The leadership of the Traditional Religion Worshipers Association in Osun State has submitted a petition to the Osun State Police Command, demanding an investigation into the invasion of the Osun-Osogbo Grove by some pastors, during which a shrine was allegedly desecrated.
The petition was reportedly submitted at the Osun Command headquarters in Osogbo late on Monday.
In a bid to de-escalate tensions, the Osun State Government on Tuesday met with representatives of both the traditionalists and the church involved in the crisis.
The demand for an investigation by the traditionalists followed an incident at the Osun-Osogbo Grove, where some pastors allegedly stormed the site and desecrated the shrines.
In a video circulating on social media, the Christian clergy were seen engaging in an altercation with traditionalists who confronted them at one of the shrines inside the grove.
In the footage, a man dressed in white robes, flanked by others believed to be pastors, stood beside a shrine, touching parts of it, gesturing as he spoke, and appearing to declare the supremacy of Jesus Christ while describing the Osun deity as powerless.
Tensions escalated when additional traditionalists arrived on the scene, leading to a confrontation between the two groups.
The clergy eventually left the premises after a male traditionalist intervened, warning his colleagues against violence.
In apparent retaliation, another video surfaced showing individuals claiming to be traditionalists storming the church of the pastor who led the shrine invasion.
In the footage, some of the intruders covered their faces and sacrificed a dog, splattering its blood on the church floor.
They claimed the act was in response to the earlier shrine invasion, while members of the church watched helplessly.
Speaking exclusively to PUNCH Metro on Tuesday, TRAWSO President Dr Oluseyi Atanda confirmed that the association had petitioned the police to demand an investigation into the Osun-Osogbo Grove invasion.
Atanda declined to comment on the retaliation by the individuals who stormed the church.
He also confirmed a meeting between the Osun State Commissioner for Home Affairs, Rasheed Aderibigbe, and the leadership of TRAWSO, the Christian Association of Nigeria, and the church involved.
“The Commissioner met with us on behalf of the State Government today. We discussed the pastors’ desecration of the grove.
“The Osun CAN leadership and representatives of the church whose pastors invaded the shrine also attended the meeting.
“We outlined our demands. We are law-abiding citizens, which is why we are addressing this matter through legal channels. We have submitted a petition to the police requesting an investigation. The CAN leadership also promised to review our request and respond.
“The Commissioner assured us that necessary actions would be taken to prevent a recurrence and to de-escalate tensions,” Atanda said.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer for the Osun State Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, confirmed that the petition by the traditionalists would be treated with due diligence.
Credit: punchng.com
