resisting the establishment of Sharia courts, stating that Christian communities in the region have long enjoyed government support for their religious institutions. The press release questioned why Muslims should be denied similar rights, emphasizing that religious freedom is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution.
Addressing concerns that Sharia law could disrupt societal harmony, the Platform stated that Islamic legal principles have coexisted peacefully with customary and common law systems in Nigeria for generations. It reiterated that calls for Sharia courts in personal matters do not amount to an attempt to Islamize the region but are simply about ensuring that Muslims enjoy the same legal privileges as other religious groups.
The Platform urged the media and public commentators to engage in constructive dialogue that promotes religious understanding rather than stoking division. The statement concluded by reaffirming that Sharia law does not threaten national unity but rather reinforces constitutional rights by allowing Muslims to live according to their faith.
“We, therefore, urge the media and public commentators to engage in constructive discourse that promotes understanding and respects the religious rights of all citizens,” the statement read.
