The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on the Nigerian government to amend the constitution to officially recognize Islamic marriages and holidays, stressing the need for equal treatment of all religious practices in the country.
Speaking at the South West Zonal Public Hearing of the Senate Committee on Constitutional Amendments, MURIC’s Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, criticized the current legal framework that recognizes Christian marriages conducted in churches and registries, while Islamic marriages (nikah) remain unofficial for legal and administrative purposes.
He described the situation as discriminatory, noting that Muslim couples often face rejection of their marriage certificates in official settings. “In a democracy, it is unacceptable that marriages conducted by one religious group are recognized, while those conducted by another are not,” Akintola said.
He called for a revision of the Nigerian Marriage Act (1990) to ensure Islamic marriages are granted the same legal standing as Christian ones.
On public holidays, Akintola pointed out that of Nigeria’s eight national holidays, only three are Islamic while five are Christian. He urged the government to officially recognize the Islamic New Year, 1st Muharram (Hijrah), to bring greater balance to religious observances.
He further proposed declaring Fridays as work-free days for Muslims, similar to how Sundays are reserved for Christian worship.
Additionally, MURIC advocated for the establishment of Shariah courts in the South West to handle civil matters such as inheritance and marriage, allowing Muslims in the region to access faith-based legal systems.
Akintola also condemned what he described as systemic discrimination by immigration and other national agencies. He alleged that Muslim applicants for passports and ID cards are often harassed and forced to remove religious attire such as hijabs, turbans, or beards during registration.
He emphasized that democracy must be inclusive and participatory, urging lawmakers to ensure constitutional reforms reflect Nigeria’s religious diversity and protect the rights of all citizens equally.
