In a decisive move, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, announced on Saturday, January 25, the disbandment of the Sharia panel that had been set up at the Central Mosque in Ado Ekiti.
The decision, according to the monarch, was made in the interest of maintaining peace law and order within the community.
Oba Adejugbe disclosed the news during a crucial meeting in Ado Ekiti with chiefs, indigenes, and key Muslim leaders, including the Chief Imam, Sheik Jamiu Kewulere, who is also the President of the League of Imams and Alfas in the Southwest, Edo, and Delta States.
The announcement came just days after the Ekiti state Government voiced concerns regarding the establishment of the Sharia panel, The Punch reported.
State Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dayo Apata, SAN, had clarified that the state’s existing legal framework does not recognize the Sharia Court or any Sharia Arbitration Panel.
In his remarks, Apata emphasized that matters concerning Islamic, Christian, and traditional marriages, as well as inheritance, were already being handled adequately by the state’s Customary Courts, Customary Court of Appeal, and High Court without any discord.
Oba Adejugbe confirmed that the recent tensions within the community prompted the meeting with the Muslim leaders, adding that the issue of the Sharia panel was a sensitive matter, Vanguard reported.
“We all listened and it appears they set up a committee at the Central Mosque with the intention to listen to disputes.
“According to them, they have good intentions, and it was an internal arrangement with no external interference,” he said.
However, the monarch swiftly pointed out that the current mood of the nation would not allow for such committees to function, stressing that such initiatives could potentially lead to divisions within the community.
“I told them that there is no need for the committee and they should dissolve the committee henceforth. That is the decision of the Ewi-in-Council and that is the position of all Ado sons and daughters,” Adejugbe affirmed.
Chief Imam: No sinister motives
Earlier in the meeting, the Chief Imam, Sheik Kewulere, confirmed the formation of the committee.
He explained that the panel was created to address matters related to inheritance among Muslim community members and had already resolved one marriage dispute, with another matter adjourned.
The Imam vehemently rejected any claims of sinister motives or external influence behind the committee’s formation.
“There is no truth to any allegations that the committee was set up to create crisis.
“It was established purely for resolving inheritance issues in the interest of our members. Muslims and adherents of other religions have enjoyed a cordial relationship in this community for years,” Kewulere insisted.
“If we allow such committees, the Christians too will want to set up committees in their churches, and the traditional worshippers may do the same. Before long, it could lead to crises,” he warned.
As it stands, the Sharia panel in Ado Ekiti has been officially dissolved, with the monarch calling for a return to traditional methods of dispute resolution as practised by the founding fathers of the mosque.
Sharia panel: Oyo organisers give new update
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that the Supreme Council of Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) said it will soon announce a new date for the inauguration of an Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel in Oyo state.
SCSN’s Rabiu Bello Adisa stated that the event had been mistaken to mean the inauguration of a Sharia court.