By Daniel Edu
The Council of Ulama, a group of Islamic clerics in Kwara State, issued a stern warning to individuals planning to celebrate the traditional Ifa festival in Ilorin, the state’s capital. The council asserted that no form of the Ifa festival would be permitted within the Ilorin Emirate, which encompasses several local government areas.
During a press conference held in Ilorin, Justice Salihu Mohammed, the executive secretary of the council and a former Grand Khadi of Kwara state Sharia Court of Appeal, spoke on behalf of Sheik Bashir Salihu, the chairman of the Council of Ulama and Chief Imam of Ilorin. Mohammed emphasized that Ilorin has upheld Islamic faith and practice for over two centuries, and any attempt to hold the Ifa festival in the city would endanger lives and property.
The council appealed to the Kwara State government and stakeholders to intervene, urging the International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) and similar groups to refrain from organizing the festival in Ilorin. The council highlighted that hosting the event in the city could have adverse effects on the state’s peace.
Mohammed also addressed the derogatory comments made about Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, the Emir of Ilorin, and expressed concern over the potential for disruptions to harmonious coexistence. The council supported the stance of Muslim youths who objected to the festival’s staging in Ilorin, considering it an invasion and an imposition of foreign practices.
The statement stressed that while the council is not opposed to celebrating the Ifa festival, it should not occur in Ilorin due to its Islamic culture. The council called for maintaining peace across Nigeria and cautioned against disrupting the coexistence that Ilorin has nurtured.
Mohammed called upon Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to direct security agencies to address the threat posed to the state’s peace and security.
The Kwara state Police Command had previously advised the ICIR to relocate the Isese festival due to security concerns in the state. Vigilante groups, local hunters, and community policing members were also engaged to discourage the celebration in Ilorin based on unfavorable security reports.
Representatives of Imams and Alfas from all 16 local government areas of the state, along with various community leaders, attended the press conference.
