From Lateef Dada, Osogbo
Muslims in Ile-Ife, Osun State, yesterday, defied the restriction order by Oro adherents and staged a Ramadan lecture at Ilare, one of the restricted areas.
The Arole Obatala, Oba Isoro, O. O. Dada, had announced to all Muslims and dwellers in the town to stay indoors for five hours during the period of the Oro festival.
The statement titled: Special Announcement from the house of Obatala to all Muslims and dwellers in Ile-Ife, reads: “This is a special announcement for all dwellers of Ile-Ife, Oro Owa-Ilare festival that will commence on the 27th Wednesday, 2024.
“The Oro will begin exactly at 2pm and will end at 7pm, We hereby announce that every dweller of Ile-Ife to stay indoors around the following areas; Igbotapa, Ajamopo, Gbodo, Ita loop, Oja-Ife, Ita Oranfe, Enuwa square, Ooni Ilare, Sabo, Road 7, and Olumogbe Street.
“It will be very good if every dweller in this area listed above adheres to this instruction for the benefit of Ile-Ife,” the statement added. However, public and private schools including shops closed early while some did not open in compliance with the announcement made by the Oro adherents.
Daily Sun gathered that business activities were paralyzed due to fear of being attacked by the Oro worshippers to avoid a repeat of last year when the worshippers attacked Muslims in their Mosque.
The Muslim Students Society of Nigeria (MSSN), and Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), had kicked against the restriction of movement by the Oro worshippers and called the security agencies to forestall the action which they said was capable of igniting violence.
At Ilare, the Oro adherents last year attacked Muslim worshippers in their Mosque and injured the Imam, Abdul-Lateef Adeniran and five others.