Nigeria Not Secular, But a Multi-Religious State - Oloyede

Date: 2012-10-12

Vice Chancellor of Univeristy of Ilorin, Ishaq Oloyede, a Professor of Islamic Jurisprudence, has said that Nigeria is not a secular state as it is regarded in certain quarters.

Oloyede, Secretary General of National Inter-Religious Council (NIREC), who stated this in his inaugural lecture entitled "Islamics: The Conflux of Disciplines", he delivered at the university on Thursday, argued that the country is rather multi-religious.

Arguments had come up on the religious status of Nigeria when Shari’ah law was given greater force of law to become more official in some states in the country as it was thought in some quarters that the country is a secular one, where no particular religious law should be made the prevailing official law.

But some Islamic leaders argued that the country is a multi-religious state and that it was erroneous to describe it as secular.

Oloyede in is lecture, re-echoed this argument and cautioned that neither a state religion, nor secularity should be imposed on the country.

He stated: "Nigeria is a multi-religious state and no attempt ought to be made to impose either a state religion or secularity on any part of Nigeria.

"We have called attention to the hypocrisy and futility of secularity or secularism even in countries generally regarded as secular.

"On the other hand, we have provided a legal basis within Islamic law, for Muslims in Nigeria.

"The set up in Nigeria made us classify the country as Daru ‘l-Mu ‘ahadah (Treaty State) under which Muslims are obligated to live peacefully and collaborate with fellow citizens for the development of the nation."

Oloyede said the three systems of law in the country, common, Islamic and customary laws, provided for by the constitution, should be allowed to operate without any major conflict.

He stated: "It is our opinion that every Nigerian should be free to choose customary or Islamic law and should be applicable and enforceable in matrimonial matters in any part of Nigeria to promote national unity and integration.

"The House of Assembly in each state should within the limits of justice, fairness and respect for the minorities, prescribe applicable laws in other civil and criminal matters."

Oloyede called on the government to make Islamic and Christian Religious Studies a component of General Studies in all tertiary institutions, and core and compulsory from primary up to the secondary school level, to aid understanding of each other’s religion.

He said: "Ignorance, a major misfortune, accounts for much of the so-called religious crises in Nigeria, and it is only the light of knowledge that can dispel the ignorance pervading the land, part of which accounts for the thinking that religion is the problem."

Source

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

David Oyedepo     Ike Ekweremadu     Mansurat Amuda-Kannike     Yakub Lai Gobir     Abubakar Kawu Baraje     LEAH Charity Foundation     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Onikijipa     Daud Adeshola     Aisha Ahman-Pategi     Buari Edun     Village Alive Development Association     Ethical College     Ahmed \'Lateef     Forgo Battery Company Limited     Adaramaja     Bukola Saraki     Abubakar B.M     Ibrahim Agboola Gambari     All Peoples Party     Moses Rahman Popoola     Alore     Bayo Mohammed Onimode     John Olajide Adedipe     Muhammed Abdullahi     Roseline Oni Aremu     COVID     Shao     IsDB     Olupako Of Share     Mahee Abdulkadir     AGILE Programme     Saliu Ajia     Okin Biscuits     Hassan Saliu     Otuka     Binta Abubakar-Mora     Rex Olawoye     Yusuf Abdulkadir     Yomi Adeboye     Saidu Kawu     Ilorin General Hospital     Olatunde Jare     Maryam Ado Bayero     ENetSuD     Laboratory-to-Product     Rotimi Samuel Olujide     Abdullahi Imam Abdullahi     Oba Of Jebba     Isiaka Abdulrazak     Yakubu Dogara     Kwara North     Jamiu Oyawoye     Abdulmalik Bashir Mopelola Risikatullahi     Sheriff Olanrewaju     Haleeman Salman     Arik     Igbaja     Okin Malt     Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed     Idris Garba     Mustapha Akanbi     Sola Saraki Educational Foundation     Charles Ibitoye     EndSARS     Abdul-Rahoof Bello     Ibrahim Oloriegbe     ER-KANG     NaAllah     Raliat Elelu-Habeeb     Baba Issa Awoye     Ganiyu Abolarin     Abdulrasheed Akogun     Lucky Omoluwa     Agbarere     Adisa Logun     IESA    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Ajibola Ademola Julius     Alagbado     Oke-Ode     Clement Yomi Adeboye     Sai Kayi     Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     Olaosebikan     Afolabi-Oshatimehin Adenike Harriet     Sheikh Ridhwanullah El-ilory     Bilikisu Gambari     Sa\'adu Salahu     Ayinde Oki     Stephen Fasakin     Gaa Olobi     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Kayode Ogunlowo     Salihu S. Yaru     Bola Ahmed Tinubu     Bayo Lawal     Aisha Ahman Pategi     Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran     NSCIA     Muhammad Yahya     National Party Of Nigeria     Yusuf Ibitokun Sherifat     Share-Tsaragi     KWSUED     Alliance For Democracy     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Sodiya     Salake     Plat Technologies Limited     Sheriff Olanrewaju     GGDSS Pakata     ITEM 7     Sola Saraki University     Kolawole Akande     FERMA     Doyin Group     Abubakar Baba     Makama Of Kaiama     Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Funke Adedoyin     Abdullahi AbdulMajeed     Rasaq Jimoh     Shuaib Boni Aliyu     Abdulrahman Abdulrazak     MMWG     Theophilus Oyebiyi     Bayo Ajia     2023 Elections     Siddiq Adebayo Idowu Salawu     Tafida Of Kaiama     Idris Garba     Razaq Ayobami Akanbi     Kwara State Governor     Abdulazeez Arowona     Salihu Yahaya     Yekeen Alabi     Yeketi     Government House     Monkey Pox     Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa     Yahaya Abdulkareem Babaita     Abiodun Oyedepo     EndSARS     Ndakene     Mufti Of Ilorin     Wahab Kunle Shittu     Lawyers Unite Against Corruption     Balogin Alanamu     Computer Based Test     Kwara State Internal Revenue Service     Akeem Lawal     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     Alaiye