Opeyemi Abolarinwa.
A Justice of the Peace in Osun State, Tadese Fatai, has petitioned the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone XI, Osogbo, seeking urgent intervention to stop the Odun Olodumare festival being planned by the Oluwo of Iwo, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, on Monday, November 9, 2026, to prevent a potential religious crisis in the town.
In the petition dated November 6, 2026, with reference number PC/TTF/AIG/0, and copied to the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, the petitioner described the festival as alien to Iwo culture and capable of triggering communal, religious and traditional war.
The petition, titled “Urgent Intervention to Stop Odun Eledumare in Iwo Hence Curbing Crisis, Protest and Breaking of Law and Order Instead of Harmonious Relationship Through Reconciliation,” stated that the festival orchestrated by the Oluwo was brewing controversy and allegations.
According to Tadese, a prince in Iwo land, who is also a staff in the Office of Development Partners Projects and Programmes, Office of the Governor, Osun State, he does not want any unforeseen tribal, religious, traditional, cultural or communal war, invoking the power conferred on him by section 14 of the Magistrate Courts law cap 77 Laws of Osun State which includes power to arrest, power of admonition, power to effect reconciliation and power of prosecution.
The letter had read in part: “You cannot, and you must not, conduct yourself in any way that can foment religious crisis through serial attacks on people of other faiths. Your Royal Majesty is also invited to note that just as the traditional stool should not be used to incite religious war, its occupants should also be mindful not to erode the traditional values, culture and tradition of the society over which they preside.”
It further stated that it had observed recent well-publicised statements and pronouncements from Oba Akanbi that could ignite religious confrontation, inter-town conflicts and disruption of communal peace, adding that the persistence of such crisis-inciting activities had reached a level the administration could no longer ignore.
The state government directed the monarch to stop any further attacks on people of other faiths forthwith, refrain from attacks on fellow traditional rulers to forestall inter-town confrontation, and preserve the culture and tradition of Iwo.
It added that the State Council of Obas has been directed to watch and act on recent developments within Iwoland, while the Ministry will be monitoring compliance.
The Oluwo’s Press Secretary, Alli Ibraheem, however, disputed receipt of the letter, saying the monarch had not received any letter from the government, despite government claim that it was received by the secretary to the monarch.
With both the government warning and the fresh petition to the police, stakeholders are calling for cancellation of the planned Odun Olodumare festival on November 9 to prevent a potential religious war in Iwo, a town known for its diverse religious and traditional interests.
The police is yet to officially respond to the petition as at press time.
