₦airaland Forum

https://www.google.com/amp/s/punchng.com/emirs-ban-on-isese-a-crime-against-cultural-heritage-soyinka/%3famp

Playwright, Prof. Wole Soyinka, has taken a swipe at the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, for his role in stopping an Osun priestess, Yeye Ajesikemi Omolara, from holding an Isese festival in the state. The festival is to celebrate Ifa spirituality and practice.

Soyinka, who is the Akintalun of Egba and Giiwa of Ijebu-Remo, noted that such conduct turned, before our very eyes, a once ecumenical city like Kaduna into a blood-stained mockery of cohabitation.

He added that such conduct made it possible for a young College of Education student in Sokoto, Deborah Samuel, to be lynched in the presence of armed police on mere allegation of having belittled the image of a revered prophet.

The Nobel Laureate in a statement on Thursday titled, “Isese festival: An open letter to Sulu Gambari,’’ noted that “The greatest avatars that the world has known were not without human frailties, flaws, and errors of understanding. You are not omniscient. And you are not omnipotent.’’


Some Islamic clerics who were members of a Muslim group known as Majlisu Shabab-l-Ulamah Society earlier visited the priestess at her residence to tell her that the Emir of Ilorin sent them to warn her to desist from holding the three-day festival scheduled for between July 22 and July 24, 2023 in Ilorin. The priestess thereafter cancelled the festival through an online video, disclosing that her life was in danger having received several death threats.

The Akogun of Isara in the statement said, “Your Royal Highness, so soon after the Moslem season of spiritual purification, it is sad to see the ancient city of Ilorin, a confluence of faiths and ethnic varieties, reduced to this level of bigotry and intolerance, manifested in the role of a presiding monarch. The truncation of a people’s traditional festival is a crime against the cultural heritage of all humanity. Year after year, Ramadan has been celebrated in this nation as an inclusive gathering of humanity, irrespective of divergences of belief. Not once, in my entire span of existence, have I encountered pronouncements by followers of any faith that the slaughtering of rams on the streets and market places is an offence to their concept of godhead. Vegetarians hold their peace. Buddhists walk a different path. Prior to Ramadan, non-Moslems routinely join in observing the preceding season of fasting as a spiritual exercise worthy of emulation.’’

The elder statesman further said that it might interest the emir to know that, in Abu Dhabi, numerous programmes were pursued, at government expense, for the evolution of a humanised community based on religious tolerance and mutual respect.


He stated, “Your Royal Highness, it is conduct like this that has bred Boko Haram, ISIS, ISWAP and other religious malformations that currently plague this nation, spreading grief and outrage across a once peaceful landscape, degrading my and your existence with their virulent brand of Islam. It is conduct like this that has turned, before our very eyes, a once ecumenical city like Kaduna into a blood-stained mockery of cohabitation. It is conduct like this that makes it possible for a young student, Deborah, to be lynched in the very presence of armed police, on mere allegation of having belittled the image of a revered prophet.’’

According to the essayist, this continent has endured centuries of disdain and despoilation at the hands of alien religions – Christianity and Islam at the forefront.

He added, “Your conduct is an affront to my sense of racial being, and that holds true for millions beyond these national and continental borders, stretching into the Americas and the Caribbean. There you will still encounter Isese and allied spiritualities. There, Isese still exerts its hold on the human spirit. Visit Brazil, go to Columbia, explore Cuba, and be humbled by the tenacity of this spirituality among the descendants of black humanity.’’

He urged the monarch to rein in those he described as agents of division, of triumphalist intolerance, such as the Majlisu Shabab Ulamahu Society and call the priestess to his side, make peace with her and make restitution whichever way he could for what he termed the grievous insult to our race.

Soyinka stated, “We know the history of Ilorin and the trajectory of your dynasty – but these are not the issues. The issue is peaceful cohabitation, respect for other worldviews, their celebrations, their values and humanity. The issue is the acceptance of the multiple facets of human enlightenment.’’

This is a response from concerned Ilorin indigenes on what happened and why Isese would not be allowed in their land.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDIU-rFpF90

Go and take them to Court if you dont like it

Nigeria is secular state, yet individual can't practice his or her faith in peace. A religion will be lording over others yet govt seems to be powerless and do nothing.

If God most powerful allowed humans to do his freewill how much less mortal that became adherent to a certain faith by a accident.

We still not yet ready for development.

Muslims are pushing their luck too far.

I attended Osun-Osogbo festival last year for the first time. I witnessed thousands of young boys brandishing weapons of various forms including rifles in the presence of almost all state security apparatuses. I was wondering if the festival ground was for weapons show. That was the day I concluded that if any region tries going to war in this Nigeria, Yoruba will leave a trail of blood and inflict everlasting damage to other regions. Note that these hardened, war-ready youths are mostly found in traditional religion.

Muslims should be very careful in Yorubaland.

.

