A traditional religion priestess in Ilorin, Kwara State, Yeye Osunfunmilayo Ajile, has declared she will not bow to pressure from Islamic clerics who allegedly ordered her to vacate her home over her practice.
Ajile, known as the Aare Olomitutu Odo Gbogbo l’Agbo of Kwara State and Atayese Worldwide, said on Monday that her faith is rooted in Ilorin and predates other religions in the city.
“Traditional religion is the first religion in Ilorin,” she told reporters. “I am from here, I was born here, I built this house here, and nobody can chase me away.”
Tension flared when a group of clerics from Oke Odo, Danialu and Gaa Akanbi allegedly stormed her residence on September 22, demanding she relocate to Osun State. A video circulating online shows the clerics insisting she must move, while Ajile refused, citing her constitutional right to freedom of worship.
She claimed the group, led by men identified as Alhaji Yisa and Bureimo Eesu, attempted to attack her before retreating after throwing stones and insults.
“These clerics are not even from this community. They crossed the river just to make trouble,” she alleged.
The priestess said her practice, inherited from her grandmother, had been part of her life since childhood.
“This religion is our ancestral foundation. It was what was used to establish Ilorin and other Yoruba towns before foreign religions were introduced,” she said.
According to her, her worship has brought safety to the community. “Before I started worshipping here, people drowned in the river. But in the past nine years, no such tragedy has happened. People come here to pray and their requests are granted.”
Ajile confirmed she reported the matter to Division A Police Station, Ilorin, and was referred to the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights. The group, she said, promised to issue a formal warning letter to the clerics.
“I stood my ground because I have the constitutional right to practise any religion of my choice, as long as I don’t disturb others,” she said.
Ilorin has witnessed similar disputes in the past. In July 2023, controversy trailed the planned Isese Festival after opposition from Islamic groups. Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka later condemned what he described as an attempt to suppress religious freedom in the city.
Traditional leaders have also argued that suppressing Yoruba religion amounts to an erosion of cultural identity. But groups loyal to the Emir of Ilorin defended restrictions, insisting they were necessary to preserve peace in the emirate.
