How Masquerades Attacked Muslims Over Drumming, Singing In Osun

 

Ismaeel Uthman

OSUN DEFENDER has uncovered what triggered the attack on some Muslims, who are members of the Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria by some masquerades in Osogbo, capital of the State of Osun, on Sunday, June 27, 2021.

Investigations by the medium revealed that the attack on the Muslims, which led to the death of Alhaji Moshood  Salawudeen, while 14 other members of the group were left wounded, was a continuation of clashes between members of the Muslim group and followers of the Chief Kayode Esuleke.

It was gathered that the attack was triggered when members of the Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria, who were holding a programme to pray on insecurity of Nigeria at their Mosque in Oluode-Aranyin of Osogbo, asked the followers of the ‘Esuleke Masquerades’ to stop drumming and singing at the mosque premises.

Findings revealed that the Muslims were occupying a part of the ‘closed road’ with a canopy but the other part was open for vehicle and non-vehicular movement.

The ‘Esuleke Masquerade’ and its followers had claimed that they were going to a shrine at the end of the road as their usual ritual route and rite for the Egungun festival.

According to eye witnesses, trouble started when members of the Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria asked followers of the ‘Esuleke Masquerade’ to stop drumming and singing at the mosque premises, most importantly when they were holding prayers.

Investigations revealed that some elders in both the Muslim and masquerade sides intervened and the masquerade followers walked down the road to their destination.

However, on their way back, the ‘Esuleke Masquerade’ followers continued their drumming and singing, which prompted the Muslims to challenge and ask them to stop as a sign of respect for the mosque and the prayers they were holding.

In the process, according to eye witnesses, fight ensued between the Muslims and the traditionalists which led to a free for all.

According to findings, a Muslim attempted to unveil the masquerade but was prevented by the traditionalists during the fight.

A member of the Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria who was also injured in the fight confided in OSUN DEFENDER that some of the ‘Esuleke Masquerade’ followers were disarmed of the charms which they used to attack them.

He said: “What caused the attack is that when the masquerade and it followers, include Chief Kayode Esuleke, were approaching the mosque premises, we told them to stop drumming and singing. We asked them to give us our deserved respect. Ordinarily, they were not to come to that place at the time we were holding prayers. The road is a closed route, it leads to nowhere. But they claim they were going to a shrine at the end of the road. Policemen and members of Amotekun corps were with them.

“They did not reach the shrine before they turned back, and they continued drumming and singing. We told them again to stop but they would not listen. In the process, they pushed one of us and that was how the attack started.

“They attacked us with charms but they could not have effect on us because we believe in oneness of God and that there is no power except that of Allah. We disarmed those people of their charms.  We were able to chase them away from the mosque premises eventually, but they had injured many of us. They attacked us with stones, clubs and cutlasses. They destroyed the mosque too.

“We saw the ‘001’ vehicle of the Joint Task Force (JTF) driving in and we complained to the security. Immediately the JTF left our side, about seven armed men who wore red and black clothes came from the midst of the masquerade followers. Those guys started shooting at us directly. They killed our ‘Baba Ijo’, Alhaji Moshood Salawudeen and six other people sustained gunshot injuries.

“We suspect those guys were hired by the masquerade followers after we chased them away from the mosque premises.”

Other people injured in the attack were: Abdul Jelleel Ali (12), Adebayo Awolesin (15), Taofeek Fatai (17), Malik Abdulkabir (17), Quazeek Al-Ameen (12), Qauzeem Aseyori (47), Ayuba  Abdakeem (60), Abdusalam Abdrauf (39), Ajabge Ishaq (37), Owolabi Maruf (45), Risiqat  Zakariyahu (45), Isiaq Ibraheem, Yahaya and Oladosu Halimot (47).

The victims were treated at the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, Asubiaro Specialist Hospital and Muslim Hospitals in Osogbo.

However, the Chairman, Youth Wing of Egungun Worshipers Association, Mr. Ifasola Esuleke, denied the attack on the Muslims and the mosque, saying that they were not responsible for it.

Esuleke, who is the son of the popular traditionalist, Chief Kayode Esuleke said: “We were going to a shrine located after the Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria at Oluode-Arin in Osogbo. The Muslim group was holding a programme and the members blocked the road to prevent us from passing.

“With intervention of some people, we were able to pass the place and when we were coming back, they had blocked the road again. As we were talking, one of the Muslims came out and attempted to unveil the masquerade. They started throwing stones at us.

“None of us was armed; we did not carry any gun or cutlass. You can ask people around that area, the members of the Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria are always violent. It is the only Muslim group that always attack traditional worshipers.

“We have casualty from us too. One of us was stabbed and his intestine came out. He was kept inside the mosque before the Police came and took him out. A lady among us also sustained machete cut on her head. Go and ask people about this man, he had unveiled one masquerade at Ojo-Oba in Osogbo before. He had fought several masquerades.

“We did not attack their mosque. They were the ones that destroyed the mosques by themselves. They had done it before, you can ask the Police.

“We the traditionalists are the most peaceful people in Nigeria. We don’t have problem with either the Muslim or the Christian communities.”

However, the Commissioner of Police in the State of Osun, Mr. Olawale Olokode has appealed to the people of the state to remain calm and peaceful, disclosing that investigations have begun on the matter.

Olokode called for religious tolerance and understanding, maintaining that the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of religion, beliefs and association.

He assured the people that everybody found culpable in the attack would be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that Chief Esuleke had been arrested and detained by the Police.

Esuleke was invited by the Inspector-General of Police’s Intelligent Response Team to the Police Station at Oke-Fia, Osogbo, where he was detained on Tuesday.

He has not been released from detention as at the time of filing this report.

Also, the masqurade and one other person has been arrested and detained.

The Chief Imam of Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria in the state, Imam Yunus Qazeem and three others, Jamiu Salawudeen, Sulaiman Alarape and Saheed Akewi were invited by the police on Wednesday and have since been detained.

OSUN DEFENDER authoritatively gathered that all the suspects might be arraigned in court today (Friday).

Investigations revealed that there had been clashes between the members of Qomarudeen Society of Nigeria and the ‘Esuleke Masquerade’ followers in the year 2004 and 2018.