Just talk....how much power does an emir possess, he can be remove by a sitting governor. And he doesn't make the rules , the house of Representatives does. So all this are just mare wishful thoughts of the emir. He lacks the capacity to carry out anything

ekineme:
what is Good for the Goose is good for the gander; There's freedom of worship in Nigeria, Banning one religious group is infringement of their fundamental right of worship.
Just because there are minority the Cyber space is silent, Injustice to one is injustice to all.

Shut up and respect your hosts.

Illorin Ronu!!

lexylaw40:
Just talk....how much power does an emir possess, he can be remove by a sitting governor. And he doesn't make the rules , the house of Representatives does. So all this are just mare wishful thoughts of the emir. He lacks the capacity to carry out anything

So why should yorubas go to Illorin to practice their orishirishi?

Respect your hosts or go back to your states.Ilorin Ronu!!

HopeSpencer:
Muslims are pushing their luck too far.

I attended Osun-Osogbo festival last year for the first time. I witnessed thousands of young boys brandishing weapons of various forms including rifles in the presence of almost all state security apparatuses. I was wondering if the festival ground was for weapons show. That was the day I concluded that if any region tries going to war in this Nigeria, Yoruba will leave a trail of blood and inflict everlasting damage to other regions. Note that these hardened, war-ready youths are mostly found in traditional religion.

Muslims should be very careful in Yorubaland.

.

Is Ilorin Yoruba land? Is the Emir Yoruba? If your want to practice Yoruba traditional religion go to Yoruba land practice it.

Islam is not compatible with Nigeria.

Yoruba immigrants should respect their hosts and go back to Ogbomosho where they came from.

Hehehe


Soyinka go to ilorin and talk that thing again

Soyinka

If a people lose their culture, they have lost their identity

She will do the festival and nothing will happen!

Utsmandanfodio:
She will do the festival and nothing will happen!

If her mama born her well,let her try it.

lexylaw40:
Just talk....how much power does an emir possess, he can be remove by a sitting governor. And he doesn't make the rules , the house of Representatives does. So all this are just mare wishful thoughts of the emir. He lacks the capacity to carry out anything

The House of Rep does not make any law over the Emir of Illorin who is far greater than the Ooni of ife.

kcnwaigbo:
If her mama born her well,let her try it.

Who is this lunatic flatt head, why is what is happening among yorubas your head ache?

Yorubas learn to respect the culture and religion of your host...

Learn from the non Yorubas living in Ilorin
Have you ever heard any clash between the Ilorin people and non Yorubas in Ilorin

This one dey speak English, when an EMIR effectively controls the ILORIN traditional stool, previously held by a Yoruba OBA.

If it's IGBOs, this same Soyinka will be talking Nonsense. Anyway, nobody send you sef. You are as useless as disposable diapers...spits

BiafranPatriot:
And FULANi Herdsmen and bandits are killing these same Yoruba warriors like RATs? An EMIR is on the throne of a disposed OBA?...All these atrocities are happening in Yoruba land and you are slapping your flat chest Stop activating nonsense, bloody COWARD....

Which yoruba Oba was disposed?

But Kwara is not Yoruba land.

BiafranPatriot:
This one dey speak English, when an EMIR effectively controls the ILORIN traditional stool, previously held by a Yoruba OBA.

If it's IGBOs, this same Soyinka will be talking Nonsense. Anyway, nobody send you sef. You are as useless as disposable diapers...spits

Yorubas should learn to respect their host...
Go back to your Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Lagos, if you can't respect Ilorin peoples culture and religion

Just Imagine. FULANi are the hosts of Yorubas, in Yoruba land. When will they RONU? So Pathetic.

SpatialKing:
Yorubas learn to respect the culture and religion of your host...

Learn from the non Yorubas living in Ilorin
Have you ever heard any clash between the Ilorin people and non Yorubas in Ilorin

Tranquillity360:
But Kwara is not Yoruba land.

Kwara belongs to the Fulani people

Utsmandanfodio:
She will do the festival and nothing will happen!

You see what they are doing to those people in Sokoto that would be her fate... Kindly advise your sister to move her festival to Osogbo

kcnwaigbo:
Is Ilorin Yoruba land? Is the Emir Yoruba? If your want to practice Yoruba traditional religion go to Yoruba land practice it.

Yoruba should mind their five Yoruba states.


Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo.

Chai...so their Ancestral land ILORIN is now established as a FULANi enclave in 2023.

This EMIR will soon ban all traditional worship in Kwara, because he is the representative of all traditional rulers from Kwara.

Just imagine how a 'lamba and Propaganda' OYO Empire lost a City and can't reclaim it, till now.

Truly being a coward is useless.

SpatialKing:
Yorubas should learn to respect their host...
Go back to your Osun, Oyo, Ondo, Lagos, if you can't respect Ilorin peoples culture and religion

So you mean Kwara is Gone?..Please explain?

Tranquillity360:
Yoruba should mind their five Yoruba states.


Ekiti, Ogun, Ondo, Osun, and Oyo.

BiafranPatriot:
So you mean Kwara is Gone?..Please explain?

Kwara is fulani land, Lagos Aworis land.