The Oyo State chapter of the Supreme Council for Sharia in Nigeria has announced plans to establish a Sharia court in the state and surrounding areas.
The inauguration ceremony will take place on January 11, 2025, at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre, Oba Adeyemi High School Road, Mobolaje Area, Oyo. The flier also mentions Bashorun of Oyo land.
However, netizens have expressed dissatisfaction of the impending ceremony, with many stating that the South West, dominated by Yoruba people, is not in any manner north, where Muslims are more prevalent.
A social media influencer simply identified as #OurFavOnlineDoc said, “To whom it may concern,
“Please read this post and listen well. If sharia law gets implemented in your state, Let me tell you ahead what will happen.
“You can be randomly arrested and imprisoned for ‘indecent dressing.’ even if you are not a Muslim, you are a Christian, even if you are a traditionalist, even if you don’t subscribe to Sharia, and even if you are an atheist.
“During Ramadan, you can be arrested for selling food. Even if you are not a Muslim. As long as they can claim you were selling it to Muslims. I am not telling you what they may do. I am telling you wh at they have already done.”
He continued, “Once you hear ‘sharia law’, just run for your life. They will use it to kill, imprison, cut off people’s limbs, torture, and institutionalise oppression. And guess who the biggest victims will be? The poor and the less privileged. You better lend your voice to say no.
Another netizen who tweeted with the handle #Baba Ajisefa wrote, “If you’re silent on this sharia law saga in southwest, then you’re enabling it. Even if we can’t see the implications of the laws in other nations, we can see it in the north.
“The question is ‘what progress does it bring?’ And those that claim it will be for Muslims only don’t forget that was how they started in the north, and Hisbah can arrest anyone now. We reject Sharia law in its entirety. No to sharia law in Yorubaland.”
“Reject any Sharia, anything. Don’t even concede an inch. Because na so e dey start,” one Ugo on X opined.
An X user who tweeted with the handle #Alabi said, “Genuine question: If you’re so passionate about Sharia, why not move to where it is practiced?”
“This Sharia Law conversation proves that amalgamating Nigeria was a terrible decision, and true federalism/regional sectionalism, or ‘un-amalgamation,’ would be the solution. Because why should the entire country be subject to the religious limitations of a select people??
“Especially because this is what led to the Taliban and the downfall of Afghanistan. No country should ever be subjected to such extreme religious practices. I don’t need your extremes to police my flaws. Enforce it in your household. Thank you,” one user, Motolani Alake, wrote on X.com.
In his opinion, a user who identified as Tosin.X wrote, “Some of you think to say Sharia na play. Na from Quilox Lagos Isbah go carry you go kirikiri.”
Below are more reactions from Nigerians to the announcement of the creation of a Sharia court in Ibadan, Oyo State.
Olugbenga, “Not even in any part of Nigeria, the only thing that saves Yoruba Muslims is the Yoruba in them; if not, the Northern Muslims could have successfully influenced them with terrorism.”
Pure Stanley:I pity those poor Yoruba Muslims advocating for the implementation of Sharia Law in Yoruba land; it seems like they have not learnt a thing or two from what’s happening in the north.
“For beginners: Sharia law is not meant for the rich and powerful; it’s only for the poor!. They say in the Sharia court no one is above the law, but why is it that Hadri Sirika, Buhari, Yahaya Bello, and many others still have their two hands intact, while the less privileged, poor, and vulnerable ones that haven’t even done a quarter of what they did have lost their two hands, while some lost only one hand?
“They will keep drumming that the Sharia Law has nothing to do with non-Muslims, but a Christian woman, Rhoda Jhatua, was convicted and jailed for 2 years by the Sharia court in the North; Deborah was stoned to death for committing an “alleged” blasphemy, yet the Sharia court let her killers walk free unscathed.”
Zizi, “This is their sharia agenda if you don’t know. Sharia law is only for Muslims in packaging. They hate the way we are prosperous in the South West!
“Their agenda is to control and dominate with religion as a tool.
“This is definitely not typed by a Yoruba person! They are Fulani in disguise.”
VeraCious Chyrrkah, “They should not pollute the Yoruba Muslims for us. the only tribe that practices liberalism when it comes to religion.
“Extremism should not be allowed in South West. A family in Yoruba can comfortably have a Muslim, Christian, Pagan, Traditionalist and they will live peacefully.”
Olu Gbenga, “Did Yoruba Muslims inform you that they don’t have access to justice in Yoruba land? Did the Christians inform you that they don’t have access to justice in Yoruba land? How is it that you outsiders are mostly interested in trying to influence what happens in Yoruba land?”
Iruefi, “Rhoda was detained for 19 months because she shared the video of someone criticizing Deborah’s murder. She was tried under Sharia laws despite being a Christian.
“Yoruba Muslims aren’t fanatics, anyone you see supporting this Sharia agenda in the SW is an absolute moron.”
Aare Kurunmi Kakanfo, “Arewa wants Yoruba Muslims to replace ethnic loyalty and identity with Islamic identity and loyalty so that Yorùbáland can become a vassal state and territory to them within Nigeria.
“If they could use Pan Islamism to bring the Kanuris under their control, why won’t they try the same thing with Yoruba people.
“Kanuris defeated Fulanis in war but Sokoto caliphate used pan Islamism under one Nigeria to bring them under their control.
“The same template is what they are trying in Yorubaland. This guys are not interested in prosperity and development rather than ethnic domination hidden under religious puritanism.
“You will fail and you shall fail because we will resist with any means necessary.
“To all those minority elements who have been paid for this Agenda, you will regret it for the rest of your lives.
“You want to bring Hisbah police to Lagos state, Ogun state or Oyo state? We will beat the hell out of you guys.
