The Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) has added their voices to the ongoing debate on establishment of Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel in some parts of the region.
The group on Sunday said the move has the country’s constitutional backing
President of the group, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, said the arbitration panel and the Shariah Court of Appeal, just like the Customary Court of Appeal, are provided for in the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).
He therefore advised critics to check Section 275 of the Constitution, which confirms the legality of both legal bodies.
Oladejo expressed worries over what he called the “unnecessary noise, misinformation and unfounded allegations credited to the non-Muslims on the establishment of the Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel” in some parts of the region.
Oladejo added: “We expect that with the intervention of the number one Muslim body in the country, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), on the matter, it ought to have been laid to rest.
“Unfortunately, rather than heed to the caution of the NSCIA, some people went to abuse the head of the Muslims in the country, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto/President-General of NSCIA, Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni.
“These actions of abusing people in the leadership position on the basis of erroneous perception are distasteful and uncivilised.”
He explained: “The Shariah panel is a committee of Islamic scholars set up by Muslims to settle marriage and inheritance disputes. The panels also use mosques as venues. They are not courts. They are voluntary platforms designed solely for the resolution of civil disputes among consenting Muslims.
“As said, it was to fill the inexplicable vacuum created by the failure of the political elite in the Southwest to establish Sharia Courts, as allowed by the Nigerian Constitution, despite the huge population of Muslims in the region.
“The public should know and understand that the essence of the Shariah Arbitration Panel is to provide a peaceful platform for conflict resolution, fostering unity, understanding, and adherence to Islamic ethics. The panelists aim to interpret Allah’s injunctions and provide guidance based on Shariah principles. It has nothing to do with unwilling Muslims and non-Muslims whatsoever.”
Oladejo urged governors, traditional rulers, community leaders and other groups in the region to always seek proper understanding of anything that has to do with Islam and consult the leadership of the MUSWEN before going to town with misinformation.
“As said by the NSCIA, MUSWEN strongly supports the establishment of Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel in Ekiti State for the purpose so intended, especially where the Muslims in the state have been denied their constitutional right to a Shariah Court of Appeal, as obtains in all the states of the South-Western Nigeria.
“In fact, such Shari’ah Arbitration panels have existed in some Southwest states without creating any furor. These panels do not have any power of enforcement. They are only meant for Muslims who would prefer their family matters be resolved according to the dictates of Islam. The panel in Oyo State has flourished for over 20 years. The panels also exist in Osun and Lagos states. We must stress that the existence of these panels have helped the government in reducing marriage breakdowns, which might have bloated the army of vulnerable children. MUSWEN did not find any legal justification, therefore, for the unnecessary alarm and unwarranted resistance with establishment of Shari’ah Panel in Ekiti State.
“While others are enjoying their constitutional rights, Muslims, too, should not be denied their constitutional rights,” he added.
