Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has stated that the long-running debate surrounding the introduction of Sharia law in parts of Nigeria was influenced more by political interests than by religious considerations.
Speaking during an interview while reflecting on the heated discussions at the Constituent Assembly, Obasanjo revealed that the controversy over Sharia law generated intense debates during his time as military Head of State.
According to the former president, the issue became so contentious that he sought clarification from a prominent northern elite on why there was such strong agitation for the establishment of a Sharia Court of Appeal.
Recalling the conversation, Obasanjo said:
I was military head of state and Sharia became an issue in the Constituent Assembly. And I called somebody, one of the Northern elites. I said, look, you people, Sharia Court of Appeal—you won’t go there. You don’t take any of your issues there.
He explained that the response he received convinced him that politics, rather than religion, was the major factor behind the agitation. He said yes, but why are you doing this? He said politics… Politics, so what suits people politically?
Obasanjo noted that the encounter shaped his approach to leadership and public affairs, stressing that he has always preferred to judge people by their actions rather than their words or political rhetoric. So I don’t go by what people say or what they mean. I go by what they do, he added.
The former president’s comments have once again brought attention to one of Nigeria’s most sensitive and enduring national debates, reigniting discussions on the role of religion and politics in governance.
