The Chief Imam of Yorubaland, Sheik Abdulraheem Aduanigba, has strongly opposed the introduction of Shari’a law in the South West, warning that any attempt to impose it could spark unrest in the region.
Speaking to Muslim faithful, Sheik Aduanigba argued that Shari’a is impractical in Yorubaland due to its religious diversity.
He noted that the region is home to three distinct religious groups—Christianity, Islam, and traditional worship—and any attempt to enforce Islamic law on non-Muslims could lead to disunity and conflict.
“Shari’a cannot work in Yorubaland because our general language is Yoruba. When we talk of Yoruba, there are three distinct religions. Our original religion in Yorubaland is traditional before Christianity and Islam arrived.
Today, we have 27 million Christians, 23 million Muslims, and 10 million traditional worshippers,” he stated.
He further highlighted that the South West has 972 traditional rulers who govern in line with existing legal systems.
He argued that implementing Shari’a would contradict established governance and social practices in the region.
Sheik Aduanigba also pointed out that the economic realities of Yorubaland make Shari’a unfeasible.
He criticized the fact that revenue generated from breweries and hotels in Lagos, where alcohol and commercial activities thrive, is shared with northern states that enforce Shari’a and ban such activities.
He praised President Bola Tinubu’s Tax Reform Bill, which seeks to ensure states receive a fair share of their internally generated revenue.
He warned that enforcing Shari’a could lead to societal friction, citing potential conflicts over dress codes, alcohol consumption, and legal matters such as inheritance.
“It could cause war when someone wears shorts on the road and is harassed for violating Shari’a. Yorubaland is not dominated by Muslims alone. The plan is to introduce Shari’a gradually, starting with marital issues, then inheritance.
But in Yorubaland, a father may have children who are Christians, Muslims, and traditional worshippers. Under Shari’a, a child who converts to Christianity could be denied inheritance, which is against our culture.”
His stance contradicts the views of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III, who has expressed support for the implementation of Shari’a in the South West.