2025: NSCEA Flags Off Ecclesiastical Courts In NigeriaAlias: CHRISTIAN COURTS
Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA) has approved flag off of Ecclesiastical/Christian Courts in the country following a closed door meeting held on Wednesday 2nd, April 2025, by the National Executive Council and a consensus approval. By this directive, Christian Universities especially, are admonished to host Ecclesiastical law departments just like its counterpart in Shari’ah law. (Habakkuk 2:2).
As directed by NSCEA, “Denominations and Church Centers are approved as Arbitration Centers where members of panels meet as designed by Churches, and only cases among Christians that could not be easily resolved and arbitrated are moved to the Common law courts. Other major Arbitration Centers would also be set up all over the country for Panels. This would serve as a national support to argument the numerous un-ending cases at Nigerian Common law courts.” according to an extract from the minutes of the meeting by Bishop Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, the Secretary, Elders’ Council, NSCEA.
In light of the on-going Shari’ah controversy in South West, the NSCEA’s National Secretariat, headquartered in Abuja deemed it fit and has concluded this is the right and best thing to do, as a giant step in positive direction. It is also based upon the premises that the Muslim’s Shari’ah does not only appear in the Nigerian Constitution and exit in practice in Northern Nigeria, but Shari’ah also already operates among Yoruba Muslims in the South West.
For instance, it is a well known fact that: “A quiet Shari’ah panel has been sitting for decades at Oja’ba, Ibadan. There is another one in Osogbo. Some other major Yoruba towns similarly have them. They adjudicate on marriage and marital issues; they arbitrate disputes among Muslims. They do their thing without noise and drama and excesses. Every willing Muslim who goes there loves what the panels do and how they do it. The respective state governments are aware of their existence but they do not disturb them.”
Therefore those demanding for Shari’ah in the South West of Nigeria like MURIC Chair, Prof Ishaq Akintola and JAMB Registrar, Prof Is-haq Oloyede and others are only asking for what they have always had, and is still very much available, whereas there is yet to be establishment of Ecclesiastical Courts in our multi-religions nation. The fact is that these South West Shari’ah clamorers have other motives and possibly a hidden agenda, while the South West is fully currently bedeviled by Islamic Fulani terrorists.
This is precisely what the NSCEA has similarly designed for the Christian body/ community being born out of the faithfuls desire, yearnings and requests over the years. There are no Ecclesiastical/Christian Courts or Panels operating anywhere in the country, whereas Shari’ah is everywhere and so the time is now.
May it be quoted from an article by a former Editor of PUNCH newspapers, Chairman of Editorial Board and Deputy Editor-in-Chief, Bolanle BOLAWOLE, that, “Religion is a personal affair between man and God. State intervention as we have it in Nigeria today is not only absolutely unnecessary; it is such interference that creates religious crises; and that is what those advocating for the Northern-Nigeria type of Shari’ah, being practiced in Kano, Zamfara, Katsina, etc. They are confused and out of their minds; thus surreptitiously seeking to foist on the South West noted for its commendable age-long religious tolerance and harmony among the religious and non-religious groups in the region.”
As the expert, Bolanle BOLAWOLE further explained, “It is notable that by virtue of colonialism, the Common laws of England, not Christian laws, operate in the Nigerian court system; our courts are, therefore, not Christian courts as it’s being erroneously believed and propagated. If they are, why do we have Muslims operating in them and dispensing justice? How many Christians operate on Shari’ah panels and in Shari’ah courts?
To exemplify this, “Today, the Chief Justice of the Federation (Kudirat Kekere-Ekun) is a Muslim. The one before her (Olukayode Ariwoola) and the one before that one (Ibrahim Muhammed Tanko) were also Muslims. The only Christian (Walter Onnoghen, 2017 – 2019) was hurried out of office by Buhari. Not less than 12 of the 17 Nigerian indigenous CJN’s have been Muslims. Perhaps, there are more Muslims and non-Christian judges presiding at all levels of our court system – customary, high court, court of appeal, and the supreme court – dispensing justice or are all these Muslims working in Christian Courts in a secular country?!
“As for the Christians, regarding arbitration in Christianity, Apostle Paul admonished Christians to observe as follows in 1 Corinthians 6:1- 7: “Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? And if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? How much more things that pertain to this life? …
… I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? No, no one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because you go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? Why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?”
“Very strong admonitions! So, the situation of Christians under the prevailing circumstances is even more precarious than that of the Muslims. Christians are the ones more defrauded. They are the ones undergoing real psychological trauma. They are the ones keeping quiet just to give peace a chance. Perhaps the time has come, and the hour is now, when Christians should demand for Ecclesiastical courts to adjudicate cases between Christians and Christians!” BOLAWOLE concluded.
Again, we would recall that, a Kwara State Judge has also affirmed that, “No State Approval Is Needed for Sharia Arbitration Panels” in a report by Admin Josh on February 24, 2025. “Justice Abdurraheem Sayi, the Qadi of the Shari’ah Court of Appeal in Kwara State, has clarified that Muslims in the South West do not require the approval of state authorities or traditional rulers to establish and run Shari’ah arbitration panels. In a strong response to objections against such panels, Justice Sayi described these concerns as “legally baseless”, during his lecture titled: “Shari’ah in South West Nigeria” at the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni’s 30th Pre-Ramadan Lecture.
The Shari’ah judge explained that arbitration is a contractual matter, meaning government approval is unnecessary. He emphasized, “Arbitration is by contract. Nobody needs the Federal Government’s approval to operate it,” stressing that, “the President’s authority does not extend to approving arbitration panels, which are based purely on contractual agreements.”
