Transcript Adoption of Sharia Law

Adoption of Sharia
Law
by Saki Amagai & KyoRy Park
North (Muslim) vs South
(Chrisitian)
• More than 90% of
population is either
Christian / Muslim
• 44% of entire
population is
Muslim
States that institute Sharia Law
- Zamfara
- Sokoto
- Kano
- Katsina
- Bauchi
- Kebbi
- Yobe
- Kaduna
- Niger
- Gombe
- Borno
- Jigawa
Religious groups
• Christians in Nigeria -- 80 million
Muslims in Nigeria -- 76 million (the Pew Centre
2011)
• Because the proportion of Muslims and Christians in
Nigeria is a sensitive political issue, the national census
has not asked questions about religion since 1963
What's Sharia Law?
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the word 'sharia' means "the path to a watering hole".
Sharia is a religious code for living in an Islamic way, in
the same way that the Bible offers a moral system for
Christians.
It decrees both men and women to be dressed modestly.
History
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Islamic code had been in practice for centuries before
the British rule in the early 1900s.
The British allowed the use of Sharia, but banned
executions as punishments.
During the colonial era, the British penal code replaced
its criminal law.
Public Policy
Adoption of Sharia Law
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The northern, predominantly Muslim states in Nigeria
decided to adopt Sharia in 2000.
Manner of Consultation
Multiple religious riots
-December 1980 in Kano
-1982 at Bullum-Kutu Ward
-1984 in Jimeta, Gongola State
-1987 in Kanfanchan
-1987 Sokoto State
Key Decision Makers
• Nigerian government
o Muslim states' governments
o President Olusegun Obasanjo
Stakeholders
• Nigerian government
"The genuine Sharia, Islamic Sharia, is part of the religion and is part of
the way of life of a Muslim and part of the way of life of Nigerians,"
Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo told the news service allAfrica.com
in 2001.
• Nigerian Muslims
o
Muslim's rights protected
Stakeholders
• Nigerians with other religion
o
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uneasy and intimidating atmosphere
" I believe the clamor for the implementation of Sharia is like an open
show of defiance against the government, which is perceived by the
Muslims as the sole agent of corruption in this country" Nigerian
attorney Muzzammil Sani Hanga
Was implementing Sharia Law
a success?
Despite the predominance of Islam in the North, there are
many religious and racial minorities in the region. The
international community have been criticizing the cruel
and violent aspects of Sharia.
Current Issue
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Amina Lawal, a 30 y/o divorced Muslim
woman, was convicted in March 2002,
and a Sharia court sentenced her to
death by stoning her at a northern
Nigeria's Katsina state.
Her unjust,violent sentence have
enraged human rights groups.
Obasanjo said if Lawal's case had reach
the Supreme Court, he would've made
sure that it was overturned.
Since the decisions, Nigerian court
officials have formed boundaries
between the two court systems, and the
difference between them have quieted.
Our opinions
I think it's almost unavoidable not to implement Sharia
Law, with almost half of Nigeria's population being a
Muslim. It was a good way to keep Nigeria as one unified
country by increasing legitimacy amongst the Muslim
populace. But at the same time, it may lead the two
religious group to realize their "difference" even more
and make Nigeria more disintegrated.
Discussion questions
1. What are the positive and negative effects
of introducing Sharia Law to Nigeria?
2. If you were a leader of Nigeria, would you
have encouraged the implementation of
the Sharia Law? Why or why not?
Bibliography
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Sharia Law and Niger, PBS Newshour. April 5, 2007. Retrieved on April
11th from
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/indepth_coverage/africa/nigeria/sharia.ht
ml
The Emergence of Sharia Law, OnlineNewsHour. July 2003. Retrieved on
April 11th from
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/africa/nigeria/sharia_law.html
Sharia Law, Gaurdian. August 2002. Retrieved on April 11th from
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/aug/20/qanda.islam