BREAKING: Yoruba group tells Sultan to limit Shariah laws to North

A group under the aegis of Society for Yoruba Culture Renaissance (SYCR), has told the Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar, to restrict the application of Shariah Laws to to the north because the system is alien to Yorubaland.

The group was reacting to the monarch”s backing to the planned establishment of Independent Sharia Arbitration Panels in Ekiti and Oyo States.

In a statement on Thursday, SYCR rejected the establishment of such panels, noting that the application of a Sharia system is alien to the Yoruba society and has the potential to disrupt the peaceful coexistence among people of different religious beliefs.

It stressed that Sharia Laws which are.a collection of Arabic cultural practices, are only suitable for societies with a dominant Muslim population, which is not the case in Yorubaland.

The statement read: “Our attention has been drawn to the misguided press release by the Nigeria Supreme Council of Islamic Affairs.

“Since Yoruba Afenifere, the pan-Yoruba group, has refused to respond to such a divisive ploy by the Sultan of Sokoto that is capable of causing religious crisis in Yorubaland, our group, the Society for Yoruba Culture Renaissance, has taken it upon ourselves to respond to such a disrespectful press release.

“The Yoruba people firmly reject the imposition of Sharia law or any Sharia panel in Yorubaland. Sharia law is alien to our society, as it is an Arabic cultural practice suited for societies with over 80% Muslim population. Yorubaland has a rich history of traditional values, culture, and language that we hold dear.

“Our ‘Omoluabi’ ethos is sacrosanct, and it is this ethos that has ensured peaceful coexistence among Yoruba people of different religious beliefs for over 300 years, unlike the frequent religious crises in Sokoto and other Sharia states in Northern Nigeria, Yorubaland has remained peaceful.

“The Sultan of Sokoto, as the title implies, is the Sultan of Sokoto, and his emirate does not include Yorubaland. Islam has existed in Yorubaland for centuries, and Yoruba Muslims have never been marginalised or denied their rights. Claims of preventing students from wearing hijab are false and serve only to blackmail the peace-loving Yoruba people.

“We reject any attempt to disguise the invasion or eradication of our culture and values. The Usman Danfodio Jihad eroded the culture of the Hausas, and we do not want the same to happen in our society.

“Yoruba people will settle their internal issues independently and focus on addressing the myriads of issues affecting our communities.

“The Sharia law practised in the north has not added value to the society but has exacerbated the suffering of the people. We call attention to the origins of Boko Haram and other terrorist groups, which began with the implementation of Sharia law. We do not want such destabilization in our society.

“Yoruba is an ethnic nation with a unique culture, and we will not allow Arab culture to erode ours. In Yorubaland, people of the same parents practice different religions and coexist peacefully, a situation not often seen in Northern society.

“We want this harmony to continue in the Southwest, so we reject any attempt to impose Sharia law that could sever relationships between family members.”

“Keep Sharia law in Sokoto and other Northern states. Yorubaland will maintain its peaceful nature and uphold its cultural values.”