The International Council for Ifa/Orisa Religions (ICIR) has said it will sue the Nigerian Police over the cancellation of the Isese Day celebration, billed to hold in Ilorin, Kwara State on Sunday.
President of ICIR, Oluwo Solagbade Popoola, stated this in a press release to express the displeasure of the organisation with the Police for the cancellation.
The Police authority, citing mounting tension, had refused to grant permission for the Isese Festival to in Ilorin, as scheduled.
He said ICIR will challenge the Police “for the discriminatory breach of our rights to hold lawful gatherings, even when both our Christians and Muslim brothers hold their mass gathering unhindered.
“We will also be seeking legal interpretation of the context of Nigeria’s secularity as enshrined in the Nigerian 1999 Constitution (as amended).”
He, however, disclosed that the organisation was not interested in dragging drag other religious groups to court.
Oluwo Popoola appealed for calm among members of ICIR, leaders and members of various Isese organisations, groups and cultural public.
This was as he assured that the organisation “will not fail to seek justice wherever necessary.”
The ICIR president disclosed that representatives of the organisation had, on Monday, held a meeting with the Kwara State Commissioner of Police in Ilorin.
He said the meeting was at the behest of the police commissioner in respect of the Letter of Notification by ICIR on the proposed celebration of the Isese Day.
“The outcome of the meeting was the prohibition of the hosting of the festival, purportedly as a result of what they called rising tension in the state.
“ICIR is not unaware that the police authorities have the power to enforce laws and regulations, maintain public order, and ensure the safety and security of the community.
“They can also, under certain circumstances, impose restrictions or place a ban on specific events or activities, if they deem it necessary for public safety, law enforcement, or other legitimate reasons.
“Nevertheless, the ban placed on our Isese Festival has been viewed from legal perspective as an abuse of fundamental rights of all traditionalists in Kwara State.
“It has also been seen as a testimony to the fact that the police authorities were already prejudiced against our faith.
“The ban is the first to be imposed on any lawful religious gathering in the entire history of Kwara State to the advantage of the antagonists of such event.
“Although we are not unaware of the clandestine moves, efforts and preparation by some disgruntled elements within the Islamic faith to unleash unwarranted attacks on some of our members in Kwara State before, during and after the August 20 proposed events.
“We had wanted to go ahead in the hope that the security agencies would do their best to put a check on the unbridled lust of the bellicose Islamists for war thereby enabling us to exercise our fundamental rights as an organisation,” he stated.
Oluwo Popoola said it was shocking to realise that those whose role is to enforce law, ensure peaceand maintain orderliness have failed in discharging their responsibilities.
He declared that the Police had indirectly declared that they have neither the capacity nor the political will power to perform their duty.
Instead, the ICIR president stated, the law enforcement agency would rather deny Isese adherents their rights in order to please those the Police were expected to caution.
The ICIR president further said the organisation respects the sanctity of human and would thus never wish evil for anyone, irrespective of their religion.
“As an organisation that respects the sanctity of human life and holds high our belief in Olodumare as the giver of life, ICIR will never wish evil for anyone, regardless of their faith or creed.
“We, the traditionalists, being the original owners of the land, would never allow a descent into bloodletting or be provoked to dance to a drumbeat of war by any other religion.
“As a true religion of peace, we have never and will never engage anyone in a religious war let alone shedding human blood for the sake religion.
“We are aware of the fact that, their overzealousness notwithstanding, majority of these foreign religious fanatics are fellow Yoruba people.
“If we allow any confrontation to take place and we hurt any of them, we have hurt ourselves because they are our brothers.
“On the other hand, if they hurt any of us, we have hurt ourselves because a brother has inflicted injury on a fellow brother.
“We will follow the directive of Olodumare and Ifa which says that on no condition must will allow the cloud of confrontation to descend into rainfall of confrontation.
“We will continue to, in this wise, pray to Olodumare to turn their heart of stone into heart of flesh and blood,” he stated.
Oluwo Popoola, however, disclosed that the Isese Festival celebration would still hold at the appropriate time.
“In the light of the above, ICIR has taken a decision that it feels critical to the current situation.
“We have resolved to put the planned festival on hold till a more propitious time in future,” he stated.
He urged members of all Isese groups, particularly in Kwara State, to take the cancellation in good faith and as a sacrifice to avoid violence which he said some people were craving for.
“In the light of this, on behalf of ICIR, I plead with our members, particularly those in Kwara State, all Isese groups, inclusive of members of our Youth Wing, to take the cancellation with equanimity.
“It is a sacrifice that is necessary in order to save those who threaten violence from their own folly and ignorance.
“All traditionalists should avoid religious conflicts or confrontations at all costs.
“We must rededicate ourselves to the pursuit of peace, stability and development of our society while serving Olodumare through our unrelenting obedience to His will as well as committed service to humanity.
“While thanking everyone for the steadfastness so far, we once again appeal for calm and obedience to the law of the land.
“Thank you. Aboru Aboye. Ogbó a tó o!,” the ICIR president, Oluwo Solagbade Popoola, stated in the press release.
