Perturbed by the perennial communal clashes rocking Ifon, Ilobu, and Erin-Osun communities in Osun State, the Council for Islamic Preachers has conveyed a dialogue, where they offered a panacea to end the crisis, which had culminated in the loss of lives and wanton destruction of properties worth billions of naira.
The religious body advocated genuine dialogue among the warring parties, tolerance, involvement of religious stakeholders and scholars as part of the panacea to end the scourge.
Collaborating with the Osun State Amir and National Deputy Amir, Imam Abdullahi Olohunlomerue, the Council of Islamic Preachers expressed their commitment to peace and mutual understanding to stop the violence.
In a communique issued after the dialogue, held at Admus Hotel, Ede, Osun State, representatives of the three communities promised to do everything in their capacity to bring an end to the crisis.
According to the communique, “the dialogue, which was aimed at fostering mutual understanding, rebuilding fractured relationships, and charting a sustainable path to peace, comprised of Islamic scholars, community leaders, representatives of the affected communities, political stakeholders, and government officials.
“Sheikh Olohunlomerue reiterated the collective responsibility of Islamic Preachers to promote peace, citing the precedent of Sheikh Olayiwola during the Ife-Modakeke crisis and urged emulation.
“Enormous moral duty has been placed on Islamic scholars as societal custodians and their credibility lies in their conduct, therefore, they must promote the values of peaceful coexistence, patience, and sincerity.
“The keynote speaker, Sheikh Muhammad Jamiu Oloko, from Saki, Oyo State, drew extensively from the Prophetic model of conflict management. He emphasised the need for scholars to embody patience, fairness, and the capacity to mediate with wisdom.
“Sheikh Oloko warned against silence in the face of injustice and urged clerics to preach peace consistently, including within their internal religious circles. He however called for intra-faith cooperation, urging scholars to subordinate personal egos to the higher goal of communal unity.”
However, the Mufassir of Ifon-Orolu, Sheikh Nurain Abdu Raheem Adegoke, likened the dispute to a marital quarrel—deep, emotional, and resistant to external interference, contending that meaningful resolution must come from within the communities and expressed optimism that dialogue among stakeholders will soon yield lasting peace.
Dr. Abdul-Azeez, who is the Chief Imam of Ilobu, called for introspection among Islamic scholars, lamenting the proliferation of inflammatory messages from within the clerical ranks. He criticized the state’s peace committee, noting the absence of religious figures, which he believes undermined the credibility of the intervention.
Other contributors, such as the Ajanasi of Edeland, linked the spiritual consequences of bloodshed with societal underdevelopment, just as he cautioned that a society that condones or tolerates violence invites divine judgment.
Osun State governor, Senator Ademola Adeleke, who was represented by Munirudeen Raji, confirmed the administration’s earlier mediation efforts and expressed renewed commitment to peacebuilding.
