The Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari has explained that the reason behind the cancellation of Isese festival, a Yoruba cultural ceremony held in the town annually.

SaharaReporters had reported that Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, in an open letter, criticised the Emir of Ilorin, for reportedly banning the Yoruba cultural ceremony.

Soyinka had described the decision to cancel the festival as “a crime against the cultural heritage of all humanity” and “an assault on civilised conduct”.

He had said the Nigerian constitution guaranteed a freedom of belief, adding that the cancellation would undermine the country’s progress.

But reacting to the position of Soyinka, the monarch said the decision to cancel the ceremony was to prevent crisis.

The Emir described the decision as “proactiveness”, saying it “is necessary to sustain peaceful co-existence in the society.”

Gambari in statement issued on Friday through his spokesperson, AbdulAzeez Arowona, said the decision was taken to avert situations that might lead to “reprisal attacks by sympathisers or promoters of such belief (Isese festival) in other parts of the country”.

He added that the priestess had lived “harmoniously” in the town for years “until she decided to go beyond her boundaries”.

“In order to set records straight, Professor Wole Soyinka tends to be economical with facts, forgetting that war is nobody’s want,” the statement said.

“As he decided to settle with a factor that is capable of causing chaos in the society, if not quickly averted.

“This is to prevent crisis and not waiting until it erupt because the cost of managing crises cannot be equated to the wisdom or courage required to prevent it.

“Such proactiveness is necessary in order to sustain peaceful co-existence in the society. It is therefore surprising to hear that the position of Professor Soyinka is identical to someone who does not consider what might transpire if the programme was hosted.

“It may result to issues which could also lead to reprisal attacks by sympathisers or promoters of such belief (Isese festival) in other parts of the country.

“There are many non-indigenes in Kwara who are serving and retired, including business owners who have vowed to move their families to the state due to the peace and harmony enjoyed therein.

“Yeye Ajesikemi also confirmed that she has been living harmoniously in Ilorin for many years, not until she decided to go beyond her boundaries,” the statement partly read.

Nukilia:
This is a lesson to the 'Yoruba Ronu' crew that encouraged the religion of Arabs on their land. The end game is destruction...

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully

mancoconut:
Notice the highlighted part of the article, the EMIR used style to call a whole Wole Soyinka a liar LMFAOOOO

Everyone knows Soyinka for what he is

Soyinka is Tinubu's boy

Just tell Tinubu to give him a script, you go hear grammar, you go tire

A very biased learned man

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully

muykem:
Useless and bigotry Emir. You are serving your Larubawa god in peace but you don't want other to serve their god.

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully