The Muslim Congress (TMC), Osun State, has urged the Nigerian government to grant full constitutional recognition to the Shari’ah legal system alongside the common law, allowing Muslims to be guided by their faith-based legal principles up to the Supreme Court level.
The call was made by the Amir Li Awal of TMC, Sheikh Abdulrazaq Abdulsalam, during the organisation’s Annual State Lecture held in Osogbo to commemorate Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary.
The event, themed “The Nigerian State and Lessons from Contemporary History,” brought together Islamic scholars, clerics, and members of the Muslim community to deliberate on national issues, justice, and moral governance.
Sheikh Abdulsalam said Muslims in Nigeria should be allowed to freely choose Shari’ah law as a parallel legal option to the common law system.
“We want the Shari’ah to stand with the common law. Let people be free to make their choices. Give the Shari’ah the full length of power so that Muslims who want to be guided by it can do so easily,” he said.
He lamented that Shari’ah jurisdiction in Nigeria remains limited to personal matters, adding that judgments from appellate Shari’ah courts are often overturned by the Supreme Court, which operates under the common law framework.
The cleric also called for greater education and enlightenment about the principles of Shari’ah, particularly in the Southwest, where resistance to its practice remains strong.
“Many people only know about cutting of hands or stoning for adultery. They need education about the broader justice system that Shari’ah represents,” he explained.
“Muslims themselves must also live by Islamic teachings so that others can see the positive outcomes and be inspired by them.”
Sheikh Abdulsalam urged state governments to respect constitutional provisions allowing the establishment of Shari’ah courts, describing resistance to them as a form of oppression.
“The law allows it, so why are you running away from it? Government officials fear Shari’ah because it stands for justice and accountability,” he said.
Also speaking at the event, Dr. Taofeek Abdul-Hameed Adekunle, the Pioneer Rector of the Federal Polytechnic, Ayede, called for justice and fairness in both national and global governance, warning that no civilisation could endure without them.
“Let the world powers be fair and just. New civilisations rise and fall depending on how they uphold justice and fairness,” he stated.
In a related message delivered on behalf of Alhaji Abdul Wasi’i Bangbala, the Amir of The Muslim Congress, the Waali of TMC Osun State, Alhaji Iyiola Mikam Oyedeji, described the lecture as a forum for “intellectual discourse and moral reflection.”
He commended the federal government’s economic reforms but urged it to adopt human-centered policies that prioritise the welfare of the poor.
He also appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in the industrial dispute between PENGASSAN and the Dangote Group, warning that the conflict could threaten national stability.
On global affairs, the TMC leader condemned the ongoing violence in Gaza, calling for a permanent ceasefire and justice-driven peace efforts.
“The crisis in Gaza is a scar on our collective conscience. The pursuit of peace must be proactive, courageous, and grounded in justice,” he said.
