The Ancient Religion Societies of African Descendants International Council (ARSADIC) has called on Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara to protect its members from harassment in practicing their faith by other religious group in the state.
This is contained in a statement by Dr Ifagbenusola Atanda, the ARSADIC President, on Monday in Osogbo.
According to Atanda, the council has in the last one week, monitoring a recent event in Ilorin where one of its members, Ajesekemi, an Osun devotee and priestess, was allegedly harassed and intimidated over her faith by some groups.
He said religious fundamentalism must not be encouraged in any form and in any part of the nation.
Atanda noted that it was wrong for any group or individual to threaten Yeye Ajesekemi and to stop her from holding Isese festival in Ilorin, Kwara State.
“As long as we, the traditional religion adherents, know our boundary not to throw offensives at other faiths, we will resist any attempt to trample on our rights to freedom of religion and association as spelt out in the Nigerian Constitution.
“We will not fold our arms and allow extremists in any guise deny us our God-given rights and supported by the laws of Nigeria as a secular state.
“We are quite aware that Ilorin, Kwara state is an integral part of Nigeria and we ready to defend our faith.
“Yeye Omolara Ajesekemi has our support at all times to practice her faith, the traditional religion, which bonds all of us together.
“I, therefore, call for prompt intervention of the Kwara State government under the able leadership of Gov. AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, and the security agencies in the state”, he said.(NAN)
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