Recent developments have shown unguarded propensity to cause crisis and promote hatred in Yorubaland,religion fanatics and bigots have started creating an atmosphere of insecurity through several unguarded verbal vituperation which if not properly managed could distort the existing peace in the zone.
Yoruba land has being in existence with its own culture, traditions,values and religion beliefs before the normadic incursions of Islam and Christianity into Oduduwa land. Our fore fathers showed their hospitality by accommodating adherence of the two religions without setting boundaries for them.
The Palace of traditional rulers in Yoruba land was always the first point of contact for any missionaries who desires to preach the gospel to our people,the traditional rulers of that period gave free land,accomodations and liberty to freely extend the gospel of Islam and Christianity to the people without limitations.
It is quite unfortunate that the same throne,habitat, culture and traditions that abhors those religions and enables them to flourish at the detriment of traditional religion is now an object of insult and assault from religion extremist and agents provocateur whose only sole interest is to compromise our land,heritage,culture and values because of their religion ideology.
Freedom of religion is gloriously enshrined in the constitution,but major parts of what made up of the Constitution are our culture, traditions and values. It is morally and religiously wrong for anyone to seek to devalue the throne of our fathers under the guise of obedience to a religion principle which is not in conformity with our traditions.
An average Hausa/Fulani man will never ridicule the throne of Sultan or any Emir under the guise of religion creeds,why should any sane Yoruba man will now decided to exhibit disdain for our traditional ruler’s.
Religion is an opium of the people,government should not fold it arms and allow these reckless act to further before taking meaning and conscious efforts to nip it in the bud. Yoruba land is a land of peace,religion tolerance,it will be out of place for a few fanatical elements to strive to diminished and devalue our revered traditional ruler’s.
Let those who seeks to promote their own creeds, ideology and contrary beliefs moved to an environment where such is allowed,Yoruba King’s deserves utmost respect from all and sundry.
Adegbite Isaac Adeeyo
Department of General Studies, Federal Polytechnic, Ayede.
