By Peter Oriyomi
An umbrella body of every indigenous African spirituality, the Ancient Religion Societies of African Descendants International Council (ARSADIC), has warned Islamic extremists not to further provoke its members in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital.
The group said it is following the unfolding events in the last one week at the ancient town, where one of its members, Yeye Omolara Ajesekemi, an Osun devotee and priestess, is being harrassed and intimidated over her faith by some Muslims.
In a statement by the ARSADIC President, Aare (Dr.) Ifagbenusola Atanda, the group also warned that the religious fundamentalism must not be encouraged in any form and in any part of the nation.
Atanda, who is also the Asiwaju Awo Agbaye, said it was wrong for a Muslim group, Majlisu Shabab li Ulamahu Society, and the spokesperson of the Emir of Ilorin, Abdulazeez Arowona, to threaten Yeye Ajesekemi and to stop her from holding Isese festival in Ilorin, Kwara State.
The statement reads: “As long as we, the traditional religion adherents, know our boundary not to throw offensives at other faiths, we will resist any attempt to trample on our rights to freedom of religion and association as well spelt out in the Nigerian Constitution.
“We will never fold our arms and allow extremists in any guise deny us our God-given rights and supported by the laws of Nigeria as a secular state. We are quite aware that Ilorin, Kwara State is an integral part of Nigeria and we are ready to defend our faith.
“Yeye Omolara Ajesekemi has our support at all times to practice her faith, the traditional religion, which bonds all of us together. And as the tenets of our faith have taught us to be pious, be law-abiding, be accommodating of other religions and value humanity, we will refuse to be intimidated and humiliated by any group or anybody.”
Meanwhile, Atanda said the ARSADIC is being briefed regularly about development on the matter by its Kwara State branch and prayed that the situation would not escalate.
He, therefore, called for prompt intervention of the Kwara State government being led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the security agencies in the state, particularly the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the Department of the State Service (DSS), the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other para military formations, advising that they should leave up to their constitutional duties.