Justice Sayi further asserted, “that Muslims do not need permission from religious bodies or traditional rulers to operate Shari’ah panels, as the law grants private citizens the right to establish such panels. He pointed out that similar to political parties forming committees, Muslim groups can independently establish arbitration panels without the involvement of state authorities or monarchs,” and so also the Christians.
Referring to the Arbitration and Mediation Act of 2023, Justice Sayi explained that the law empowers private citizens to form arbitral panels and determine the legal framework for their operations. He cited Lagos as an example, where Shari’ah arbitration has proved effective, with High Court judges occasionally referring cases to Independent Shari’ah Panels when they are unable to resolve them.
He questioned why Muslims in Lagos, Osun, and Ogun—regions where they represent a significant portion of the population—are excluded from legal structures such as Shari’ah courts. He emphasized that Shari’ah panels are voluntary and binding once a participant agrees to the proceedings, clarifying that they are not substitutes for formal courts – while Christians have no such similar alternatives.
The judge also addressed the lack of recognition for Shari’ah law in family matters across the South West. He pointed out that there are no courts in the region that can handle Islamic marriage dissolutions or child custody cases in accordance with Islamic law, which he said left Muslims feeling like second-class citizens. He urged South West governments to recognize Shari’ah courts as a way of addressing family-related legal matters within the Muslim community.
Justice Sayi reiterated that Shari’ah law is a fundamental right for Muslims and must be given due recognition in the region’s legal framework to ensure Muslims’ rights and social inclusion. And so also is for the Christian community.
Prof. Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies, the Secretary, Elders’ Council, NSCEA stated that, “As such, the establishment of Ecclesiastical Courts all over the country is already over-due and have to commence immediately. Arbitration is a contractual matter, meaning government approval is unnecessary and the law empowers private citizens to form arbitral panels and determine the legal framework.” Ecclesiastical Court is a fundamental right of Christians and it must be given due recognition in the region’s legal framework to ensure Christian’s rights and social inclusion all over the country, what is good for the goose is good for the gander.”
“The only concern of the Nigerian Christian community is the need not to be dragged into Shari’ah law as being practiced in Northern Nigeria and many Christians battered, killed, slaughtered and burnt in the name of Shari’ah and blasphemy. Their Shari’ah should focus on the punishment of their elites and politicians who continue to loot the nation and steal in millions, billions and trillions and not even the poor commoners,” she added.
In the same vein, as Afenifere Youth Leader Prince Eniola Ojajuni has laid bare the horror of his 12-day abduction by Fulani herdsmen having been kidnapped in broad daylight, on February 17 at an ambush near Akunu Akoko, Ondo State revealing chilling details of 55 bandit camps across Southwest Nigeria and issuing a “Wake-Up Call” to the government and citizens alike, at a fiery press conference, Ojajuni—still nursing gunshot wounds, while his family paid N17 million after which kidnappers still threatened to kill him,“ NSCEA hereby joins our voice to say Nigerians must WAKE UP AND RISE UP!
Leader Prince Eniola Ojajuni recalls, “Armed herdsmen in military uniforms fired 19 bullets into my car. They dragged me into the bush, beat me 72 times a day, and left me with two gunshot wounds—one an inch from my spine. Women captives were brutalized daily. Their screams haunt me.”
The youth leader exposed inside the Bandit empire, a sprawling kidnap network:
- 27 camps in Ondo
- 16 in Ekiti
- 7 in Osun
- 5 in Ogun
He explained:“They use drones, track phones, and monitor social media to evade security. When my family paid ransom, they detected police tracking and forced us to move the drop-off to Ibilo. These aren’t amateurs—they’re terrorists!”
Ojajuni blasted individuals, groups, state authorities and federal government inaction for negligence: “Ondo Sleeps, Lagos Next! Kidnappers bragged about plans to flood Ondo and Lagos with abductions. Weeks before my ordeal, they mapped attacks on Sagamu–Ijebu Ode Road. Yet, nothing was done! How many more must die?” My wife risked her life delivering the ransom in Akure. Shameful!”
He proposed radical solutions: Urgent Demands: “SWAT Teams Now!”
- Southwest Security Summit with governors and youths.
- Youth Security Network to boost surveillance.
- Forest sweeps in Ondo, Ogun, Ekiti, and Lagos.
His Final Warning: “Wake Up, Nigeria!”
The youth leader ended with a rallying cry:
“We’re resilient, but resilience won’t stop bullets. Leaders must be held accountable! Citizens, defend your communities! If we don’t act, these monsters will consume us.”
Lastly, “several Islamic organisations, including the Supreme Council for Shari’ah in Nigeria and the Concerned Yoruba Muslim Scholars in Nigeria, have called for the creation of Sharia courts in Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, and Lagos states… Some Islamic leaders in the South West have vowed to reject and vote out politicians opposing the establishment of Sharia courts in the region; also threatened legal action against any governor resisting the practice of Shari’ah.
NSCEA therefore calls upon all, while driving the processes of establishment of RELIGIOUS COURTS (Shari’ah and Ecclesiastical Courts), especially the establishment of the Shari’ah structures for the soft landing of the Fulani Islamist conquest, for which nobody would be excepted, to kindly heed the clarion call of LEADER Prince Eniola Ojajuni – “Wake Up, Yorubas!”, “Wake Up, South West!!” and “Wake Up, Nigeria!!!”
Our duty at NSCEA is to: “Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so he may run who reads it.” (Habakkuk 2:2).
Bishop Professor Funmilayo Adesanya-Davies
Secretary, Elders’ Council
Nigerian Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Affairs (NSCEA)
&
Supreme Council for Ecclesiastical Law in Nigeria (SCELN)
(A Country Chapter of African Association for Ecclesiastical Affairs (AAEA) Inc.
cc:
Christian Association of Nigeria ( CAN)
