Fresh religious tension has erupted in Ilorin, Kwara State, after a group of Muslim clerics allegedly stormed the residence of a traditional priestess, Yeye Osunfunmilayo Ajile, demanding that she vacate the community over her practice of traditional religion.
Ajile, the Aare Olomitutu Odo Gbogbo l’Agbo of Kwara State and Atayese Worldwide, said the confrontation took place on Monday, September 22, when clerics from Oke Odo, Danialu, and Gaa Akanbi besieged her home.
A video of the incident, now circulating online, shows the clerics ordering her to relocate, while she firmly resisted, citing her constitutional right to freedom of religion.
“They said they didn’t want me to practice traditional religion in that area and ordered me to relocate to Osun State. I told them I am from Ilorin and a bona fide daughter of the soil. I was born here, raised here, and I built this house here. Nobody can chase me away,” she told Saturday PUNCH.
Ajile alleged that the group, led by Alhaji Yisa and one Bureimo Eesu, hurled stones and insults at her before leaving. She added that they filmed the encounter and later shared the footage online.
Having lived in her home for over 11 years, Ajile said her religious practice was inherited from her grandmother and had brought blessings to the community.
“Before I started worshipping here, people drowned in the river while crossing. But in the past nine years, no such tragedy has occurred. People come here to pray and their requests are granted,” she claimed.
She said the matter had been reported to the police and referred to the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights, which promised to issue a formal warning to the clerics.
Ajile expressed gratitude to Nigerians and traditionalists for their support, vowing not to be silenced.
“This religion is our ancestral foundation. It was what was used to establish Ilorin and other Yoruba towns before foreign religions were introduced. I stood my ground because I have the constitutional right to practice any religion of my choice, as long as I don’t disturb others,” she said.
A Recurring Flashpoint
This is not the first time Ilorin has witnessed tensions over traditional worship. In July 2023, a similar controversy trailed plans by another priestess, Yeye Ajisekemi Olatunji, to host the annual Isese Festival, before opposition from Islamic groups forced its cancellation.
At the time, the Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, cautioned residents against what he described as “alien” practices. The move drew nationwide criticism, with Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka accusing religious authorities of suppressing freedom of worship and reducing Ilorin’s famed pluralism “to a level of bigotry and intolerance.”
Traditional leaders, including the Kawoleyin of Shao Land, Pa Awoniyi Awogbemi, and other Yoruba cultural advocates, have repeatedly condemned attempts to suppress traditional religion in Kwara State, describing them as an assault on Yoruba identity.
However, groups such as the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union have defended the Emir’s stance, insisting that banning Isese festivals was necessary to maintain peace and cultural cohesion in the emirate.
With Ajile’s case now drawing fresh attention, observers warn that rising religious intolerance could deepen divisions in Ilorin if not carefully addressed.
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