The Oyo state chapter of the Supreme Council for Shari’ah
says its planned event for January was misconstrued for the establishment of a
Sharia court.
In a flier that circulated widely on Tuesday, the group
extended invitations to guests nationwide for the “inauguration ceremony of
Shari’a court in Oyo town and its environs”.
The event was scheduled to take place on January 11, 2025,
at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre, Oba Adeyemi High School road, Mobolaje
area of the state.
The organisers however announced the suspension of the event
indefinitely following public outcry.
However, a statement issued on Wednesday by Bello Adisa,
chairman of the Sharia committee of Oyo land, said the event is to inaugurate
an “arbitration panel,” not a Sharia court.
Adisa said such panels, designed to settle family dispute
among Muslims, already exist in parts of the south-west.
“This is to inform the general public on behalf of the
entire Muslim Community of Ογο town that the inauguration ceremony of
INDEPENDENT SHARI’A ARBITRATION PANEL of Oyo town, initially slated for 11th of
January, 2025 at Oyo Muslim Community Islamic Centre, Agbogangan, Oyo has been
postponed and new date will be announced later,” the statement reads.
“The postponement is informed by the inadvertent reference
of the programme as inauguration ceremony of SHARI’A COURT in Oyo town and its
environs instead of INDEPENDENT SHARI’A ARBITRATION PANEL.
“Such Arbitration Panel, which already exists in many parts
of the South West, is only meant to settle family disputes among willing Muslims,
without any power of enforcement. It is not a Court.
“All inconveniences caused by the misrepresentation and
consequential postponement is highly regretted.”
Checks by TheCable showed that a Sharia arbitration panel
was inaugurated in Ekiti state in October.
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