The Mufti of Iwo, Daood Imran Molaasan, has stirred reactions after calling on Muslims to confront anyone opposing the establishment of a Shariah Council in Oyo State.
According to reports by Guardian , Molaasan made the remarks in Yoruba during a public event captured in a viral social media video.
In the video, the Islamic cleric insisted that the move to establish Shariah law in Yorubaland is backed by the Nigerian Constitution and cannot be stopped by opponents.
He warned critics against interfering with Muslims seeking to establish a Shariah Council, threatening that anyone who physically confronts supporters of the initiative would be resisted.
The Mufti, however, maintained that proponents of Shariah were not seeking to impose Islamic law on non-Muslims, explaining that the objective was to exercise constitutional rights available to Muslims under Nigerian law.
The development comes amid renewed debates over the proposed establishment of a Shariah arbitration panel in Oyo State.
The Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria had earlier pushed for the inauguration of an Independent Sharia Arbitration Panel in Oyo State.
The inauguration, initially scheduled for January 11, 2025, was later suspended following opposition from some youths and groups in the South-West after promotional materials announcing the event surfaced online.
Critics of the move argued that the introduction of Shariah structures would not benefit the secular nature of the South-West region, adding that similar systems in parts of northern Nigeria had not solved socio-economic challenges.
Despite the backlash, Molaasan urged Muslims in Oyo State to proceed with plans to establish the Shariah Council and select a new date for its inauguration.
He also stated that Muslims would continue to demand the operation of Shariah law even if Yorubaland eventually became independent from Nigeria.
The cleric further suggested that Muslims should formally notify security agencies and legal practitioners ahead of the planned inauguration, while also hinting at plans to establish a similar Shariah Council in Osun State.
He said, “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,
“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,
“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.”
