Beaten Masquerade Demands N20m From Muslim Group In Osun

After being allegedly attacked by a Mus­lim group known as Kamarudeen Muslim Society last week, a lead­ing masquerade in Iwo, the headquarters of Iwo Local Government area of Osun State, called Ogundeji, has demanded for a sum of N20 million to prepare sacrifice to avert evil that may follow action of the group.
 
The masquerade also added that part of the mon­ey will also be used to sew new regalia for the mas­querade, saying the initial one was badly damaged af­ter the alleged attack by the Muslim group.
According to sources, on Tuesday last week, there was panic in Iwo town, when Kamarudeen Muslim society allegedly attacked Ogundeji masquerade, beat­ing him until he fainted.

During the incident, the Muslim group also alleg­edly burnt the regalia of the masquerade, while the handler narrowly escaped death, but sustained serious injury.
In its reaction, the Alag­baa of Iwo-land, Chief Ojela­na Ojeseyi, condemned the development, describing the attack as “unwarranted, barbaric and inhuman”.
He added that “their ac­tion violate the fundamen­tal rights of the traditional worshippers, hence the need for government and all the relevant agencies to intervene, with a view to checkmate the inhuman treatment and forestall its reoccurrence in the future”.
However, aftermath of the attack, the handler of Ogundeji masquerade, Mrs. Ogundeji Omo-Babalawo, in her reaction disclosed that incident had claimed her ancestors’ inheritance, urging government to come to her aid by providing N20 million to appease the gods and make new regalia for the masquerade.
She averred that “it would cost almost N20 mil­lion to prepare concoction and sacrifice to appease spirits of the burnt mas­querade and to design an­other one”.
Also in their separate re­actions, two high chiefs of Iwo land, Moderin and Moji­rin, Prince Abimbola Adeg­boyega and Prince Lasunk­anmi Tadese, respectively condemned the attack, say­ing the Muslim group had violated the agreement reached in the palace dur­ing a stakeholders meeting on how to ensure peaceful Egungun festival in the an­cient community.
Commenting, the state Commissioner for Infor­mation and Strategy, Mr. Sunday Akere, stated that the government would look into the matter and resolve the issue amicably so as to ensure religious harmony in the state, stressing that the incumbent adminis­tration was committed to peaceful co-existence in the state irrespective of religion and political affliction.
Reacting to the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Mrs. Fo­lashade Odor, said police had already commenced investigation into the mat­ter, assuring that anybody found culpable would be made to face the full wrath of law.