The Qadi of the Shari’ah Court of Appeal, Kwara State, Justice Abdurraheem Sayi, has stated that approval of state authorities or traditional rulers is not needed for Muslims to establish and operate Shari’ah arbitration panels in the South-West.

He described the objections to Shari’ah arbitration panels in the South-West as “legally baseless, an embarrassment to legal minds, and a mere expression of Islamophobia syndrome” that had been deliberately ignored by the affected states.

Justice Sayi made the assertion while delivering a lecture on “Shari’ah in South-West Nigeria” at the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni 30th Pre-Ramadan Lecture, themed “The Transformative Power of Ramadan,” which was held at the J.F. Ade Ajayi Auditorium, UNILAG, on Sunday,

The lecture, attended by Lagos State Deputy Governor, Obafemi Hamzat, Ogun Deputy Governor, Noimot Salako, and other dignitaries, aimed to dispel misconceptions about Shari’ah law and arbitration in the region.

Justice Sayi emphasised that arbitration is a contractual matter that does not require government approval, stating, “There’s no confusion in the Nigerian Constitution. Arbitration is by contract.

“Nobody needs the approval of the Federal Government to operate it. As powerful as the President is, his authority does not extend to approving the Constitution of an arbitration panel. It is purely contractual.”

He further asserted that Muslims do not need permission from religious bodies or traditional rulers to operate Shari’ah panels, as the law grants private citizens the right to do so.

He said, “We don’t need the approval of any state authority, let alone a monarch. Associations, including political parties, can establish small committees to resolve disputes involving their members.

“All the Muslim panels that I know of always hold their sittings inside mosques. What business do pastors or monarchs have in this matter? Somebody should tell the monarchs to know their boundaries.”

Citing the Arbitration and Mediation Act of 2023, the judge explained that the law not only allows private citizens to form arbitral panels but also grants them the authority to determine the legal framework governing such panels.

Justice Sayi highlighted the effectiveness of Shari’ah arbitration in Lagos, revealing that “there have been multiple instances where High Court judges informed litigants that they were helpless and, as a result, referred cases to the Independent Shari’ah panel.”

He questioned why Muslims in Lagos, Osun, and Ogun—where they form a significant part of the population—are denied legal structures such as Shari’ah courts that address their personal and family matters.

Clarifying the role of Shari’ah panels, the judge stated that they are “not substitutes for courts but function by contract, where attendance is voluntary; however, once a person participates in the proceedings, the decision becomes binding.”

Addressing the broader legal framework, Justice Sayi argued that while the law mandates inclusivity and national unity over sectional loyalties, Muslims in the South-West Nigeria remain excluded from the region’s family law system.

He urged the South-West governments to allow the establishment of Shari’ah courts to give Muslims a sense of belonging and provide a legal framework for resolving matters such as child custody, marriage dissolution, and others.

He said, “There is no single provision for Muslims in the family laws of the South-West. It’s as if we are second-class citizens or do not belong to these states.

“There is no single court in the region competent to dissolve an Islamic marriage or handle child custody cases following Islamic law. Shari’ah is a fundamental right of Muslims.”

Also speaking at the event, Professor Mashood Baderin of the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, delivered a lecture on “Islam at the Intersection of Humanity and Religion,” urging Muslims to manifest their faith in ways that positively impact society, including the observance of their five daily prayers.

https://punchng.com/swest-govts-lack-power-to-stop-shariah-panels-kwara-judge/

As of today and as far as I'm aware, the majority people of the southwest say they don't want shari'a in their region. Is it by force to impose on them what they don't want?

richiemcgold:
As of today and as far as I'm aware, the majority people of the southwest say they don't want shari'a in their region. Is it by force to impose on them what they don't want?

religion shouldnt be associated with entities people didnt consciously agree to be part of like territories and nations. It should be personal.

Nobody will stop us from having sharia law all over Yoruba land, you can relocate to another region if you don’t like it, respect our right

CodeTemplar:
religion shouldnt be associated with entities people didnt consciously agree to be part of like territories and nations. It should be personal.

