Muslim traders in Ile-Ife, Osun State, have urged the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi, to wade into what they described as repeated harassment and intimidation allegedly carried out by individuals claiming to represent his palace.
The traders, operating under the Artisans, Peasants and Traders Association of Nigeria (APTAN), Ile-Ife branch, alleged that their members were being forced to pay levies tied to the Olojo Festival, despite their religious objections.
In a statement signed by the association’s coordinator, Comrade Adegoke Saidi, secretary, Comrade Monsur Jimoh, and welfare officer, Comrade Banjo Isiaq, the group said their members’ goods were seized on September 16, 2025, at the Ojatuntun Otisese Weekly Market.
According to the statement, three men, identified as Efunwole Kola, Sogo Olagbaju and Hezekiah Agunbiade, stormed the market and carted away items including clothes and vegetable oil belonging to women traders.
“Our members are constantly being attacked and stripped of their goods simply because they refuse to compromise their faith,” the statement read. “We are not rebels; we are contributors to the growth of Ile-Ife.”
The association argued that compelling Muslims to finance traditional festivals runs contrary to their religious beliefs and contravenes the Nigerian Constitution. Quoting Qur’anic injunctions, APTAN insisted that Islam prohibits participation in rites outside the faith.
The group further alleged that the harassment was being coordinated by certain palace officials and the Babaloja of Odo-Ogbe, Chief Jimoh Olaoluwa Odeyemi. However, it maintained that the Ooni himself might be unaware of the situation.
“We hold His Majesty in the highest regard and believe that if he is fully informed, he will act to restore dignity to the throne and put an end to this intimidation,” the statement added.
Highlighting its contributions to the town, APTAN cited the introduction of tricycles through ALBARAKAH Microfinance Bank, artisan training, community services, and a planned free medical outreach scheduled for October 26.
The group also called on Islamic bodies, including the Sultan of Sokoto, the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), and the Federation of Muslim Women’s Associations in Nigeria (FOMWAN), to intervene.
“We have lived peacefully in Ile-Ife for decades,” APTAN said. “All we ask is that our constitutional rights to freedom of thought, conscience and religion be respected.”
