The Oluwo of Iwo, Osun State, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has declared his support for the introduction of Sharia law in the South-West, stressing that it has long been part of Yoruba tradition.
His statement comes in the wake of a planned inauguration of a Sharia council, initially scheduled for January 11, 2025, in Oyo State, but now postponed indefinitely due to public backlash.
Oba Akanbi, however, stated that Sharia law is already embedded in the southwest region.
“Sharia law has been in Iwo for over 100 years, and there is a Sharia college in Iwo. It’s the right of Muslims to choose customary law or the high court,” he told Punch.
The monarch called attention to the presence of Sharia-compliant banking systems in the South-West and noted that Sharia law is enshrined in Nigeria’s constitution.
He explained that its application is strictly for Muslims, focusing on matters such as inheritance, marriage, and divorce, which, he argued, are often misunderstood under Western legal frameworks.
While Oluwo insisted that Sharia law does not infringe on the rights of non-Muslims, his remarks have sparked intense debate.
The proposal has also drawn warnings from traditional leaders who fear its potential to disrupt the region’s harmony.
