Ilorin Emirate, Yoruba Values and Freedom of Religion

By Adeola Soetan

Ilorin and its crazy Fundamentalists. We should not forget that
Ilorin is one of the headquarters of many immoral acts against Islam like adultery and fornication in Nigeria

There is hypocrisy everywhere. Ilorin is where sex litters the streets despite the kurukere kurukere religion exhibitionism by many indigenes Hypocrisy stinks in the air.

Ilorin has higher concentration of short time hotels per Sq.km than Abeokuta that one of the crazy fundamentalists that went to threaten Iya Osun not to practise her faith, revered to as idol city. One even advised Iya Osun to go and practise her faith in Osogbo not in Ilorin emirate. . What an audacity of idiocy! And these are supposed to be educated people in the 21st century when Osun Osogbo festival has become a global brand and Osun deity is worshiped in some civilised countries in Europe, US and Latin & South America.

The Nigerian constitution guarantees Freedom of Worship. “Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance” (Chapter 4 Section 38 of the Constitution)

Article 18: Freedom of Religion and Belief says that: government “shall not adopt any religion as State Religion.” So what the heck is wrong with some so-called Emirate Muslim leaders who visited Iya Osun to threaten her life and other Osun worshippers not to practise their faith and where did they get their their power to stop anybody from worship?

Ridiculously they even declared 5 local government areas in Kwara state as Islamic space and a no-go area to Osun worshippers.

It’s sad to note that the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Sulu Gambari under whose rulership this flagrant breach of the constitution is being allowed, is a lawyer and a prominent judge before he became Emir. And up till now, police have not arrested these lawless religious zealots for prosecution for threatening the lives of peaceful Osun worshippers and a rude breach of the constitution with impunity even though they don’t have immunity. Sad indeed.

Religious fanatism breeds terrorism and Nigeria is still groaning under the pains and pangs of Boko Haram, a crazy bloody Islamic terrorist group that has killed over 50,000 citizens across religion and ethnic lines with over 3 million people made homeless as refugees. Adding “OSUN HARAM” Religious terrorists of Ilorin would be too much burden for the nation to bear. It will increase the killing field of blood, sorrow and tears in the country.

Who made these unscrupulous “Osun Haram”
Islamic fundamentalists deciders of religions, faiths according to territories? Islam is a religion of peace, but threatening people of other faiths not to practise their faiths is not a peaceful but an arrogant, violent act which may cause religion disharmony among people. It’s a real danger to national integration, and peaceful co-existance.

Ilorin like other cities in Nigeria lacks good roads, functional public education and health institutions, no regular supply of electricity and pipe borne water. Mass poverty and high youth unemployment in Ilorin that has forced many youths including kurukere kurukere religionists into prostitution, yahoo yahoo and into other forms of crime is very prevalent in the emirate city. Coupled with hike in fuel pump price made the economic conditions of Ilorin people like other Nigerian masses and the struggling workers worse. There’s social tension in the land.

I think these problems of economic attack on. human and national development should be of great concern and priority to these self acclaimed Allah’s Marshals for them to speak truth to power against bad governance unleashed on the people by rogue leaders instead of speaking harshly and threatening a peace loving Osun deity worshipper. All religions including Islam preaches tolerance, so one wonders where these “Osun Haram” Islamic extremists got their spiritual and constitutional rights to prevent people from practising their faiths freely and peacefully , more so, when religion is a private affair of individuals with their God/Allah in whatever way they relate with their chosen God.(s).

The law enforcement agencies should act fast and arrest these extremists before Borno or Kaduna happens to Kwara, or else Nigeria will be a completely lawless country. “Orun ni o mo e niti yi o la” (ORUNMILA) Only the heaven (Allah /God) knows the righteous.