Crisis dates back to 2004 – Muslims
‘They’ burnt Egungun regalia – Egungun devotees
BY TIMOTHY AGBOR, OSOGBO
Since their first clash 17 years ago, a Muslim sect, Quomardeen Muslim Society of Nigeria, and some Egungun masquerade devotees in Osogbo, the Osun State capital, have yet to make peace with each other. The Egungun and Islamic worshippers continue to lock horns with none of the two groups ready to let go.
According to investigation by The Point, the fight between the adherents of the two religions dates back to year 2004. The latest clash broke out on June 27 when some masquerades and their followers engaged some Muslim faithful in a fight while praying against insecurity in Nigeria and the trying economic times in the nation.
As the annual Egungun festival was being celebrated in Osogbo on the fateful day, some masqueraders were alleged to have barged into a mosque at Oluode Aranyin in Osogbo. They reportedly engaged the worshippers in a free-for-all. A source said that the traditionalists were on their way to appease the gods at the shrine away from the mosque.
In the ensuing melee, an Islamic cleric, Moshood Salawudeen, who preached during the prayer, was reportedly shot in the head. He was said to have died on the spot. Fourteen other Muslim faithful, including five children, were said to have suffered varying degrees of injuries.
Some of those who were injured are said to be receiving treatment at an undisclosed hospital in Osogbo.
During the visit by The Point’s correspondent to the area, it was noticed that the canopies erected beside the mosque were damaged while the windows of the mosque were shattered. Bloodstains were also noticed on the floor of the worship centre.
The Imam of the Mosque, Alhaji Kazeem Yusuf, alleged that masquerades belonging to a popular traditionalist in Osogbo had been attacking members of the Islamic group since 2004.
The cleric said, “We decided to organise a special prayer to intercede for the wellness of Nigeria on Sunday, June 27. We started the programme around noon but at about 2:30pm, when we were already rounding off, some masquerades, accompanied by a crowd of followers, stormed the place where we were praying. They threw stones at us and later, they started shooting at us.
“Alhaji Salawudeen was shot in the head and 14 of our members sustained injuries. Our Mosque was vandalised. Vehicles and other property belonging to our society were destroyed. It should be placed on record that this is not the first time the Qomardeen society would be attacked by the masquerade worshippers. It happened in years 2004, 2018 and again this year.”
“Each time the attack happened, we reported the matter to the Police. Arrests would be made but after some time, the suspects would be released. This time around, the matter will be prosecuted to a logical conclusion,” he stated.
The leader of the youth wing of the Osun Traditional Worshippers, Ifashola Esuleke, said the clash happened after a Muslim faithful attempted to remove the veil of a masquerade while passing through the frontage of the Mosque.
Ifashola explained that but for the quick intervention of some of the followers of the Egungun, the attacker would have stripped the masquerade in public.
He denied the alleged attack on the Muslim group, saying that none of his members was armed with guns as alleged.
He stated, “Our festival is a very elaborate one. Before we left the house on Sunday, my father (Kayode Esuleke) placed a curse on whoever among the followers of the masquerade that would fight anybody.
“He warned us that if anyone tried to fight us, we should simply avoid the person as much as possible. Along the line, before we got to that place, we passed through many churches and mosques and there was no issue. Whenever we got to any church or mosque, we would tell the drummers and the singers to stay action until we passed by. We would later resume drumming and singing.
“This is not the first time they would attack our masquerades along the Oluode Aranyin area. They seized our masquerade’s regalia and burnt them in 2004. The evidence is with the Police. On this particular day, we were passing through the road to greet some friends and family and to visit our shrine. We never branched at the mosque.
“As we were passing, we heard some people yelling at us. They were warning that we shouldn’t pass by the mosque and that if we did, they would kill us. On getting to our destination along that path, news came to us that the Muslims were trailing and throwing stones at us. They were armed with cutlasses and guns. Police were there. These people also beat the Police who were trying to make peace to the extent that the police patrol vehicle came to rescue them.
“One of our followers was stabbed to the point that his intestine gushed out. They dragged the boy inside the mosque and insisted that they would not allow us to get close to him. A team of hunters and Police later rescued the boy. Two others were cut with machete, including a woman. To worsen the situation, when our masquerade was returning, one of the Muslims approached him and tried to pull off the veil.
“The assailant almost succeeded in pulling the veil off from the masquerade. We have video evidence with the Police. Due to the intervention of some followers, the masquerade was whisked away to a safe place.”
“That was how we left the place. It was later that the security agencies went there to rescue our members who were injured. This is not the first time this is happening. Yusuf has been a threat to us. He is not the only Muslim in Osogbo. They broke the windows of the mosque by themselves; we didn’t get near the mosque,” he added.
A visit by our correspondent to Oluode Aranyin revealed that residents of the area are now living in fear. They were reluctant to speak with The Point.
In a video obtained by our correspondent, some Muslims and traditionalists were seen throwing stones at one another.
Reacting to the development, the Commissioner of Police, Osun State Command, Olawale Olokode, said, “Some masquerades and traditionalists passed by the mosque to their shrine and when they were returning, the religious worship had gotten to some certain height. The religious organisation (Muslims) would not want them to pass because of the exercise. In a bid to prevent them (traditionalists) from disturbing their activity, there arose a clash that led to the death of a preacher, Alfa Moshood Salawudeen.”
Olokode said the Police headquarters was not aware of the programmes that were held by the two religious groups, adding that the Command was investigating the matter and the leaders of the two religious societies had been invited for interrogation.
The CP appealed for religious tolerance and peace in the state with a promise that the Police would fish out and prosecute the killer of the Islamic scholar, including the vandals.
Meanwhile, Governor Gboyega Oyetola of Osun State has condemned the bloody clash, saying that the state is not known for religious intolerance and brigandage.
While commiserating with the family of the deceased, Oyetola ordered an investigation into the incident in order to fish out the perpetrators.
