By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Traditional Religion Worshippers Association of Nigeria, (TRWAN) Oyo State Branch has cautioned the Chief Missioner of Nasrul–Lahi-l-Fathih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike against utterances capable of causing disunity among Nigerians.
TRWAN in a statement signed by its State Chairman, Surveyor Adefabi Dasola and the Secretary, Mogaji Dr. Fakayode Fayemi Fatunde, frowned at a statement credited to the Chief Missioner of Nasrul–Lahi-l-Fathih Society of Nigeria (NASFAT), Imam Abdul-Azeez Onike that granting public holidays to the traditional worshippers is an invitation to chaos in the country.
The group while describing the statement as ” reckless, divisive and lacking in qualities of a good spiritual leader”, cautioned the Missioner ” to be wary of utterances that could lead the country to disunity.
TRWAN maintained that claims made by Imam Onike that traditional worshippers ” are not united, as they have no leadership structure, was a figment of his imagination and a carry-over of an age-long immersion of hatred for other religions.”
” It is very stupefying that such statement, reckless and divisive as it is, could come from someone as an Imam. We, in the traditional religion are peace-lovers; we are not the one causing crisis in the North-Eastern Nigeria, as our religion is not against Western education and the doctrine of human right”, it said.
The group added, ” the likes of the NASFAT Missioner have lost substance in the issues facing our country today and are ready to cause aversion among religions. What is his take on the state of our economy? What has he to say to the daily rising number of killings in the North by Boko Haram and bandits? Does he know of the emigration of medical personnel abroad over unstable future, caused by religious fanatics , who would rather goad incompetent leaders on?
Condemning, the position of Imam Onike that human rights of citizens will be infringed upon if government grants the holiday, the group pointed out that ” the essence of holiday to traditional religion worshippers is to celebrate with each other and people from other religions and not to use it to restrict movements or cause chaos”.
“We urge people that are working day and night to make peaceful coexistence of Nigerians possible to warn the Missioner not to add religious crisis to the current problems our nation is facing. He should be seen preaching love, unity and religious tolerance and not to be gallivanting about the superiority of one religion above the other.”
The traditional worshippers described the action of some of the South-West governors who are yet to declare public holiday for them as unfortunate, saying that the average politician knows that in election, just one vote is important for victory.
According to the group, “every Yoruba traditional home has one or more Orisha before the advent of Christianity and Islam and that in every five Yoruba person, there is one traditional worshipper”.
“The fact that we do not advertise our religion like Christians will do with cross or bible and Muslims with Quran and ‘Tesbiyh’ does not mean we do not have appreciable population. Politicians also know the value of number and the fact that no one individual is disposable when it comes to election, they should know that in every five Yoruba persons, there is a traditionalist,”
