Traditional worshippers, under the umbrella of Traditional Religion Worshippers’ Association, Oyo State Chapter, yesterday staged a peaceful protest over what they called discrimination against them by the Oyo State government.
The worshippers, who staged the protest at the front of Oyo State Government Secretariat Complex, carried placards bearing various inscriptions such “Stop discrimination against traditional religion”, “Oyo is a secular state, stop discrimination” and others.
They also appealed to the Muslims, Christians and others to join them in appealing to the state government to grant their request of giving public holidays to them.
The General Secretary of the association in the state, Dr. Fayemi Fakayode, who spoke on behalf of others, said:
“We are gathered here today to make our plight known to everybody in Oyo State. This peaceful demonstration is necessitated by the attitude of the Oyo State government under the leadership of Seyi Mankinde to the practitioners of Yoruba traditional religion in this state.”
Also, the President-General, Isese Foundation and President, Oyo State Traditional Religions, Baale Olukanmi Egbelade, said: “We want the government to give us the recognition we deserve. There is freedom of religion. August 20 of every year should be given to us as public holiday.”
However, the Executive Assistant to the Governor on Security Matters, Odukoya Sunday, who received the worshippers on behalf of the state government, promised to pass their message to Makinde.
He said: “They are part of the state and nobody is looking down on them. I’m going to present their case to the governor and he would do something about it.”
