Fear rents the air in Ikate suburb of Lekki in Eti-osa Local Government Area of Lagos State over “Oro Cult three day ritual activities.
In a memo issued to the residents of Ikate-Elegushi, seen by this medium, the monarch announced that there would be a restriction of movement to perform the Oro rite in the community from Wednesday to Saturday.
Residents of the community alleged there is a political motive for the curfew which will further disenfranchise women and non-indigenes from voting on election day. Others complained that it would paralysed commercial activities in the community.
Temitope Oyefeso, the special assistant on media affairs to the Oba of Ikateland confirmed to our correspondent that an Oro rite is happening in the Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom.
“Yes, there is an Oro rite happening in the Ikate kingdom. So, the Elegushi community council decided that residents and visitors should be in their houses from midnight to morning on Wednesday to Saturday,” Mr Oyefeso submitted.
Mr Oyefeso debunked the allegation that it will affect election activities on Saturday, declaring that they are not saying people should sit at home during the day like they have in other places. He maintained that elections are held during the day, and by morning, roads will be opened for the people to come. “It is a traditional rite. But unfortunately, it has come at this time. It is an annual event, and this is not the first time. We are not disrupting any process.” Oyefeso insisted.
According to him, the Oro rite will bring peace to the community, adding that it happens in all communities within Lagos. He explained that non-indigenes that registered to vote in Elegushi will partake in the voting process, reiterating that “they will not leave the house to vote by 2:00 a.m., so they ought to be in their house.” “Voting starts by 8:00 a.m., and there is a police curfew for midnight on election day.
We are not doing anything different from what the police have done. It will just commence two days earlier,” the monarch’s spokesman explained. “People should stop speculating rumours or being mischievous about Oro rites; it is not interfering with the process of the election. Residents can move about from morning till 11:30 p.m.”
The Lagos State Police Spokesperson Benjamin Hundeyin is yet to make official statement on the development as at the time of filing this report.
President-elect Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress lost to Peter Obi of the Labour Party in Eti-Osa local government area. Mr Obi polled 42,388 votes, while Mr Tinubu had 15,317. Meanwhile, Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has intensified his campaign a few days before the governorship election. Mr Sanwo-Olu, alongside Gbadebo Rhodes-Vivour of the Labour Party, Funso Doherty of the Africa Democratic Congress, and Abdulazeez Adediran of the Peoples Democratic Party, are among the candidates contesting the governorship election. The memo reads:
PUBLIC ANNOUNCEMENT! Advertisement HRM. ALAYELUWA OBA SAHEED ADEMOLA ELEGUSHI, KUSENLAIII, ELEGUSHI OF IKATE KINGDOM AND ENVIRON. WISH TO ANNOUNCE TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC THAT THE ORO RITE WILL HOLD IN THE IKATE KINGDOM AND ITS ENVIRONS FROM TODAY WEDNESDAY 15TH MARCH 2023 TO SATURDAY 18TH MARCH 2023. (3DAYS) RESIDENCE AND PASSERSBY ARE WARNED TO STAY INDOORS OR STAY OFF THE KINGDOM BEFORE MIDNIGHT THAT THE RITE WILL COMMENCE TO 5:30 a.m. ON EACH DAY. Advertisement THIS EXERCISE IS FOR THE GOOD OF ALL, PLEASE LET US COOPERATE AND COMPLY WITH THIS ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDLESS OF YOUR STATUS. HIS ROYAL MAJESTY REGRETS ANY INCONVENIENCE. ONILU ONI JE KI ILU O TU OLORUN ELEDUMARE A GBA IWURE WA. ASE O…
