KANO, Nigeria — In a sweeping attempt to curb religious strife and promote harmony, the Kano State Government has enacted a new law to regulate religious preaching, as announced by the State Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Muhammad Garba on Friday, May 19, 2023.
According to Garba, who elaborated on the law during a press briefing, the decision was born out of recent deliberations in the State Executive Council meeting at the Government House.
“The law would coordinate the mode of preaching, sermons to prevent an attack on the leadership of the opposite sect, and incitement of followers via radio, television, newspaper, or any other conventional platform,” he stated.
Beyond its comprehensive scope, the new regulation stands out for its approval of a Council of Ulama, a religious authority to be established through an enabling law from the Kano State House of Assembly.
The Commissioner elaborated on the role of the newly established council: “The council will have the responsibility of supervising and regulating all religious sermons in the state.”
This move is unprecedented and is expected to significantly impact religious discourse in the region.
As Kano State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria, home to a diverse range of religious beliefs, the development is being closely watched by observers both within and outside the country.
The balance of maintaining freedom of expression and religious rights while preventing potential disharmony remains to be seen in the weeks and months to come.
The enactment of this law marks a pivotal step towards a more harmonious coexistence in Kano State, setting a noteworthy precedent for other regions grappling with similar challenges.
Time will reveal the true effectiveness of this bold initiative.
This move by the Kano State government underscores an evolving landscape of religious regulation in the face of an increasingly interconnected world, where a sermon given on one end of the globe can reverberate in unexpected ways thousands of miles away.
As such, the outcome of this legislation will undoubtedly have far-reaching implications.
