Isese Festival: Security Operatives Keep Vigil At Yemoja River In Kwara

BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – In a move said to be aimed at preventing security breaches in the Kwara State, operatives drawn from various security agencies at the weekend cordoned off the areas around the popular Yemoja River in Oko Olowo area of Ilorin, the state capital

The operatives comprising personnel from the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and military formations in the State were on guard at the River initially picked as venue by the traditional worshippers to host the botched celebration of the Isese festival.

According to security insiders, the operatives were deployed to the area as part of measures to prevent a possible clash between the traditionalists and the Muslim faithful ahead of the World Isese Day celebration scheduled to hold on Monday, August 21, 2023.

The Police authorities had warned traditionalists to stay away from Kwara after Islamic leaders rejected the announced plans to celebrate the event in the Muslim-dominated five local governments making up the Ilọrin Emirate.

However, amid the much-talked-about plans to celebrate the festival and the visible presence of security personnel to guide the River, there were no signs of the traditionalists and the Islam adherents as journalists also laid siege on the area for several hours.

Addressing journalists at the Yemoja River site, the state Commissioner of Police, Mrs Ebbunoluwarotimi Adelesi said the heavy presence of security operatives was to maintain the peace as well as protect the lives and property of the people.

Adelesi, who led the operation, explained thus; “The security men are here to maintain peace, we are not here to deprive anyone of his or her fundamental human rights. They have been drafted to this place since yesterday to protect the people of the state.

“We have to be on alert as a result of what the two sides are saying. We cannot allow the security and peace of the state to be breached. Kwara State is the state of harmony.”

In urging the traditionalists to keep their distance from Kwara State and relocate the celebration to other states, the police hinted that the available security reports did not favour holding the Isese festival in Ilọrin as initially declared by the International Council of Ifa/Orisa Religions (ICIR).