League of Imams and Alfas in Iseyin Local Government says the judgement on the case against Oro worshippers will prohibit the declaration of curfew for the celebration of the festival in the town.
Counsel to the league, Barrister AbdWaheed Olowonjaye while speaking at a news conference in Ibadan on the judgement delivered by Justice A.L Akintola of Oyo State High Court said it has now become illegal for Oro worshippers to declare curfew for their festival as such would negate the ruling of the court.
He said the parties to the case which was instituted in 2019 later agreed to settle the dispute amicably and filed terms of settlement to the court on 29th June 2022.
The main applicant in the case, Alfa Yusuf Muhyideen and the Chief Imam, Iseyin Central Mosque, Sheik AbdHakeem Olayori who was represented by Imam Abass Haadi lauded the judgement and promised to abide by the ruling urging the Oro worshippers to ensure the same.
Commenting on the judgement through a telephone interview, one of the defence counsels, Barrister Diekola Rufai said what the court was interested in was the peaceful coexistence of all the parties as neither the Muslims nor the Oro worshippers should disturb each other in the cause of their religious activities.
In a judgement delivered on 30th of June, 2022 and a copy which was made available to our correspondent on 11th August, 2022, Justice A.L Akintola in a suit no: HSY/MISC/6/19, instituted by Alfa Yusuf Muyideen (for himself and on behalf of the League of Imams and Alfas, Iseyin against Aseyin of Iseyin, late Oba AbdGaniy Adekunle and 16 others
held in the terms of settlement of the case that “the parties involved should settle the dispute between them on the terms that neither the applicant nor the respondents shall disturb, harass, intimate, attack or do any act calculated to disturb, harass, intimidate or attack either in the exercise of their religious beliefs.
“The court observed that parties to the suit and respective counsel executed the terms of settlement dated 29th June 2022 and filed on the same date in this case.
“The said terms of settlement is hereby adopted and pronounced as a judgement of this court in the suit.”
It would be recalled that a crisis brewed at the Oro festival celebration on 18th September 2018 when the adherents and the Oro masquerade followers attacked some Muslims in Iseyin which eventually led to litigation. (FRCN)
