Sharia Law Best for Southwest Muslims – JAMB Registrar

The Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, has expressed strong support for the implementation of Sharia law in the Southwest, arguing that it would better serve the interests of Muslims in the region.

Oloyede, who also serves as the Secretary-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), called on Southwest leaders to support the establishment of Sharia panels in all six states of the region. He stated that such panels, which handle marriage and inheritance disputes under Islamic law, would promote sustainable peace among Muslims.

Speaking on Inside Sources with Laolu Akande, a socio-political programme aired on Channels Television, Oloyede described the recent controversy over Sharia panels in Oyo State as a misrepresentation of facts, stating that Sharia panels had existed in the region for years.

“Recently, people have been talking about Sharia panels in the Southwest, and I was just smiling because I have never seen that level of ignorance being displayed. A PhD thesis on the Sharia Panel in Oyo State was completed in 2007, meaning it had been there long before now. The scholar who wrote it is now a professor,” Oloyede explained.

Southwest Muslims Deserve Equal Legal Representation

The JAMB Registrar emphasized that Muslims in the Southwest face challenges in resolving disputes related to Islamic marriages, as they are often forced to rely on customary courts that do not apply Islamic principles.

“If there is a dispute in my marriage, where do I go? I don’t have the opportunity to go to a court that understands my faith because I married under Islamic rites. I will have to go to a customary court, where the judge knows next to nothing about the laws guiding my marriage,” he said.

Oloyede pointed out that Christian marriages conducted in churches are recognized by law, allowing disputes to be settled in government-funded high courts. However, he argued that Muslims do not enjoy the same privilege, which is why Sharia panels are necessary.

“The Nigerian Constitution allows for the establishment of Sharia Courts of Appeal where state assemblies approve them. There have been Sharia Courts of Appeal in different parts of the country, particularly in the North. But when Muslims in the Southwest ask for the same thing, they are met with resistance,” he noted.

Religious Harmony Should Not Come at the Expense of Muslim Rights

Oloyede stressed that while the Southwest is known for religious harmony, this should not mean that Muslims should suffer in silence when it comes to legal representation.

“People say there is harmony, but it means someone is suffering in silence. And when the person speaks, they are told, ‘Why are you making noise?’” he stated.

He urged Southwest leaders to embrace the establishment of Sharia panels as a constitutional right rather than a religious conflict, reiterating that legal representation for all faiths is essential for sustainable peace.