Mufti of Iwo, Sheikh Daood Imran Molaasan, has called on Muslims in Oyo State to beat up anyone who opposes the establishment of a Shariah Council. In a video shared on social media, Molaasan, speaking in Yoruba at an event, asserted that the move to implement Shariah law in Yorubaland is supported by the Nigerian Constitution.
Controversial Remarks
“My response to the people of Oyo State who say they don’t want to hear anything concerning Muslims establishing Shariah law in the state, your mother is not capable of stopping it. My brothers, tell them that they are mad. Go to your Ogun shrine or wherever you worship your oracles and hold your discussions there. If you come out to meet us, we will beat you. You are mad,” he said.
Molaasan clarified that the intention is not to impose Shariah on everyone. “We never claim to want to impose Shariah on you all. We only want to make use of Shariah as enshrined in the constitution of Nigeria, when we both agreed to live as one,” he added.
Background of the Dispute
The Supreme Council of Shari’ah in Nigeria (SCSN) had planned to inaugurate an Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel in Oyo State on January 11, 2025. However, the event was suspended after youths in the Southwest pushed back upon seeing a flyer that read ‘Inauguration Ceremony of Sharia Court in Oyo Town and Its Environs.’ The youths argued that Sharia would not benefit the secular nature of the Southwest and has not benefited the North, where it is practiced.
Call for Action
The Mufti urged Muslims to proceed with selecting a new date for establishing a Shariah council in the state. “Even if Yoruba land secedes from Nigeria, we will still demand Shariah law. You all have customary courts. Whatever law Ogun and Esulalu prescribe, go and implement it there. My brothers in Oyo State, if they don’t pick another date for the launch of Shariah Council in Oyo State, pick your own date and go launch it. Inform lawyers and write to the police. Whoever proves to be too strong for the police to handle on that day, go ahead and deal with such a person. Also, expect a Shariah Council in Osun State,” he said.
