NewStats: 3,262,364 , 8,176,935 topics. Date: Monday, 02 June 2025 at 12:48 AM 684s1a

Why We Cancelled Yoruba Cultural Ceremony, Isese Festival – Emir Of Ilorin

The Emir of Ilorin, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari has explained that the reason behind the cancellation of Isese festival, a Yoruba cultural ceremony held in the town annually.

SaharaReporters had reported that Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, in an open letter, criticised the Emir of Ilorin, for reportedly banning the Yoruba cultural ceremony.

Soyinka had described the decision to cancel the festival as “a crime against the cultural heritage of all humanity” and “an assault on civilised conduct”.

He had said the Nigerian constitution guaranteed a freedom of belief, adding that the cancellation would undermine the country’s progress.

But reacting to the position of Soyinka, the monarch said the decision to cancel the ceremony was to prevent crisis.

The Emir described the decision as “proactiveness”, saying it “is necessary to sustain peaceful co-existence in the society.”

Gambari in statement issued on Friday through his spokesperson, AbdulAzeez Arowona, said the decision was taken to avert situations that might lead to “reprisal attacks by sympathisers or promoters of such belief (Isese festival) in other parts of the country”.

He added that the priestess had lived “harmoniously” in the town for years “until she decided to go beyond her boundaries”.

“In order to set records straight, Professor Wole Soyinka tends to be economical with facts, forgetting that war is nobody’s want,” the statement said.

“As he decided to settle with a factor that is capable of causing chaos in the society, if not quickly averted.

“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.

“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,” the statement partly read.

https://saharareporters.com/2023/07/08/why-we-cancelled-yoruba-cultural-ceremony-isese-festival-emir-ilorin

Notice the highlighted part of the article, the EMIR used style to call a whole Wole Soyinka a liar LMFAOOOO

This is a lesson to the 'Yoruba Ronu' crew that encouraged the religion of Arabs on their land. The end game is destruction...

This is nothing short of a lie! I no blame una sha na the ancestors cause am 😏

So the Emir actually sent people to threaten and force her to cancel the festival. Wow!! Smh.
I thought it was not true. This press release just itted it and looks bad for Ilorin. Kwara state Government better intervenes immediately.

Through 1999 to 2007 during the Pa Obasanjo FG leadership, there was this perennial crises then and we are all happy there is now peace in that place. I think the Emir should go read the recommendations Prof. Soyinka suggested to him.

Nukilia:
This is a lesson to the 'Yoruba Ronu' crew that encouraged the religion of Arabs on their land. The end game is destruction...

like the one youre seeing in your land right?

Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop us from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for these series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully, live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t pose any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, everyone is free to practice their religion but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back we own this place.

Thank you

Respectfully

The distinguished Emir shouldn't have bothered with this explanation.
The whole of Kwara remains a vassal of the Caliphate and we are all okay and happy with it.

Islamic man talking about the rule of law
The Gambia man is a top dog .

Trying so hard to impress their masters.

See the label the Emir give Wole Soyinka-LIAR, waiting for those who can gather liver to insult the Emir for the disrespect.

See as FreeStuffsNG dey calm with his response, if na SE related threads he loves creating, he would display his true colours.😆😆😆

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully

Why do you guys want to forcefully bring confusion to Yoruba land? kwarans were fully in of their emir. God forbid we don't have emir in Yoruba land so stop dragging kwara with these people. I saw the way salah was celebrated in kwara and i told my cousin whose mother (rip) is from kwara that this kind of salah celebration dont have anything to do with Yoruba way of celebrating salah.

Lets leave aboki as aboki, i've came across Muslims from kwara in Lagos state their intolerant nature to other religion always make me marvel. My aunt is alajah and my family is predominantly Muslims reason why most christian from Epe to salah celebration but to the abokis from kwara its not suppose to be like that.
As a lagosian i know kwarans are abokis who are fluent with Yoruba. Lagos is home to all abokis but speaking Yoruba cant make you a yoruba person.

Let there be peace, tolerance, respect and above all love.

Thus one is between Yoruba and their Fulani masters. The rest of us will get popcorn and be watching.

mancoconut:
Notice the highlighted part of the article, the EMIR used style to call a whole Wole Soyinka a liar LMFAOOOO

Everyone knows Soyinka for what he is

Soyinka is Tinubu's boy

Just tell Tinubu to give him a script, you go hear grammar, you go tire

A very biased learned man

Very wicked leaders. Islamic leaders always hide under the cloak of preventing crisis to suppress other religious groups.
Is the Emir police? Is there no governor in the state? Did the Emir call on the Muslims to leave the woman alone or face the consequences?
If Soyinka hadn't spoken, they will die the matter and be happy that they have achieved another objective.

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully

Go now. Abi na for mouth or online you go dey shout am? First get mind enter Ilorin, carry juju for head.

This is another confirmation that once you step out of the land of tolerance and accommodation, anything goes wild, barbaric and uncivilized.

For centuries, Ilorin accommodate and celebrated every religion, foreign or local as it is done in other Yoruba land.

When you fall asleep in the name of tolerance and allow strangers to get comfortable, they take you for granted and a fool ready to give up your birthright.

If it is not Ilorin, it is ORE.

If it is not Ore, it is LAGOS.

There is no reason or common sense in the reason the festival was cancelled other than impunity. Those celebrating and ing this uncultured behavior have not learned their lessons in Lagos.

Wahala be like bicycle.I thought IIorin was originally a Yoruba territory.How did they allow Fulani to overtake the territory, without putting up a resistance?

We don't want wahala in Ilorin. Isese is gone and gone forever.
Emir l'Alase

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully

Dem never born he who will go against Emir's order in Ilorin.
Isese ko

The Emir's response is bewildering. How did the priestess "go beyond her boundary"?

Useless and bigotry Emir. You are serving your Larubawa god in peace but you don't want other to serve their god.

That islam came to Ilorin before Yoruba culture, or what is the emir implying?

Very watery response.

muykem:
Useless and bigotry Emir. You are serving your Larubawa god in peace but you don't want other to serve their god.

Gather the courage, go to Ilorin and repeat what you typed, let's see if we won't be reading "gone too soon".

optionalY09:
Ilorin is Yoruba land we will do the Isese there regardless of your explanation. Ilorin is not a fulani city tho we gave you chance to stay there and you shouldn’t stop up from performing our cultural rights.

We will declare another dates for this series of events and nobody should issues a statement against our festival. Respectfully live and let’s live. We love and respect everyone wether you’re muslim Christian or whatever you worship so long as your religion didn’t post any kind of violent risks on the Yoruba people and our society, your are free to practice but don’t try to stop us from practicing our own religion. We will fight back.

Thank you

Respectfully

You're just making noise. You gave them chance to stay ? You're a joker. They conquered you cowards and took over your land.

So fulanis are now trying to banish Yoruba culture in Yoruba land. Where is mc oluomo when you need him ,where is ffk the loud mouth and all those cowards that only know how to write long epistle on the internet. Ilorin is gone and Lagos is in the next 50years will be like ilorin under the rule of an Igbo monarchy