No fewer than twenty-five people have reportedly been serious injured in a religious clash that ensued between some Muslims and Egungun worshipers (Masqueraders) in Kishi town in Oke-Ogun area of Oyo state.
This ugly development arose at a season when the traditional ruler of the town, Oba Engr. Moshood Awada Lawal Arowoduye 11, the Iba of Kishi is supposed to be celebrating his 20th coronation anniversary, which is to hold between May 4 and 6, 2017.
The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) of the Oyo state police command, Mr. Adekunle Ajisebutu confirmed the incidence, and revealed that the state’s police command has provided adequate security to restore peace in the town.
Problem started on Tuesday when one Muslim cleric simply identified as Alfa Lati, insisted that masqueraders, observing the annual egungun festival, should not pass through his (Alfa Lati) street, located at Koso, Mapo area of the town.
The masqueraders considered this as an affront on their own religion, and passed through the street, claiming that Kishi town belongs to every indigene of the town, irrespective of religious affiliation.
Our Correspondent gathered that following an instruction from Alfa Lati, his followers reportedly attacked the masquerade (Egungun) with stones and other dangerous weapons, a situation that forced the Egungun to remove his mask, to run for dear life .
In the melee that ensued, no fewer than 15 followers of the masquerade reportedly sustained serious injuries, and this made the furious Egungun worshippers to plan a reprisal attack on Wednesday.
A source informed our Correspondent that over 10 people from both sides were also injured during the reprisal attack on Wednesday, and that some of the injured persons have been taken to the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Kwara state for treatment.
Reacting to this development, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the International Council for Ifa Religion , Oyo state chapter, Baba Awo Awogbemiga Bogunmbe, called on the police and other security agencies to ensure that justice is done.
While condemning the attack on the Egungun worshipers, Bogunmbe noted that the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria makes the country a multi-religious country in which every citizen is free to practice whatever religion of his or her choice.
The Ifa council’s spokesperson noted that there was no time traditional religion worshippers disrupted activities of adherents of other religions in the country, calling on the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, to use his good offices to liberate traditional religion against perpetual oppression by “foreign religions.”
Meanwhile, our Correspondent gathered that the Iba of Kishi, Oba Arowoduye, summoned a security meeting on Wednesday, and instructed that the on-going 2017 annual egungun festival should be put on hold pending the end of his 20th coronation anniversary, and to allow peace to return to the town.
Packaged by Gbenga Abegunrin
