*They fired the first salvo—Muslim group

They attempted to unveil our masquerade— Esuleke

*Septuagenarian killed, 14 others injured

*Osun not known for religious crisis— Oyetola

By Shina Abubakar

INVESTIGATION has revealed that the crisis between a Muslim sect, Kamorudeen Society of Nigeria in Osogbo with a group of traditional worshippers, last Sunday, was due to prolonged enmity between leaders of the two groups.

Old grudges, it was gathered, was the catalyst that led to unnecessary killing and maiming of persons, including children over the rite of passage by the Esuleke Masquerade, through a road at Oluode Aranyin, where the mosque was located and while members of the Islamic group were holding a prayer session.

Findings revealed that Ustaz Qosim Yunus and Chief Kayode Esuleke have had a long history of problems over religion.

The faceoff started in 2004 and 2018 but security operatives and the state government intervened in the crisis intending to nip it in the bud. 

However, the crisis on Sunday, June 26, seemed to be the most brutal with a life lost and 14 other persons sustaining various degrees of injuries, including gunshot and cutlass wounds.
 
They fired the first salvo—Muslim group
According to Ustaz Yunus, the Muslim group was holding a special prayer session against insecurity in Nigeria on the sad day. 

The prayer commenced around 10 am and was almost rounding up when the Masquerade and its followers appeared. 

Yunus said: “When they saw us, they stopped at the junction but were later urged to move on through the area where the prayer was ongoing by the police that escorted them. The area they were going to was a dead-end but some went through while the others, including Chief Esuleke who stayed right in front of the mosque.

“The others joined them and began to throw stones at the mosque which prompted our reaction to push them back and called the State Joint Task Force. One of their patrol vehicles came around and when it left, they came returned shooting sporadically leading to the death of the Pa Salawudeen Moshood, a 70-year old member from Iwo.

“They were escorted by some policemen but the policemen were helpless when the crisis began, as they have no single weapon with them.”
 
They attempted to unveil our masquerade— Esuleke
But rising to the defence of the traditionalist, a custodian of the masquerade and son of Chief Esuleke, Ifashola disclosed that they were peaceful during the procession, adding that they were going to the house of a traditionalist located immediately after the mosque.

Esuleke said: “We were going to the house of a family friend to pray for him on the fateful day and we already passed through the area when we heard some of the Muslim worshippers saying we must not come back through the route. We never stopped in front of the mosque, they blocked the road and one of them attempted to unveil the masquerade.

“It took efforts of those guiding the masquerade to prevent them from doing that and the ferry the deity through an uncompleted building to escape. We did not fight them; they vandalised their mosque to curry sympathy.”
 
History of clashes
Vanguard learned that the two groups have, at different times, been at loggerheads with one other over a similar crisis. The Islamic group accuses the masquerade and its followers of deliberately provoking trouble, the traditionalist seemed aggrieved over what it described as a perpetual attack on masquerade by the sect.

According to Yunus, Esuleke had always wanted to get his pound of flesh after he was arraigned before a court in the state over his role in the vandalisation and attack on the mosque sometime ago. 

He said: “In 2004, they attacked us, similarly in 2018, so we pressed charges and he was arraigned. Later, we were asked to settle and they wrote a letter of apology to us. After that, they attempted to attack us two different times and I had to write the security operatives to inform them of hatched plans to attack us. So, this act was deliberate to provoke us and unleash mayhem on us and that is what they did. Kayode Esuleke himself led the onslaught.”

But Ifashola Esuleke debunked the claim, saying Muslim worshippers in the mosque, especially their leader, have the habit of attacking masquerades.

The traditionalist said: “The mosque is not the only Muslim centre of worshipping in the town, but he is the only one attacking masquerades in the state capital. In 2002, he attacked a masquerade and unveiled the deity leading to the death of the person after he was beaten by worshippers in the mosque.

“He did the same thing about five years ago unveiling a masquerade and burn the costume. 

“They planned to do the same when we were returning; they already set bonfire with which they intended to burn the costume of the masquerade. We only resisted them. Moreover, the community already knew him with the habit of attacking masquerades, hence, when one approaches his area, they are always set to watch the drama.”
 
How my father was killed – Yusuf
Meanwhile, one of the grieving sons of the deceased worshipper, Yusuf Salawudeen said he (deceased) was trying to get the children in the congregation to safety when he was shot.

Salawudeen said: “It was unfortunate that we were trying to pray for Nigeria from the insecurity that bedevilled it, but our father was eventually killed by a bullet from gun-wielding masquerade followers.

“After he was shot, we tried to quickly rush him to a hospital but the road was blocked before he eventually died at the entrance of the mosque.

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“We were in Osogbo from Iwo for the Imam’s naming ceremony on Saturday, but when we heard of the prayer programme, we decided to stay back and be part of it, now we will be returning home with his dead body.”

 
Osun not known for religious crisis— Oyetola
Reacting to the incident, the state Governor, Adegboyega Oyetola condemned the killing, saying Osun is not known for such religious crisis. 

He also ordered the Police to get to the root of the incident to bring the perpetrators to book.

After visiting the scene of the crime and the wounded at the hospital, the Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff, Abdullahi Binuyo assured families of the wounded that government would take care of it their hospital bills.
 
We’re probing the clash—Police 
The Commissioner of Police, Olawale Olokode said some people have been arrested in connection with the incident. 

He, however, said a thorough investigation is ongoing to ensure that perpetrators are brought to justice.

“This is a religious matter and we cannot just rush to a conclusion. A diligent investigation is ongoing to ensure that truth about the crisis eventually prevails”, he said. 

Vanguard News Nigeria