ABSTRACT

Abstract

The practice of ‘full shariah’ is as important to Muslims as the observation of the obligatory prayers and therefore, the struggle for its application by Muslims in Nigeria is as old as the advent of Islam in the country. This effort was crowned with success with the beginning of the fourth republic which saw the emergence of Olusegun Obasanjo as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in 1999. Even though, with some challenges which are partially as a result of poor planning for the take-off of the legal system, some remarkable achievements of curtailment of social vices were recorded within the period of the re-application of the shariah in Nigeria. Using a historical research method, this work appraised some of the achievements made by the shariah-friendly states in the curtailment of social vices and improvement of the standard of living of people in the north with the objective of creating a frame work for the application of the law by Muslims in the south. The author of this work identified with some citizens in the shariah states that, against the blind criticism by some people, the implementation of shariah in some states in the north has curtailed social vices and improved the living standard of people in the region. This is a revelation of the efficacy of the law in finding lasting solution to the aging problem of corruption, nepotism, murder and poverty that are militating against the development of Nigeria. It is to this background that the author suggested Muslims in the south should follow suit in the application of the law and learn from the mistake of the past, the country would be moved to the next level.