Oyo: Traditionalists demand public holidays, board, political appointments

By Unknown

Sunday, 6 July 2014

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Traditionalists in Oyo State under the aegis of Traditional Religion Worshippers Association have kicked against their relegation by the state government, calling for the introduction of Traditional religious studies in public schools, public holidays, pilgrimage, board and political appointments.

The traditionalists made the call yesterday during a meeting held with the state governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, at the House of Chiefs, Secretariat, Ibadan.


The meeting was attended by members of the state executive council, the state Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Akin Oke, members of various groups including Orunmila Youngsters International (OYIN), Isese Youth Organisation (IYO) and International Council for Ifa Religion and other stalwarts of the religion.

The Araba of Ibadanland, who is also the Chairman, Oyo State Council of Araba / Oluwo, High Chief Priest Oyewusi Amoo Fakayode, in his address titled, ‘The Plight of Traditional Religion in Oyo State’, bemoaned what he called neglect, relegation, discrimination, denigration and blasphemy of the religion.

He urged the state government to borrow a leaf from the Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola administration in Osun State who has given due recognition to followers of the religion in its state.

He said despite their reasonable large population, the state has failed to give due recognition to the religion, let alone thinking of giving its adherents what they deserve like public holidays, recognition during state programmes, traditional religion pilgrimage board, attending their religious festivals and other dividends of democracy.

According to him, the state has been diverting the benefits of the traditionalists through sponsoring of Muslims and Christians to Mecca and Jerusalem and refusing to use state resources to sponsor them to Cuba and Brazil.

While insisting on the creation of a board for traditional religion, he maintained that the board for Alternative Medicine has been run by both Muslims and Christians who are not practitioners of traditional religion.

He also urged Senator Ajimobi to stop his derogative statements about the religion and its followers, citing his recent broadcast on the state radio where he said the governor “tactically condemned the traditionalists”.

Fakayode enjoined him to stop such statements in the name of peace, saying the followers of the religion are law abiding and peaceful citizens.

He said: “Our demands are public holidays, Isese festival on August 20th and Ela festival on May 15 every year; Constitution of Traditional Religion Pilgrimage Board by the state government; introduction of Traditional Religion Studies to allow our children understand the religion like Christian Religious Studies (CRS) and Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) for Christians and Muslims respectively and recognition at all government functions.