Residents of the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State, South-West Nigeria, have yet to recover from the shock of the violence of Thursday, March 30.

On that day, traditionalists of the Obatala extraction were locked in a bloody fight with Muslim worshippers in the town.

Residents of Ilare community, who were not far from Idi Omo Mosque, the scene of the incident, said various weapons were freely deployed during an attack on the mosque.

 By the time the dust settled, six people, including the imam, Abdul-Lateef Adediran, were left with varying degrees of injury.

 From the accounts of residents, the traditionalists and the Muslim worshippers in the area had lived in mutual suspicion for a while.

 The two groups had had instances of verbal disagreements that did not lead to a physical fight.

 A source in the area recalled how the two groups clashed last November over an undisclosed matter.

 A trader was said to have been injured during the fight.

 The seeming cold war between the religious groups, however, reached a boiling point last Thursday, when the Obatala devotees wanted to pass through Ilare Road on their way to Owalare shrine, where they wanted to observe some rites.

 At the time they were to pass through the area, worshippers at Idi Omo Mosque were also said to be gathering for their 4pm prayers, which immediately raised concern among residents, who feared crises might ensue if the two groups should be within touching distance.

 Even though they saw the danger ahead, residents could only watch as the two camps fought one another.

 Narrating how the incident happened, a worshipper at Idi Omo Mosque, who simply wanted to be identified as Kareem, said, “We were in the mosque to pray. Some people were performing ablution when the Oro worshippers entered the premises of the mosque.

 “We are aware that they would be going around with Oro and we didn’t meddle in their affairs. They had passed through the area. They later returned and entered the mosque.

 “The imam was trying to ask what their mission was; they didn’t even allow him to talk before they started beating every one of us. Six people were stabbed. Our imam sustained injuries on his face. All those injured were taken to hospitals in Ile-Ife here.”

 But his claim was quickly countered by the leader of the Obatala worshippers, Chief Olaolu Dada, in a voice note circulated among his followers.

 Dada said the Muslim worshippers attacked the devotees and attempted to stop them from passing through a public road.

 Speaking in Yoruba language, Dada said, “The whole town knew about our activities and that we would pass through that particular area because it was the town that gave us the go-ahead to carry sacrifices on its behalf.

“But some Muslims told us we could not carry the sacrifice through the area because they were observing fasting. Our procession was passing through a public road and it came under attack from them.”

Muslims protest attack, shrine burnt

 A day after the incident, hundreds of Muslims thronged the streets of Ile-Ife to protest, while Owalare shrine, where the Obatala worshippers usually converged, was allegedly razed by the protesters.

The group, which moved through major streets, visited the palace of the Ooni of Ife, but the royal father was not around.

 While the protest was ongoing, a major clash was averted by the policemen deployed in the palace.

 Our correspondent learnt that the protesters were about to disperse when they observed some Oro devotees bearing cutlasses and advancing towards Enuwa, where Ife Central Mosque is located.

 The worshippers, who immediately attacked the devotees with stones, were dispersed with tear gas canisters to prevent another bloody clash.

Moslem community, traditionalists trade blame

 A former chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Osun State, Mr Saka Adesiyan, who spoke to journalists on the protest day, labelled the traditionalists as the aggressors.

 Adesiyan, who noted that the matter had been reported to the leadership of the League of Imams, said, “Nobody is forcing anyone to practice his or her religion. There should not be any fight because of religion.

 “Our people they attacked were inside the mosque when these people came in to fight them. This is not the first time they will attack us.

 “On November 25, 2022, one of them came to attack our people selling beside the road. One of us was beaten with a charm that day but God saved him.

 “All these were the reasons we voiced out and said we would not continue like this. If we don’t let them know that what they did was wrong, they will do worse in the future.”

 But the Secretary, Obatala Agbaye Temple, Ile-Ife, Oladotun Hassan, in a statement, accused the chief imam of the mosque that was attacked and his followers of “intentionally and ferociously using stones and other dangerous weapons to attack the Oro Obatala devotees at the Owa Ilare Shrine in Ile-Ife.”

 According to him, this happened during the procession and spiritual fortifications of the Oro adherents despite advance public notice and paid media announcements via radio and traditional town criers.

He said the announcements were made to warn all residents to avoid and avert the spiritualism meant for the atonement of Ile-Ife and Yoruba land.

 “Most regrettably, these Muslims attacked the traditionalists during the pendency of the Oro prayers, only for the group to start shouting ‘Allau akibir Lailah,’ wherein innocent Obatala devotees were attacked with dangerous weapons and hacked; it took the vigilantes’ intervention to defend and escape our Obatala devotees from being killed,” he added.

Stakeholders sue for peace

The Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, called on the two faiths to refrain from acts that could disrupt peaceful coexistence in the community.

 The royal father, who spoke through his spokesperson, Moses Olafare, said mutual understanding and respect should be the watchword.

 Olafare, who said the leadership of the Muslim community in Ife was also involved in the peace meeting to resolve the issues, noted that “Muslims, traditionalists and Christians living in the town have been cohabitating in peace for centuries.”

 “Baba Ooni is calling on all those involved to allow peace to reign. Security agents, leaders of the traditionalists and the leadership of the Muslim community are meeting to address the issue,” he added.

 Also harping on the need for peace to reign, the leader of the Obatala devotees, Dada, in a voice broadcast to his followers, said security agents were already investigating the incident.

He said, “The police are already involved. They’ve told us to come to Osogbo and explain what really transpired. So, let the government take the necessary steps.

 “I don’t want any religious fight in Ile-Ife. We the Yoruba are peace-loving people. Even when something happens between us, we have some elders who can mediate.

 “Had it been the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, was around, he would have intervened in the matter. I want all the traditionalists to calm down.

 “We are not ready to fight anyone. We are celebrating our festival and they can’t tell us not to celebrate it unless if our fathers told us not to.

 “Ile-Ife is a traditional town but we have to be cautious because they are about to cause issues. I’m begging you in the name of God, let us calm down. We will go and see the police.”

 Police yet to make arrests

Over one week after the incident, it has been said that no arrest was made by the police.

A member of the Muslim community in Ife, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told our correspondent that shortly after the matter was reported, operatives launched a manhunt for some identified participants in the attack on the mosque.

 He, however, expressed concern that following intervention by chiefs and other prominent individuals in the town, the matter lost its steam to the chagrin of those that were directly affected.

 Efforts to confirm if any arrest had been made and other developments around the clash failed, as the Osun State Police Command failed to respond to our correspondent’s enquiries.

 The state Police Public Relations Officer, Yemisi Opalola, declined comment and referred our correspondent to the Commissioner of Police, Patrick Longe.

 Longe’s phone could not be reached and he had yet to respond to a text message sent to him by our correspondent on the matter.

 Religious conflicts involving Muslims and traditionalists appear to be on the rise in Osun State.

 In June 2021, one person was confirmed killed and nine others injured after followers of a masquerader clashed with Muslims in Osogbo.

 The masquerader and his followers were said to be passing through Oluode Aranyin’s compound, Osogbo, where a mosque is located.

 The Muslim worshippers, who were having prayers under a canopy near their mosque, were allegedly attacked by the followers of the masqueraders, which lead to a fight.

 The deceased was identified as Salawudeen Moshood from Baale’s Compound, Iwo.

 There were also reported clashes between the members of the Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria and the Esuleke Masquerade followers in 2004 and 2018.