Why Sharia laws shouldn’t be imposed on Yorubas

Why does the application of Sharia law in South-West Nigeria not align with and respect the Yoruba people's religious beliefs, customs, culture, and way of life? Since the Yoruba people were exposed to Western values and civilization during British colonization, they have a tradition, culture, and way of life that are, in all honesty, quite different from Sharia law. In contrast, the northern region's early interactions with the Arab world and the Islamic faith, as well as the Saharan trade and Jihad, left behind Sharia law. Therefore, maintain Sharia law in the Northern region, where it belongs due to its historical ties to Islam and because it aligns with the people's culture and history in applying Sharia law. For instance, drinking alcohol in a public setting is prohibited by Sharia law. However, in the Yorubaland or South-West region, alcohol use is allowed in public areas.

throughout order to guarantee rigorous adherence to the implementation of the Sharia laws throughout Yorubaland, the Hisbah Corps would be established. One could argue that the Yoruba people's social customs, including their wedding and funeral rituals, will be disrupted by Sharia rule. where guests are entertained with beer and drinks. As a result, the cultural values, religious tolerance, and accommodations of the Fulani and Yoruba people differ greatly; yet, many Yoruba people follow, accept, and practice Islam. Nonetheless, Christianity is the predominant religion in the South-West and the Yoruba people's main faith. Why, therefore, "beat the drum" of bringing Sharia rule to Yorubaland? Social media is rife with theories about why. Is it to end Christianity's hegemony over Yorubaland? Or is it politically motivated in opposition to the 2027 presidential election, when Yoruba leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the president of Nigeria, would be running for reelection for a second term? While the laws in the Northern region are primarily based on and derivatives of the Arabic/Islamic culture, values, and religion, I ostensibly anticipate a future crisis and conflicts between the current laws, which are primarily based on the British colonial tradition and laws.

The legal frameworks that, in my opinion, bind the Northern and Southern parts of Nigeria together are the 1999 Nigerian constitution as modified and the colonial laws that were introduced into the country in January 1914, when the Northern and Southern Protectorates amalgamated.

According to this author, the social and economic practices of the Yoruba people, which are based on the British legacy of Ango-Saxon liberalism, capitalism, freedom of religion, expression, etc., are hampered by Shari law. Essentially, the various lifestyles of the Yoruba people are at odds with the Sharia laws. Simply stated, the Yoruba people's socialization, welfare, and advancement as an ethnic community in Nigeria are hampered by the Sharia rules.