Leadnaija
The Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe, yesterday, ordered the dissolution of the Sharia panel set up at the Central Mosque, Ado Ekiti to ensure law and order as well as peaceful coexistence in the state.
Adejugbe spoke in Ado Ekiti during a meeting he held with the chiefs, and indigenes of the community, as well as the Chief Imam and President of the League of Imams and Alfas in the South-west, Edo and Delta states, Sheik Jamiu Kewulere; and other Muslim leaders over the tension in some quarters over the sharia panel.
This came barely two days after the state government said that the existing legal structure in the state did not recognise the Sharia Court or Sharia Arbitration Panel.
The state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dayo Apata (SAN) had spoken in reaction to news reports on the first public sitting of a Shari’ah Panel in the state, which resolved two marriage disputes.
He had stated that the Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal and High Court had been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian and traditional marriages and inheritance without any rancour or agitation.
Adejugbe said: “Based on this Sharia issue, I summoned the Chief Imam and his lieutenants, members of the Ewi-in-Council, the President of Ado Progressives Union and Ado sons and daughters to discuss the matter because it is a sensitive issue.
“We all listened and it appears they set up a committee at the Central Mosque to listen to disputes. According to them, they have good intentions and it was an internal arrangement that has nothing to do with any external person or somebody influencing them.
“I told them the mood of the nation will not allow such to happen now; that they should revert to how the founding fathers of the mosque had been settling disputes in the past without setting up a committee.
“I told them that there is no need for the committee and they should dissolve the committee henceforth. That is the decision of the Ewi-in-Council and that is the position of all Ado sons and daughters.
“The panel stands dissolved. If we should allow such committees, the Christians too will want to set up committees in their various churches; the traditional worshippers too and before you know it, it will lead to crises.”
Speaking earlier, the Chief Imam, Kewulere, who confirmed setting up the committee, which he said had resolved a marriage dispute and adjourned on a second matter, dismissed all insinuations that it was set up for sinister motives.
Kewulere, who said that Muslims and adherents of other religions had been enjoying cordial relationships, said, “Basically, the committee is to look into matters of inheritance in the interest of our members.”
He dismissed insinuations that it was to create a crisis and also debunked any external influence or link.N..>>Don’t Miss Out! CLICK HERE TO KEEP READING>>>>>
