LAGOS, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- The Council of Ulama (Islamic clerics) in Kwara State have warned against the celebration of Isese festival in Ilorin, the State capital.
The Council also warned that the Isese festival, under any guise, would not be allowed in any part of the Ilorin Emirate, comprising Asa, Moro, Ilorin East, Ilorin West, and Ilorin South local Government Areas.
Executive Secretary of the Council, Justice Salihu Mohammed, a retired grand Khadi of Kwara State, made the position of the Council known earlier today at a press conference held at the residence of the Chairman of the Council of Ulama and Chief Imam of Ilorin, Sheik Mohammed Bashir Salihu.
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Mohammed noted that the insistence of the Youth Wing of the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) to hold their festival in Ilorin on 20 August, would pose a serious danger to the security of lives and property in the state.
“It is in the light of this that we have found it extremely necessary to plead with the Kwara State Government and all stakeholders to appeal to the ICIR and other interest groups to stay away from Ilorin as available evidence convinced us that the staging of the event in Ilorin would have serious negative consequences on the peace of Kwara State.
“We are not unmindful of the pillage of aspersions and insults mounted on our father, the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman, Council of Emirs and Chiefs in Kwara State, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari by individuals that are expected to know better, which are unfortunate, condemnable and inexcusable.
“We don’t think any individual or group has anything to gain from destroying the harmonious coexistence in Kwara State. The people of Ilorin Emirate, particularly the Kwara State Council of Ulama cannot be coerced by any person or group of persons claiming to be representing intellectualism or atheistic practices to destroy what our forefathers have fought for.
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“We as leaders, see merit in the position of the Muslim youths. We sincerely believe that it is unwise and wrong for non-residents of a community to forcefully impose imported thoughts or practices on their hosts. This is repugnant to natural justice and it will certainly lead to the brake down of law and order,” he said.
The Executive Secretary of the Council added that, “We must make it abundantly clear that we are not against the celebration of isese festival. What is important to let the whole World know is that we, the people of Ilorin, have absolutely nothing to do with it. We understand the motive of their sinister and abominable move but warn that Ilorin has moved on.”
While appealing to Muslim youths and other stakeholders to exercise patience, Mohammed appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq “to direct all the security agencies in the state to take note of this threat to the peace and security of the State. A stitch in time saves nine”.