“As an incorruptible former Judge of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, before I voluntarily retired in 1995 to become the 11th Emir of Ilorin, and having worked across the country after acquiring knowledge from the prestigious University of London.
“I, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu Gambari CFR, has remained father to all and sundry in the state, irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliations with the main objective of fostering peace and harmony in the land.”
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The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, says the claim by Prof. Wole Soyinka on disallowing traditional festival is not only nauseating but also uncharitable to the people of Ilorin emirate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, had earlier written an open letter to the Emir of Ilorin on his position in preventing Isese festival proposed to be hosted in the ancient city of Ilorin.
The festival was organised by one Yeye Ajesikemi Omolara, an Osun Priestess.
This is contained in a statement signed by the Emir’s Spokesman, Malam AbdulAzeez Arowona, in Ilorin on Friday.
Gambari said that the response was to provide clarifications to the highly respected scholar, who had for many decades, dominated the media as a celebrated academic Icon and promoter of African cultures globally.
“In order to set records straight, Professor Wole Soyinka tends to be economical with facts, forgetting that war is nobody’s want.
“As he decided to settle with a factor that is capable of causing chaos in the society, if not quickly averted,” he said.
The first class traditional ruler said that the secret behind peaceful co-existence in the ancient city of Ilorin emirate and Kwara at large was the wisdom and ability of successive governments, with maximum support from traditional institution.
“This is to prevent crisis and not waiting until it erupt, because the cost of managing crises cannot be equated to the wisdom or courage required to prevent it.
“Such proactiveness is necessary in order to sustain peaceful co-existence in the society.
“It is therefore surprising to hear that the position of Professor Soyinka is identical to someone who does not consider what might transpire if the programme was hosted.
“It may result to issues which could also lead to reprisal attacks by sympathisers or promoters of such belief (Isese festival) in other parts of the country,” he cautioned.
Gambari noted that assisting the people of Ilorin emirate to shave their heads in their absence, by condemning a crisis preventive formula by constituted authority in the land is a great blunder committed by the professor.
He said that, Soyinka, a well-travelled scholar who had virtually became an ancestor in the land was expected to be an advocate of global peace and not fanning the ember of violence under any guise.
“There are many non-indigenes in Kwara who are serving and retired, including business owners who have vowed to move their families to the state, due to the peace and harmony enjoyed therein.
“Yeye Ajesikemi also confirmed that she has been living harmoniously in Ilorin for many years, not until she decided to go beyond her boundaries,” Gambari noted.
The emir said that it would be of great importance for Soyinka to use his intellectual prowess to promote peaceful co-existence in the society, rather than challenging constituted authorities on the reason why they averted crisis in their community.
He also noted that governments at all levels are overwhelmed by the numerous crimes and criminality happening in their domains and the people of Ilorin would not sit on the keg of gunpowder.
Gambari said that the emirate council would not allow violence of any kind to flare-up through hosting of Isese festival, which was not part of Ilorin culture and tradition.
“As an incorruptible former Judge of the Court of Appeal, Lagos Division, before I voluntarily retired in 1995 to become the 11th Emir of Ilorin, and having worked across the country after acquiring knowledge from the prestigious University of London.
“I, His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu Gambari CFR, has remained father to all and sundry in the state, irrespective of tribe, religion or political affiliations with the main objective of fostering peace and harmony in the land,” he said.
The emir stressed that the cancellation of Isese festival by Yeye Ajesikemi was in cooperation with the law enforcement agencies and most importantly respect for leadership strides of the state governor, Malam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq.
The governor, also doubles as the Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum, and the Chief Security Officer of the state, is saddled with the responsibility of protecting the lives and properties of residents of the state, he stated.
Gambari, who is also the Chairman of the state council of chiefs, described the people of Ilorin emirate as tolerant and hospitable but they would not be friendly with anyone insulting the Emir.
“Dear Professor Soyinka, the culture of the people of Ilorin Emirate is synonymous to peace and unity, and it must be respected and adhered to.
