Prominent Yoruba socio-cultural group, Olokun Festival Foundation (OFF), has warned those behind the prolonged religious crisis in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital not to set Yoruba land ablaze and them to shun any act that could lead to religious crisis in the state.
OFF spokesperson, Olajide Odumosu, gave this warning on Friday in a statement made available to newsmen while reacting to the raging crisis in the state capital.
He appealed to all those that were involved in the lingering crisis in Ilorin to seek peace and religious tolerance as a way of addressing the crisis that had been engulfing the state in recent times, urging that justice must prevail and those arraigned be given fair hearing without any prejudice.
OFF chieftain urged religious leaders to desist from acts that could lead to crisis as, according to him, this was not the time to fan the embers of religious crisis, noting that Nigerians and the whole world were watching.
“Religion is a sensitive issue and we must respect the secularity of the Nigerian state. It is sacrosanct.
“I am appealing to all those that are involved in the lingering crisis in Ilorin to seek peace and religious tolerance as a way of addressing the crisis that had been engulfing the state in recent times.
“Justice must prevail and those arraigned must be given fair hearing without any prejudice.
“This is not the time to fan the embers of religious crisis. Nigerians and the whole world are watching and the religious leaders should desist from act that could lead to crisis,” he said.
Speaking further, Odumosu, however, called on the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Kolapo, to use his position to seek religious peace by calling on those that were bent on using religion to cause disharmony in the town to desist from act that can set Ilorin on fire.
“The police as well as other law enforcement agents should not be seen as being bias in their efforts to ensure peace, because with the trending video on the social media, it showed that the Kwara State Commissioner of Police, Ebunoluwa Adelesi, was alleged to be biased in handling the case between the Muslims and traditional believers,” he said.
It would be recalled that the religious acrimony started in Ilorin when a traditional worshiper of Obatala, Yeye Ajesikemi Olokun Omolara Olatunji, was prevented from hosting a planned festival for adherents of Isese by the Muslims.
Though the State Commissioner of Police waded in as part of efforts to ensure peace between the Muslims and traditionalists, the lingering crisis is yet to abate.
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