Shari'ah in Northern Nigeria in the Light of Asymmetrical Federalism

Abstract

In the debate that ensued after the extension of Shari’ah to the penal codes in northern Nigeria, there emerged, among other things, the thesis that the extension of Shari’ah can be accommodated under asymmetrical federalism. Many analysts have accepted this thesis uncritically. The main thrust of this article is to explore the main dimensions of the theory of asymmetrical federalism and find out whether the extension of Shari’ah to the penal codes in northern Nigeria can be accommodated under the theory of asymmetrical federalism. The article argues that the extension of Shari’ah to the penal codes in northern Nigeria represents an unusual form of asymmetrical federalism.