The Muslim Ummah of Southwest Nigeria (MUSWEN) has said that establishing the independent Shariah Arbitration panel is constitutional.
A statement issued by the President of MUSWEN, Alhaji Rasaki Oladejo, said they are worried over 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.
“The leadership of the umbrella body for Muslims in the southwest is more disturbed that some strong personalities in the region, including traditional rulers and senior state government law officials, were at the forefront of misleading the public on the issue of the Independent Shariah Arbitration Panel.
“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,” the group said.
MUSWEN said rather than heed 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 leadership positions based on erroneous perceptions are distasteful and uncivilised.
“We expect those in high authority who oppose the establishment of the Shariah Panel to seek a proper understanding of the matter to avoid ignorantly lending their voices.
“For the umpteenth time, 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 to resolve civil disputes among consenting Muslims. As said, it was to fill the inexplicable vacuum created by the failure of the political elite in Southwest to establish Shariah Courts, as allowed by the Nigerian Constitution, despite the massive population of Muslims in the region.
“The Arbitration and Shariah Court of Appeal, like the Customary Court of Appeal (which all of them have), are provided for in the 1999 Constitution (as amended) of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (see section 275), confirming the legality of both initiatives,” the group said.
MUSWEN said 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 panellists 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.
“We call on the Governors in the region, traditional rulers, community leaders and all other groups to continually seek a proper understanding of anything that has to do with Islam and consult the leadership of the MUSWEN before taking action.
“As said by the NSCIA, MUSWEN strongly supports the establishment of an 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 obtained in all the states of South-Western Nigeria.
“Such Shari’ah Arbitration Panels have existed in some southwest states without creating a furore. These panels do not have any enforcement power. 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. We must stress that the existence of these panels has helped the government in reducing marriage breakdowns, which might have bloated the army of vulnerable children,” MUSWEN said, adding that it found no legal justification for the unnecessary alarm and unwarranted resistance to establishing the Shari’ah Panel in Ekiti State.
