With all due respect to believers of the islamic faith, especially those in Nigeria, I am shocked at the following article from "The Independent" today. Pakistan- an islamic country once had a female prime minister, Bangladesh, another mostly islamic country also had a female leader.

Why is the practice of islam so different and non-progressive in Nigeria? Women are banned from: Sports, driving, working in most of the jobs available, and now a state government is trying to enact a total ban on female leadership.

Is this not 2008 or am I just dreaming?

[size=20pt]Kwara Shari'ah Council Warns Against Female Guber Candidacy[/size]
By Dele Moses, Reporter, Ilorin

Ahead of 2011 elections, the Supreme Council for Shari'ah, Kwara State branch, at the weekend faulted the purported plan by some members of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to present a woman as the governorship candidate.

It said such a plan was against the Shari'ah law, which forbids leadership by women.

This was contained in a statement issued after its one-day seminar in Ilorin.

Although the Shari'ah council conceded that women play a very prestigious and enviable role in the society, it, however, said this does not extend to taking up leadership positions.

Their stand might have thrown the spanner in the alleged plan by the strong man of Kwara politics, Abubakr Olusola Saraki, to install his daughter, Gbemisola, as the successor to the incumbent governor, Bukola.

According to the statement signed by the Vice-Chairman of the council in the state, Moshood Ibrahim, "there was speculation that a political party in the state was planning to present woman governor in the next election, this is against the Shari'ah in Islam".

He said, "We, therefore, vehemently oppose this plan in Kwara State, where over 80 per cent are Muslims, as being contemplated and bandied about by some members of the ruling party in the state".

On the delay in the passage of Shari'ah law bill, the council asked the state House of Assembly to expedite action on the bill, to hasten its implementation in the state.

Ibrahim said it was disheartening that for the past four years that the bill had been presented to the Assembly, it was yet to see the light of the day.

They noted that inter and intra party crisis ravaging the nation's political parties was due inability to follow the dictates of the Holy Quran.

Does the illiterate almajiris have something to do with this or do we also educate the educated northern elites?

Africans are the most fanatical people on earth. Couple that with the most fanatical religion, and the reaction is disastrous.

Do we even have any hope of developing and competing with other countries?

Yes we should embrace a secular society like Turkey.
Religion and State need to be completely separated!

Educate, Educate, and more Education. Make learning the in thing 

The only silver lining . . . . .

The Governorship of kwara state does not become a pure family affair.

I don't see any silver lining or advantage of banning women----- our daughters, sister, and mothers from ever aiming to achieve their best, because of a possible cockeyed interpretation of a religious doctrine.

Maybe an islamic scholar on this forum would be kind enough to educate us.

Fellow Formites,

At times i dont know whats wrong with Nigerian islamic religion as against other islamic dominated countries, especially in the middle east and asia.

Take the issue of Pakistan and some other islamic countries which allows women to partake in politics, are they not using the same koran? why should Nigeria islamic issues always been extra ordinary.

I think it is high time all these madness of discrimination against women be stopped for God's sake. Are women not human beings created by God?

Religion should not be brought into government at any level because every Nigerian, whether male or female has the sole right to contest in any public or political positions in
this country.

Pakistan? Let's not forget Turkey.

for anyone that knows what the political landscape of kwara is like and the whole intrigues going on,you will realise that this is just politic s, nothing to do with religion and i promise you that before the next gubanitorial election you will see salvos being fired from the saraki camp as well

nuzo:

Does the illiterate almajiris have something to do with this or do we also educate the educated northern elites?

this is another point to back my claims up, like i asserted the other time about politicians using religion ,tribalism as a tool, its happening in kwara state,just watch between now and the gubanitorial elections the tension and possibly riots that ll ignite in that state