By AbdulSalam Muhammad
KANO — The Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria has demanded a brand new constitution that would bequeath to the nation true federalism.
The Council’s position came on the heel of proposed amendments exercise by the National Assembly on the 1999 constitution.
Secretary-General of the Council, Alhaji Lateef Adegbite, who spoke in Kano during the first Islamic Summit organised by a Zaria-based Muslim Research and Planning explained that it was long over due to jettison the 1999 constitution.
Adegbite said Nigeria required a constitution that is ethically based in view of its multi-religious status, stressing that such constitutional freedom would guarantee each faith a suitable style in line with their religious practices.
“We must have a system that is ethically based, and our problems in Nigeria is that we allowed a constitution that is evil based while the Muslims had allowed themselves to be westernised against the superior civilisation the religious book bequeath to them,” he said.
Adegbite lamented that by accident of the existing order, Nigerian Muslims had been westernised to the detriment of superior civilisation bequeath to them by Quran, adding that immediate action should be employed to reverse the status quo.
“It’s long over due for us to have an all encompassing constitution that will bequeath to the nation true federalism and guarantee constitutional freedom to Muslims,” he said.
The Secretary-General explained that Nigerian Muslims should be given the right to operate a constitution that suits their religion in such states where they controlled absolute majority in the spirit of true federalism.
His speech that attracted loud ovation from the audience reinforced the legendary agitation by Nigerian Muslims for a separate constitution in the country as a panacea to true federalism in Nigeria.
The three-day summit under the chairmanship of former Military President, Ibrahim Babangida, will appraise the religion in the context of the merging challenges in the world.
In a goodwill message, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar called on Muslims to unite in the interest of the religion and peaceful coexistence with others.
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It is time Nigeria leaves the nonsense western judeo-christian-pagan constitution and each state creates a constitution that it relates to and that defines itself. 2 up for Adegbite, I am so sick and tired of colo-mentality system, and their rubbish constitution we follow and especially the crap system of ‘;demonCrazy’, a system that can never allow Nigeria to progress. We need the best system of Government, Plato called it- ‘Philosopher Kings’ method where we select intellectuals possibly Universities select professors and philosophers. then u will see the way Nigeria progresses. This rubish system won’t get us kno where and if the rest Nigeria won’t change, allow Muslims to determine their own destiny, jare! and stop colo-slaving.
Secularity as enshrined in section 10 must be maintained.What’s the use of having a constitution that will pander to the religious inclinations of some?
This call for a new (Sharia) constitution is dangerous.If not for politics,can anyone honestly list the gains of having the Sharia law over the regular constitution in places where they exist.Has it reduced corruption in the North,or made it crime free?
If we must continue to live as a nation,such selfish calls as made by Adegbite must be jettisoned.
Why are our own things always different?
Before you guys chew yourselves to pieces here,let’s remind ourselves that freedom of expression and association still exists in Nigeria(at least in our constitution). Adegbite and especially those who opposed Biafran seccession 42yrs age should be reminded that TRUE FEDERALISM is like culture; it is holistic,you cannot separate one part from the other. In true federalism the federating units have rights to their own constitution be it the sharia type or western,the units also have the right to control their resources and the federal government wouldn’t have any business sharing money to the states and local governments.I hope that Adegbite and his brothers will make that work ,however, they should remember that they can’t use the oil money from Niger Delta to fund a sharia state,the money has to come from within the state.And there will be no federal allocation so that Kano state might as well start getting real with their population figures.This will be a dream come true for a lot us since states have to be developing based on their resources and not by the number they present in the National Population Census. Adegbite,I’m a christian and I totally support you so long as you know what you are calling for – a more prosperous Nigeria where the difference between Lagos and Zamfara will be as clear as the difference between America and Nigeria.
Good luck to Adegbite,IBB and co.