The Status of Shari’ah in the Nigerian Legal Education: An Appraisal of the Role of Madaris

Abstract

The stiff competition between the English Common Law and the Shari'ah (Islamic Law) throughout the colonial administration in Nigeria to date, has created a gap between the need for expertise in Shari'ah in the nation’s social and judicio-legal environment and the level of training provided by the Nigerian legal education system. This article studies the gap and contends that the Shari'ah content of the curriculum of the institutions offering Common and Islamic Law in particular, is not sufficient to enable its graduates to suitably handle the legion of Islamic legal matters in all levels of courts and other social services in the country. The madaris (Islamic Basic Schools) that should provide basic education to the LL.B Shari'ah or LL.B Common and Islamic law students are disintegrated from the mainstream of the admission requirements for the undergraduate degree programs. It concludes that unless the string between the madÉris and the degree awarding institutions is connected, great disservice will continue to be done not only to the Islamic legal and judicial system but also to the cause of justice.