Lagos, Nigeria — There is increasing argument over the proposal to establish Sharia courts in the South-West part of Nigeria, as groups within the region have strongly argued against such a proposal. These include the most prominent traditional leaders and youth organisations in the area. Controversy began when the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), headed by the Sultan of Sokoto, made its support for such creation public.

Leading the opposition is Aare Ona-Kakanfo of Yorubaland, Iba Gani Adams, who warned that religion should not be used to cause division in the region. Speaking at the grand finale of the 2025 Oodua Festival in Ile-Ife, Osun State, Adams said Sharia law is alien to the Yoruba culture and belief system. He said the application of such laws in the South-West would only precipitate unnecessary crisis and unrest.

Governors Rule Out Sharia Courts

Governors of South-West states have also ruled out the establishment of Sharia courts, arguing that it is not supported by their legal systems. Governor Dapo Abiodun of Ogun State issued a rather strongly worded statement on Tuesday. He said Sharia courts would not be tolerated in the state, as both the Constitution of Nigeria and Ogun State’s legal framework make no provision for such an institution.

For its part, Ekiti State Governor Biodun Oyebanji became the latest chief executive to turn down the proposed Sharia panel for his state, just like Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde did last December. He argued that he had sworn an oath to uphold the laws of the land and would not allow any parallel system of law running against the provisions of Nigeria’s constitution.

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NSCIA Defends Sharia Courts

But despite such opposition, the NSCIA has remained insistent that setting up Sharia courts in the South-West is not a violation of the constitution. In a statement titled “Live and Let Live! ” and signed by its Deputy National Legal Adviser, Haroun Muhammed, the NSCIA decried what it described as intolerance and disdain for the rights of Muslims in the South.

It did this by arguing that the Sharia Courts have the backing of the constitution of Nigeria, particularly under Section 275 allowing states to establish a Sharia Court of Appeal.

The NSCIA said the proposed Sharia Arbitration Panels are to be voluntarily used in the resolution of civil and marital disputes between consenting Muslims. The council appealed to South-West governors and traditional rulers to respect the constitutional rights of Muslims in their domains and withdraw their opposition to Sharia. Yoruba Groups Reject Sharia Implementation.

These were countered by many Yoruba cultural and youth groups, saying it was a ploy at imposing an alien legal system on the people of the region. The Society for Yoruba Culture Renaissance condemned the proposed Sharia panels in Oyo, Ekiti, and other South-Western states, citing Sharia law not to be in agreement with the essential Yoruba way of life.

The group further accused the Sultan of Sokoto of trying to trigger a religious crisis by calling for the application of Sharia law in a region where it is alien. They also stated that Sharia is an Arab culture and fits into societies dominated by Muslims, unlike the South-West that is a blend of different religions.

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Yoruba Youth Leaders Threaten

In a strongly worded joint statement, the Yoruba National Youth Leader, Diaspora Prophet Ayodele Ologunloluwa, and Homebase Leader Comrade Oyegunle Oluwamayowa Omotoyole lashed out against what they described as a calculated move to “enslave and defeat” the Yoruba people by imposing Sharia law on them. The youth leaders called on the traditional rulers and governors in the South West to resist the proposal and warned that no attempt should be made to introduce Sharia courts in the region.

This was a direct response to the remarks of the NSCIA’s Deputy National Legal Adviser, Imam Haroun Muhammad Eze, who had cited constitutional provisions that support the establishment of Sharia courts. The Yoruba youths described the explanation as “laughable” and “suicidal,” stating that such Sharia-governed areas in northern Nigeria have been witnesses to poverty, corruption, terrorism, and instability.

The leadership said, “Yorubaland is separate from the North, and Sharia law runs totally against our culture and tradition.” Further warning that, with utmost contempt, attempts were being made to introduce Sharia courts into the South-West, in fact, opposition. “We will resist it with our last blood. Sharia is alien to our culture and has no place in Yoruba Land.” Implications and the Way Forward

The argument over the place of Sharia courts in the South-West has only revived several years of cold war between religious freedom and regional autonomy in Nigeria. Still, the NSCIA insists that its proposal is in line with constitutional provisions, while Yoruba leaders and youth groups insist that the introduction of Sharia in their region could upset peaceful coexistence and cause unnecessary division.

The coming weeks will likely see continued dialogue, as Yoruba traditional leaders, governors, and civil society groups strategize on how best to counter the push for Sharia courts while maintaining interfaith harmony in the region.