But you muslims kill those you accuse of apostasy. You support killing of Christians like Deborah, etc.

Sharia is a constitutional right of Muslims.


Una support everything Islam. Una support a mu-mu ticket which is not good for a country that is like Nigeria, now you reject shariah for yourselves. Una wicked and evil.

Wahabfuture:
Nobody will stop us from having sharia law all over Yoruba land, you can relocate to another region if you don’t like it, respect our right

They wanted a mu-mu presidency for the whole country, but do not want shariah in their land. Isn't this evil?

Caliphate conquered territory telling others to fall in line. Hehehe! This Shari'a issue is really interesting. Let's see how MURIC will end up.

We Yoruba Muslims have rejected Sharia, we don't need it in the SW

Yoruba Muslims have More power in south west than Yoruba Christians.

Yobabad:
We Yoruba Muslims have rejected Sharia, we don't need it in the SW

You dey speak for yourself,we Yoruba Muslims want Sharia law.



You are Yoruba Christian.

Elusive001:



But you muslims kill those you accuse of apostasy. You support killing of Christians like Deborah, etc.

Sharia is a constitutional right of Muslims.


Una support everything Islam. Una support a mu-mu ticket which is not good for a country that is like Nigeria, now you reject shariah for yourselves. Una wicked and evil.

...and you hybrid of satanists/islamists dont kill right? Animalistic gbagaks.

Small yansh self dey shake.
Oya come and impose the Sharia na.
Worthless scumbag, start by subjecting that Abdul Cannibal in Ilorin, to public execution.
Ilorin is a sharia enclave, why should Abdul Cannibal be in police custody?.
Go and do your job, sticking your dirty nose in SW matters, is not your job.
Grand Khadi my foot.

Masha Allah

COFFINSELLER:


https://punchng.com/swest-govts-lack-power-to-stop-shariah-panels-kwara-judge/

A colonised kwara wants to tell freeborn southwest states what freedom looks like.

This is a result of slamming your head on the floor for years.

Just see the see finish

Okay..

We shall see..

Yorubas should start knowing the enemies within

unknown entity

richiemcgold:
As of today and as far as I'm aware, the majority people of the southwest say they don't want shari'a in their region. Is it by force to impose on them what they don't want?

Ask them o!!

richiemcgold:
As of today and as far as I'm aware, the majority people of the southwest say they don't want shari'a in their region. Is it by force to impose on them what they don't want?

Islamists have an agenda... They want to make Sharia the norm in every state and start imposing it on people in muslim-dominated communities.

Bodies like MURIC, Emirate of Sokoto and National Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, have done some secret meetings and they have an agenda to systematically Islamize Nigeria.

They will tell you it's for Muslims alone, but once they are the majority in a community, they will impose Sharia on you, if you resist, they will KILL you and claim you blasphemed against mohammed. Remember how Deborah was killed in Sokoto and nobody has been convicted till date. All the muslims (including Dangote's son in-law and some prominent politicians) were happy that a Christian girl was stoned to death & burned alive cos she said they should stop mentioning religious things in an academic WhatsApp group.

That is the plan!

Chai! The alimi offspring though the yorubas were conquered

☹️☹️☹️☹️☹️

COFFINSELLER:


https://punchng.com/swest-govts-lack-power-to-stop-shariah-panels-kwara-judge/

Omo see o 😀

Sharia now na by force o 😀

South westerners don enter one chance t

G

People say dem no want something, you dey claim say dem no fit reject am.

Iberiberism, Abeg shift joor and carry your Sharia go you Family house.

Only Grand Qaadi, can say this. Anyways this panel doesn't exist in Igbomina.

Amongst all the problems that are harassing Nigeria currently, it is Sharia law that concerns these ones.

Well, it's not their fault.

The regions where the so called Sharia is being implemented, how well are they fairing?

The bye-products of the Sharia in those regions have been lack of peace, terrorism, kidnappings, bombings, lack of productivity, infrastructure and economic activities and lack of adequate education.

Is that what they want to stretch to the only remaining peaceful and progressing region in the country?