28th August, 2014
Abiodun Onafuye/Abeokuta
Crisis is brewing in the sleepy community of Onigbedu in the Ewekoro local government area of Ogun state as residents are poised for a showdown with their monarchs over the building of an Oro shrine in the community.
The planned shrine has caused panic among residents as they declared that the shrine would disturb the inter-religious peace in the community.
The monarchs, led by Oba Matthew Ajibulu, while commenting on the claim of the people, assured the people that the shrine would be of no disturbance to the residents.
But his assurance held no water as some residents were severely injured when some aggrieved youths and elders protested over the announcement of the planned shrine. A resident who spoke to PM News said: “if this kind of thing can happen following the announcement of the shrine, what would happen when the Kabiyesi’s decides to go ahead with the construction of the shrine,” the residents queried.
Commenting on the development, Chairman of Onigbedu Community Development Association, CDA, Lukman Kazeem described the shrine as a threat, claiming that despite warnings and protest against building of the shrine, some monarchs still went ahead with the Oro activities without informing residents of the community.
“A week after our meeting, they went ahead with their plans. Most of us were caught unawares, especially our women. According to tradition, it is a taboo for women to witness any Oro ritual. But unfortunately, most workers working in companies nearby, who closed late on that fateful day were not spared as many had to sleep in the bush to avert being used for rituals.
“We are scared; we don’t want such a thing here. For about three months now, we have been hearing alarming reports. Our lives would be in danger, if this shrine is established in our community,” the CDA Chairman posited.
Another resident, Musibau Ayoade, who claimed to have been living in the community for many years, disclosed that Oro was strange to them in the community, as such activities was not part of their tradition in the Onigbedu community.
He however appealed to security operatives to beef up security to forestall any breakdown of law and order while calling on both the state and local governments to, as a matter of urgency, to intervene in the matter.
“We are a Christians and Muslims dominated community, we are suspicious of the recent ritual activities in the community. We are wary of any shrine that will cause kidnapping of the people for ritual purposes,” he stated
While responding to the matter, the monarch of Onigbedu, Oba Mathew Ajibulu accused the residents of spreading falsehood, saying the residents were properly informed before the commencement of the Oro activities, adding that, the practice was not strange to the community.
According to the Kabiyesi, “those complaining are in the minority, their claim that the practice is strange to this community is not true. Since I have been in this community, we have been performing Oro rituals to appease the gods. We do it yearly and our elders and traditional rulers participate in it. This particular one they are protesting against is not expected to be done by our community alone, it also held in Itori, Olujobi and other towns. It is to send evil away from the towns, it is for our peace and those complaining know about it.
“The Oro activities were duly announced and everyone was informed. We respect government policy on the matter and we are not law breakers,” the monarch explained.
When our correspondent contacted the State Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on the matter, he said the police was not aware of any issues relating to Oro activities in the towns, note that, no case of such was reported to the police.