By Latiifah Amusan
Adegbola Abdulazeez, a prominent Ilorin Isese devotee and activist widely known as Talọlọrun, has been apprehended and placed in custody on multiple allegations, including defamation and insulting the Emir of Ilorin.
The arrest stems from his purported offensive remarks on social media platforms.
Talọlọrun’s detention followed accusations that he had used social media to insult the Emir of Ilorin and other individuals.
The incident, which took place in Kwara State, has caught the attention of local communities and Isese practitioners alike.
As detailed in a Facebook post on Thursday, Talọlọrun was taken into custody on August 16 in Ibadan and subsequently transported to a police station in Ilorin.
“Taniolorun was arrested in Ibadan this evening (August 16) and taken to a police station in Ilorin,” the post simply read.
On August 17, another social media update surfaced, informing fellow Isese practitioners about Talọlọrun’s court appearance in Ilorin and urging their support.
The post read, “All Isese practitioners, meet Talolorun in court in Ilorin. Very urgent.”
In a Youtube video released on Thursday, Talọlọrun discussed a previous meeting involving Isese practitioners, their lawyer, and the police regarding a ban imposed on Isese festivals in Ilorin.
“To those who said we would not celebrate the Isese festival in Ilorin…have you all been served breakfast now?
“We (Isese devotees) went with our lawyer to the police station in Ilorin and everyone involved in this case was served, including the Emir of Ilorin.
“Isese devotees are peace-loving people, we are not troublemakers, we simply wanted to celebrate our festivals but were stopped and asked to seek permission. When Muslims want to celebrate Sallah, do they need permission to do this as well? Why demand that from Isese worshippers?
“The commissioner of police, who said we do not have permission to celebrate our festivals in Ilorin, has also been served court papers, he should come out and explain where this was stated in the constitution of Nigeria.
“Despite offering to change the location of our festival from the Yemoja river in the state to another, we were still denied this. Is the police not suppose(sic) to support and protect us? Now, the commissioner of police, the Emir of Ilorin, and everyone closely involved in this case have been served court papers.
“The proposed August 20th Isese day will hold even though these emirs have connived with the police to stop the celebration. I received so many threats from online bullies unbeknownst to me, these alfas were conniving with the police to ensure the festival never holds.
“You see at this point, those advocating for Isese devotees to stay away from Ilorin, need to stop. Is there another law besides the Nigerian constitution? We all have the right to worship.
“At this point in this land of Ilorin, called the Emirate, the Isese worshippers will have the right to worship as well. Why is it so hard for the alfas to preach peace and allow everyone to celebrate how they wish? Shouldn’t we all be preaching and seeking for peace to reign in the same state we all love?” Talolorun asked
He expressed frustration over the restrictions, questioning why Isese worshippers needed permission to celebrate their festivals while other religious celebrations did not face similar requirements.
Talọlọrun’s arrest prompted a video response from an admin on his social media page.
The admin assured supporters that Talọlọrun would regain his freedom, emphasizing that his arrest was not unexpected and calling attention to the significance of their advocacy for preserving ancestral culture and tradition.
During a court session, lawyer Abdulkadir Ademola Ajasa provided more insight into the reason behind Talọlọrun’s arrest.
Ajasa clarified that the issue at hand was not directly related to Isese.
He revealed that Isese practitioners had previously visited the Commissioner of Police to seek permission for their festival, but were advised against it due to potential unrest.
According to Ajasa, Talọlọrun’s arrest was a result of defamation and incitement.
He alleged that Talọlọrun had been defaming individuals and encouraging the public to turn against Ilorin based on his past actions, including burning the Quran.
There were concerns that if these issues were not properly addressed, they could escalate into a religious crisis.
According to Ajasa,
“This issue does not have relation to Isese. Before his arrest, the people of Isese visited the commissioner of police on Monday, seeking permission to celebrate the Isese festival in Ilorin.
“The Commissioner of Police told them that if a permit is granted, it will cause a lot of damage. They were advised to visit other places in Kwara State to celebrate the festival.
“The reason he was arrested is that he defamed the character of those mentioned earlier and he has always been inciting the public to go against Ilorin based on the atrocity he committed when he burned the Quran. If these things are not handled properly, it could lead to religious crisis.”
