Elebuibon chides Emir for stopping Isese festival

Renowned Ifa priest, Chief Ifayemi Elebuibon, has urged federal and state governments to caution the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, and Islamic clerics in the town against action that could breach freedom of association in the town.

Elebuibon was reacting to the cancellation of Isese festival in Ilorin after a traditionalist, Ajesikemi Omolara, was threatened by an Islamic group, reportedly backed by the Emir, not to go ahead with the traditional festival.

But speaking with The PUNCH on Monday, Elebuibon argued that parts of Ilorin are Yoruba land with links with traditional religion. He argued that Ilorin is not an exclsive Arab community.

 “It is disheartening that a ruler that was supposed to embrace all religions, would go to the extent of preventing people of other faith from practising their religion.

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“We have government at the  federal and state levels. They owe us the duty of protection and I find it strange that governments have now relinquished that duty to a ruler who is biased against a particular religion and prevented the adherents from practising their religion. He and those clerics must be cautioned,” Elebuibon said.

He argued further that what the Islamic group did was against the law.

“Their action is against the law but our governments seem helpless. They better wake up to their responsibilities. It is not fair to suppress a religion for another.”

Meanwhile, the Emir of Ilorin, on Monday, directed indigenes of llorin Emirate to sheathe their swords and close communication in the ongoing controversies generated on the Isese festival.

The Emir also told indigenes of the five local government areas that constituted the Ilorin Emirate Council to stop responding to the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, who had earlier condemned the role played by the Emir forcing traditionalists to cancel the Isese festival.

In a statement by his spokesman, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, the Emir noted that peace and tranquility were the major recipes required for the promotion of harmony in the state.

“His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari has ordered that nobody should further express their anger on the Isese festival and Prof Wole Soyinka saga under any guide any longer in the interest of peaceful coexistence and harmonious working environment in Nigeria,” the statement said.