Adherents of African Traditional Religions, Osun worshipers in particular, trooping into Ilorin,the Kwara State capital, on daily basis from God knows where, have been warned to desist from the disrespect with which they are treating the Islamic religious sanctity of the people of the community, by staying clear of our homes and mosques.

This warning was given by the National President of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alhaji Aliyu Otta Uthman,fsi, while reacting to the increasingly mindless manners with which pagans arrogantly violate Islamic religious sensibilities, peculiarities and sensitivities of the people of Ilorin.

The IEDPU President, in a statement signed by the Union’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Nurudeen Ibrahim, said that the Union was “heavily disturbed” by the consistent complaints coming to her from concerned members of the community on the repeatedly infuriating manners idol worshippers parade residences, markets and Mosques across Ilorin on the pretence of offering unsolicited prayers and alms begging.

While appreciating the constitutional liberty guaranteed every citizen to practice the faith of his or her choice, the IEDPU President insisted that such a liberty is not without limitation as it would be wrong of anyone to trespass religious sensibilities of others on the pretence of freedom of worship, adding that the religious and cultural boundaries of every individual and community ought to be outlined and respected by others in the interest of peace.

The Union, while calling on the constituted authorities to curtail the invasion of Muslim homes, markets and mosques within and across Ilorin by the unrepentant idol worshippers, said that the timely heeding of the warning was important to prevent the needless eruption of religious crisis in the city of Ilorin, which may threatened the harmonious nature of Kwara State.

Alhaji Uthman, nevertheless, appealed to the indigenes of the community to continue to exercise patience in the face of what he called “objectionable and despicable provocations” in the form of sacrifice prescriptions for Muslim residents. He advised that such unguarded violators and violations should be reported to the law enforcement agencies and traditional leaders nearest to them for prompt actions.