The panel of Inquiry set up by the Osun State Government to investigate the immediate causes of the recent bloody clash between the indigenes of Ile-Ife and members of the Hausa community in the ancient town on Thursday visited the scenes of the mayhem.
The commission of Inquiry led by a serving judge in the state, Justice Manshood Ajeigbe, had paid a courtesy visit to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who asked the panel to be neutral in carrying out its investigations as regards the crisis.
Oba Ogunwusi, who expressed happiness with the manner Governor Rauf Aregbesola reacted to the incident, said that the prompt intervention of the state government assisted in quelling the violence.
He charged the panel to maintain balance and ensure that it maintained neutrality and not biased in its investigative activities.
The monarch also used the visit to explain why he left the town few days after the crisis broke out, saying he had to attend an important event that concerned the unity and progress of the Yoruba race.
According to him, he was able to meet prominent Northern traditional rulers like the Sultan of Sokoto and the Emir of Kano who both assured him that there would not be any form of reprisal attacks in any part of the northern part of the country.
Oba Ogunwusi said, “I appreciate the chief security officer of the state. I am very honoured, delighted and happy for his response to the crisis. The governor has been here twice and he did the needful. I traveled some days after the incident and I took permission from him, because what I went for was for the rich culture and peace of the Yoruba race.
“The Governor simply told me to go ahead with the event and he took charge as the governor and the chief security officer. I met sultan of Sokoto, the Emir of Kano at the event and other top northern monarchs and we had a very important discussion so that there won’t be reprisal; and concerning the unity and peaceful coexistence of every Nigerian.Â
“The work continued when I left Ife. So far so good, we have not witnessed any reprisal attack and we pray it will never happen. It’s very unfortunate that the violence happened and we want to urge the panel of inquiry to be very neutral.
“My prayers are with you. On behalf of the Ooni-in-Council and traditional chiefs, please be neutral so as to get to the bottom of what triggered this unfortunate occurrence. We do not pray for such a thing to happen again. It happened at the very centre of the Yoruba race. I got phone calls from every part of the world and many leaders in this country called me. Thank God the governor intervened very promptly. May God not let us experience such a sad occurrence anywhere in the country again.”
Justice Ajeigbe said that the commission’s sittings would hold at the Oba Okunade Sijuade Memorial Hall at Ereja Square in Ife in order to pave way for easy access to the witnesses and victims of the clash that claimed several lives and led to destruction of properties.
Other members of the panel are drawn from the police, the Department of State Services and some other relevant institutions.
