Religious war brews in Kwara as Islamic clerics warn that Isese Festival can never hold in Ilorin
The Kwara Islamic clerics who labelled Yoruba traditionalists cultural terrorists, warned: “The Emirate might be a Yoruba speaking city, it must be realized that its present culture is no longer that of Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Nupe or any other, but purely an Islamic culture … All we are saying is that it should not be held where the celebrators and celebration would not be welcomed.”
By Emma Ogbuehi
A religious war between Muslims and Yoruba traditional religionists may be in the offing in Kwara State following the insistence, on Tuesday, by Islamic clerics that holding the proposed Isese festival in Ilorin will amount to cultural terrorism, which will not be tolerated under any guise.
This is even as Yoruba cultural elites, including Nobel laureate, Professor Wole Soyinka, insist that the festival must hold as scheduled.
Islamic clerics under the aegis of Council of Ulama in Kwara State likened the planned celebration of Isese festival in Ilorin by the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) to cultural violence and intimidation.
ICIR has fixed August 20 for the celebration of Isese in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
But the Muslim clerics warned those planning to celebrate the Ifa festival in Ilorin to stay away.
The council warned that Ifa festival, under any guise would not be allowed in any part of Ilorinemirate, comprising Asa, Moro, Ilorin East, Ilorin West and Ilorin South local government areas.
The Executive Secretary of the Council, Justice Salihu Mohammed, told reporters in Ilorin at a crowded press conference at the residence of the Chairman of the council and Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheik Mohammed Bashir Salihu.
Representatives of Imams and Alfas from all the 16 local government areas of the state attended the event.
He stated that the insistence of the youth wing of the International Council for Ifa Religion( ICIR) to hold their festival in Ilorin on August 20, 2023, posed danger to the security of lives and property across the State.
READ ALSO: You’re not omniscient, Soyinka warns Emir of Ilorin for stopping Isese festival
“It is in the light of this that we have found it extremely necessary to plead with the Kwara State government and all stakeholders to appeal to the ICIR and similar interest groups to stay away from Ilorin as available evidences convinced us that the staging of the event in Ilorin would have serious negative consequence on the peace of Kwara state.
“We are not unmindful of the pillage of aspersions and insults mounted on our father, the Emir of Ilorin and chairman, Council of Emirs and Chiefs in Kwara State, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, by individuals that are expected to know better, which are unfortunate, condemnable and inexcusable.
“We don’t think any individuals or group has anything to gain from destruction of the harmonious coexistence. The people of Ilorin Emirate, particularly the Kwara State Council of Ulama cannot be coerced by any person or group of persons claiming to be representing intellectualism or atheistic practices to destroy what our forefathers have fought for.
“As community and opinion leaders in our various places of abode, we are not unaware of the readiness of various youth groups never to allow the staging of the so called ‘isese’ festival anywhere in Ilorin.
“To them, such activities would pollute the peace and tranquility of the community as it is also being seen as invasion and an act of cultural imperialism.
“We as leaders, see merit in the position of the Muslim youths. We sincerely believe that it is unwise and wrong for non-residents of a community to forcefully impose imported thoughts or practices on their hosts. This is repugnant to natural justice and it will certainly lead to the breakdown of law and order.”
The executive secretary of the Council of Ulama added: “We must make it abundantly clear that we are not against the celebration of isese festival. What is important to let the whole World know is that we, the people of Ilorin, have absolutely nothing to do with it. We understand the motive of their sinister and abominable move but warn that Ilorin has moved on.
“The Emirate might be a Yoruba speaking city, it must be realized that its present culture is no longer that of Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Nupe or any other, but purely an Islamic culture. We therefore advise that they should allow peace to reign across Nigeria. All we are saying is that it should not be held where the celebrators and celebration would not be welcomed. Ilorin is certainly not among the places that should be considered for such a festival if the orgnisers are patriotic and well meaning”.
While appealing to Muslim youths and other stakeholders to exercise patience, Mohammed appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, “to direct all the security agencies in the state to take note of this threat to the peace and security of the state. A stitch in time saves nine”.