Fresh religious tension has erupted in Ilorin, Kwara State, after a confrontation between a popular traditional religion priestess and a group of Islamic clerics who allegedly demanded that she vacate her home over her faith practices.
Yeye Osunfunmilayo Ajile, the Aare Olomitutu Odo Gbogbo l’Agbo of Kwara State and Atayese Worldwide, declared that she would never abandon her traditional beliefs, insisting that “traditional religion is the foundation of Ilorin.”
The Confrontation
The incident reportedly occurred on Monday, September 22, when clerics from Oke Odo, Danialu, and Gaa Akanbi stormed her residence. A video circulating online shows the clerics ordering her to relocate, while Ajile firmly refused, citing her constitutional right to freedom of worship.
“They told me to move to Osun State because they don’t want traditional religion in that area,” Ajile explained. “But I was born here in Ilorin, raised here, and built my home here. Nobody has the right to drive me away.”
She alleged that the group, led by one Alhaji Yisa and another identified as Bureimo Eesu, tried to assault her, throwing stones and hurling insults before leaving.
“My Faith Protects the Community”
Ajile, who has lived in her home for more than 11 years, emphasized that her religious practice has deep ancestral roots, inherited from her grandmother.
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“This is our ancestral heritage. Traditional religion was the foundation of Ilorin and other Yoruba towns long before the arrival of foreign religions,” she said.
She further claimed that her worship had contributed to peace in the community. “Before I began here, people drowned in the river. In the past nine years, no such tragedy has happened. People come to pray, and their wishes are answered.”
The priestess disclosed that she reported the case at Division A Police Station in Ilorin, and it was referred to the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, which promised to issue a formal warning to the clerics.
Grateful for the support from Nigerians and traditionalists nationwide, Ajile noted that her annual festivals had always been held peacefully. “These clerics who came to disturb me are not even from this community. They crossed the river just to cause trouble,” she alleged.
She reaffirmed: “The Constitution gives me the right to practice any religion, provided I don’t infringe on others.”
Not the First Clash
This incident adds to a growing record of tensions in Ilorin over traditional practices. In July 2023, controversy surrounded plans to hold the annual Isese Festival in the city. Yeye Ajisekemi Olatunji, another priestess, was warned by Muslim groups not to proceed, reportedly on the directive of the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
The Emir, in his Eid message at the time, described certain traditional practices as “alien” to the emirate’s culture. Members of Majlisu Shabab li Ulamahu Society visited Olatunji’s home to enforce the warning, sparking nationwide debate.
Prominent voices, including Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka, condemned the move as an infringement on religious freedom, criticizing the growing intolerance in a city once celebrated for its religious and cultural diversity.
Divided Opinions
While traditional leaders and cultural advocates denounced the clampdown, describing it as an attack on Yoruba identity and freedom of worship, others defended the Emir’s position.
The Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union argued that traditional festivals such as Isese were foreign to Ilorin’s traditions and posed a threat to communal peace.
Its president, Aliyu Uthman, maintained that banning such festivals was necessary to protect harmony and the emirate’s cultural identity.
What do you think? Should traditional worship be freely practiced in Ilorin, or should the emirate’s religious traditions take precedence? Share your thoughts in the comments.
