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The Application of Islamic Law and the Legacies of Good Governance in the Sokoto Caliphate, Nigeria 1804-1903): Lessons for the Contemporary Period
One of the key jargons of contemporary democracy is good governance,
which entails social justice, effective, responsible, and transparent
administrative machinery. In the same way, social and political maladies
such as corruption, nepotism, favoritism, ethnicity, and flagrant abuse
of power were ostracized in the system. Those terms, are usually echoed
in Nigeria by politicians and their cohorts rhetorically in the media,
with almost nothing to show in practice. Consequently, the faith of
Nigerians is being eroded in the successive Nigerian governments as all
promises to improve their lots and living standards remain a mirage.
However, a little reflection and appreciation of the polity that was
attained on the Nigerian soil in the 19th century to the beginning of
the 20th century (i.e., the Sokoto Caliphate) represents encouraging
historical evidence and legacy of good governance, that will help
Nigeria in the current derive for nation building and sustainable
development. It is the submission of this paper that, some of the
mechanism deviced and employed by the Sokoto Caliphate in uniting its
diversed citizens through equity, social justice, transparency and
accountability for one-hundred years, if studied and utilized will help
the Nigerian state, as well as other developing nations in the Muslim
World and beyond to address their present political quandary. This also
shows that the Shari’ah –Islamic Law, as demonstrated by the Sokoto
Caliphate in the 19th century entails laudable developmental programs,
innovative initiatives for welfare packages, and assured rights and
freedom for the citizens.
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