“The stool of Emir of Ilorin belongs to the three monarchs accorded and answering the title of Shehu in Nigeria.
“Namely; Shehu Usman Danfodio of Sokoto caliphate, Shehu El-Kanemi of Borno Empire and Shehu Alimi of Ilorin Emirate.
“It will be wrong of anybody under any guise to relegate, throw or drag such status into the mud of controversies,” Gambari said.
The emir said that beyond the festivities, Ilorin could be described as a centre of peace and its strategic location as the capital of Kwara, which makes it a bridge between the north and south west of Nigeria.
“With its predominantly Islamic culture, the city embraces non-indigenes with open arms, treating visitors like emissaries from God almighty.
“This reverence is beautifully displayed during the Durbar, where the Emir and his entourage of horsemen parade through the streets, making stopovers at specific family houses to pray for and connect with his subjects.
“The sea of loyal citizens, admirers, and visitors chanting “Shehu! Shehu!!” further exemplifies their love and loyalty towards their Emir,” the statement read in part.
Soyinka’s position on the stoppage of the Isese Festival that Yeye Ajisekemi wanted to organise in Ilorin
“The truncation of a people’s traditional festival is a crime against the cultural heritage of all humanity,” he said.
“Not once, in my entire span of existence, have I encountered pronouncements by followers of any faith that the slaughtering of rams on the streets and market places is an offence to their concept of godhead. Vegetarians hold their peace. Buddhists walk a different path.
Mr Soyinka recalled how for instance, “a procession of Corpus Christ was once attacked, some killed, by a brood of Moslem fanatics, for daring to process along the streets of that same Ilorin. Needless to say, such abominations have become routine. Community is sacrificed to bigotry.”
Mr Soyinka said he presently teaches in Abu Dhabi in the Emirates where the Islamic religion originated, and the system is inclusive.
“It may interest you to know that, in Abu Dhabi, numerous programmes are pursued, at government expense, for the evolution of a humanised community based on religious tolerance and mutual respect,” he said.
“By contrast here, several tiers removed from Origin, must we turn the turban of enlightenment into a crown of bigotry? And in a society whose very constitution that supposedly governs us all guarantees freedom of belief, association and movement?”
The novelist described the emir’s action as one that has led to religious malformations.
“Your Royal Highness, it is conduct like this that has bred Boko Haram, ISIS, ISWAP and other religious malformations that currently plague this nation, spreading grief and outrage across a once peaceful landscape, degrading my and your existence with their virulent brand of Islam,” he said.
“It is conduct like this that has turned, before our very eyes, a once ecumenical city like Kaduna into a blood-stained mockery of cohabitation. It is conduct like this that makes it possible for a young student, Deborah, to be lynched in the very presence of armed police, on mere allegation of having belittled the image of a revered prophet.
“It is action of this nature, perpetrated in obscure as well as prominent outlets of the nation, that turns a young generation into mindless monsters, ever ready to swarm out and kill, kill, kill. Simply kill for the thrill of it, but under presumption of religious immunity. It is conduct like this that then nerves one extremist to wake up one day in a Scandinavian country, publicly announce his intention, and proceed to make a bonfire of copies of the Qur’an. Reprisals follow, equally mindless, trapping humanity in an ever-ascending spiral of costly but gleeful violence.”
He also said the African continent has endured centuries of disdain and despoilation at the hands of alien religions – Christianity and Islam at the forefront.
He urged the emir “to rein in those agents of division, of triumphalist intolerance, such as the Majlisu Shabab Ulamahu Society. There is a thin line between Power and Piety.”
“Call Yeye Ajasikemi OIokun Omolara to your side, make peace with her and make restitution whichever way you can for this grievous insult to our race. We know the history of Ilorin and the trajectory of your dynasty – but these are not the issues.
“The issue is peaceful cohabitation, respect for other worldviews, their celebrations, their values and humanity. The issue is the acceptance of the multiple facets of human enlightenment.”
