Traditional Religion Body Warns Islamic Extremists in Kwara over Isese Festival Ban

Ilesanmi AdekanbiJuly 10, 2023

2 minutes read

The Ancient Religion Societies of African Descendants International Council (ARSADIC), the umbrella body for all indigenous African religions, has issued a stern warning to a Muslim group in Ilorin, Kwara State, over its attempt to stop a traditional religion priestess from organizing the Isese festival in the town.

On July 1, a Muslim group, Majlisu Shabab li Ulamahu Society, stormed the residence of Yeye Omolara Ajesekemi, a priestess of the Yoruba traditional religion, and threatened her not to hold any form of Isese festival in five local governments in the state. The group claimed that they had the backing of the Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, to impose the ban.

Isese, which means tradition in Yoruba language, is a festival celebrated by adherents of the Yoruba traditional religion in Nigeria and other countries such as Cuba, Brazil, and the United States. The festival is usually held in August or September to mark the end of the year and the beginning of a new one according to the traditional calendar.

However, in a statement released by the president of ARSADIC, Aare (Dr) Ifagbenusola Atanda, on Monday, he condemned the actions of the Muslim group and the spokesperson for the Emir of Ilorin, Abdulazeez Arowona, for violating the rights of traditional religion adherents to freedom of religion and association, as enshrined in the Nigerian Constitution.

Atanda said that ARSADIC would not tolerate any form of religious extremism or intolerance in any part of the country. He said that ARSADIC was committed to peaceful coexistence and mutual respect among all faiths, but would not allow anyone to intimidate or humiliate its members.

He said, “We will never fold our arms and allow extremists in any guise to deny us our God-given rights, 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, law-abiding, accommodating of other religions, and value humanity, we will refuse to be intimidated and humiliated by any group or anybody”.

Atanda called on the Kwara State government, led by Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and all security agencies to intervene and protect the lives and property of traditional religion practitioners in the state. He also urged them to prevent any breakdown of law and order that could result from religious conflict.

He said that ARSADIC was ready to dialogue with any genuine stakeholder who was interested in promoting harmony and understanding among different religious groups in Kwara State. He said that ARSADIC would also reconstitute an interfaith committee to further build confidence and provide templates to steadily resolve all issues of mutual concerns between Muslims and Christians in the state.

Kwara State has witnessed several cases of religious tension and controversy in recent times. In March, there was a crisis over the wearing of hijab by Muslim female students in some public schools owned by Christian missions. The state government had approved the use of hijab in all public schools, but some Christian leaders and parents opposed it. The crisis led to violence and closure of some schools.

The ARSADIC president appealed to all Kwarans to embrace peace and tolerance and respect each other’s beliefs and practices. He said that ARSADIC was committed to preserving and promoting the rich cultural heritage of Africa through its indigenous religions. He said that ARSADIC was not against any other religion or faith but only demanded equal rights and recognition for its members,