From Bode Durojaiye, Oyo.
But for the intervention of the Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi, the ancient town would have engulfed in bloody
religious violence recently.
According to an eye-witness account, some children from the residence of a popular Islamic scholar known as Imam Igi Ogun at Agunpopo area were using a torch to search for items within the premises around 8pm.
Igi Ogun is a big family compound in Agunpopo area in the Atiba Local Government area which has a mosque.
Directly opposite Imam Igi Ogun’s premises is a church.
Beams of the torch was said to have somewhat disturbed the pastor inside the church who went out to accost the children, one of whom he allegedly scolded and beat up.
The child, it was learnt, let out a painful cry which attracted the attention of the Imam, Daud Igi Ogun, and his worshippers in the mosque.
The Islamic scholar, accompanied by some of the mosque worshippers, were said to have met the pastor and demanded explanation of what happened.
The pastor, it was gathered, rather than explain, allegedly slapped the Imam.
The alleged assault on the Imam was said to have angered some of the mosque worshippers who pounced on the pastor. After the beating, the pastor sustained serious injuries both in his head and arms.
The Imam was said to have tried his best to protect the pastor from further attacks, as his (pastor’s) clothes were said to have been soaked in his blood.
Properties were said to have been destroyed while the crisis lasted.
No lives were reportedly lost.
The intervention of the police from Durbar division saved the
situation from further escalation.
Some arrests were said to have been made.
But the pastor denied the allegations, saying he was at a revival when some Muslims entered the church around 8.30 pm, beat up members and destroyed many valuable things.
Freedom Online gathered that when information about the incident reached the palace, the Alaafin immediately summoned the two warring parties and the Chief Imam of Oyo-land, Sheikh Ajokidero to a peace and reconciliation meeting which lasted several hours, after which the
matter was finally settled.
