MURIC lauds Ooni, police for ensuring peaceful religious activities in Ife

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed gratitude to the Inspector General of Police, the state Commissioner of Police and the Ooni of Ife for ensuring peaceful activities of religious groups in Ife, Osun State, despite the curfew earlier planned by Oro worshippers.

The Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, in a statement, said the group spearheaded the cry against the proposed curfew by the Oro worshipers, because it will affect the activities of Muslims in the state.

However, the curfew did not take place due to the intervention of the Ooni of Ife and the security agencies.

Akintola said: “Reports reaching us from our situation room in Ile-Ife indicate the total failure of the curfew declared by Oro worshippers in Ile-Ife yesterday, March 27, 2024. From Arubidi through Ehindi, Enuwa, Oriyangi, Igbotapa, Ilare, Moore, etc, the city bubbled with activities as citizens went about their daily work without fear.

“Though the Oro worshippers came out in a procession, their outing took place parri pasu with the Ramadan tafsir programmes going on in Enuwa Central Mosque as well as other mosques situated in Ilare, Arubidi, Itakogun, Igbotapa, Ilode, Sabo and other mosques.

“MURIC is also in possession of strong evidence of a peaceful atmosphere in the form of a video showing Muslims as they assembled in front of their mosque listening to the Ramadan tafsir while at the same time a procession of Oro worshippers passed by peacefully. The video also showed a good number of policemen in uniform who accompanied the Oro worshippers to maintain law and order.

“MURIC thanks the Inspector General of Police, the state Commissioner of Police and the Ooni of Ife, His Imperial Majesty, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II. We commend the professional conduct of men of the Nigeria Police in Ile-Ife. In particular, the Ooni must be singled out for the mature and fatherly role which he played in the issue.

“We have reports that the Ooni invited leaders of the Oro worshippers and the Muslims and directed that both groups should go about their affairs without disturbing each other or engaging in any act of violence. This is leadership par excellence and we appreciate his Royal Majesty for this. An earlier video clip which is available on YouTube showed the Ooni advising Oro worshippers to stop daytime curfews.

“Before we draw the curtain, we wish to put our policy on interfaith in proper perspective, particularly our relationship with followers of African Traditional Religion (Oro worshippers and adherents of masquerades, Osun, Obatala, etc). MURIC embraces people of other faiths in dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect. Our motto is ‘Dialogue, No Violence’.”

“In our own view, Oro worshippers, masquerades, Obatala, Osun adherents and others are free to observe their festivals and worship the way they like so long as they do not stop us from worshipping the way we like.

“Our policy on interreligious coexistence is based on the guideline laid down by the Glorious Qur’an that ‘For you is your religion and for us our religion’ (Qur’an 109:6). It is only those who are bent on spreading falsehood who call MURIC an extremist group that does not want to see traditionalists and Christians.” He said.