From Taiwo Oluwadare, Ibadan
The Araba Oluawo of Ibadanland (Ibadan Chief Priest), Chief Odegbola Ifalere and other traditionalists (Babalawos) on Tuesday morning resorted to rituals as further widespread condemnation continues to trail the invasion of the Oyo State Government secretariat by some misguided Yoruba nation agitators last weekend.
A video trending on social media around noon on Tuesday showed Odegbola chanting incantations and cursing those behind the invasion of the Agodi secretariat.
Some Ifa priests were also seen consulting the oracle as they tied both he and she-goats to the stake, ostensibly as ritual offerings to stop destabilization of Seyi Makinde’s government and general well-being of the indigenes and residents of Ibadanland and Oyo state in general.
It would be recalled that Yoruba nation agitators under a self-confessed Mrs. Onitiri Abiola in their scores stormed the seat of power in Agodi while attempting to hoist the flag of Oodua nation and consequently sack the State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde to enthrone a new regime of Democratic Republic of Yoruba nation.
It took the combined efforts of security agencies in the State to dislodge them before normalcy was restored at the State Secretariat. Some agitators were fared dead with another 20 suspected members of the group arrested and paraded by the State Police Command on Monday in Ibadan.
The State Governor, Mr. Seyi Makinde; the Central Council of Ibadan indigenes under Chief Ajeniyi Ajewole; senior Chiefs including the billionaire businessman and foremost philanthropist in the State, Chief Dotun Sanusi amongst others had severally and jointly condemned the invasion.
In the trending video, the priests were raining curses on the agitators, describing them as enemies of the city of Ibadan and the performing government of Oyo State under Seyi Makinde.
According to them, “evil shall befall those behind the invasion and any further attempt to disturb the peace of Ibadan and Oyo State would spell doom for the agitators.
“Any indigenes, citizens or residents alike who join the agitators would meet his or her Waterloo and be disgraced forever. This is not Igboland where IPOB reigned supreme and caused the economic crisis with its attendant loss of lives and means of livelihood of many Igbo people.
“They (agitators) must think twice and any form of disturbances against the Seyi Makinde-led government would not augur well for them. It must not happen again.
“We don’t want Yoruba nation and our people are solidly behind the Governor and Mr President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu,” they added.