Yeye Ajesikemi Olatunji, a traditional religion adherent and devotee of Aje Olokun, who is at the centre of the recent religious controversy in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital has made known her involvement in a mosque construction in the metropolis.
Olatunji made the news after a three-day event to celebrate the traditional religious festival, Isese, from July 22 to 24 she planned was frustrated by the Emir of Ilorin, HRH Ibrahim Kolapo Gambari on grounds that it contravened the Islamic tradition of the city.
The situation took a national dimension when Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, reprobated the Emir, culminating in bitter exchanges between both supporters.
In an interview with Punchng, the lady told of her tolerance for Islam allegedly to the point of helping in a mosque construction while Muslims trusted to the building of the said mosque, were misappropriating the money in their care.
Her word, “Yes, I’m involved in some philanthropic gestures. I help those who approach me for it. But I have provided a borehole for the people of this area and we are also embarking on the construction of a mosque, which we want to be a model. We want to build it to taste. I embarked on the construction of a mosque in this area because I realised that there is no place where the Muslims hold Jumat prayer in this area. Although the fund for the mosque is not from me, it is from a philanthropist, who wants to build a mosque in the Islamic city of Ilorin. The philanthropist had gone through some Alfas (clerics) and for more than two years could not see the results of the funds given for the construction before I came in and since then, the construction had been progressing.
“The person expressed surprise that he could entrust someone with funds for the project when he saw what we were doing about the construction of the mosque. I’m not doing it to please people, but I’m doing it to please my creator because everyone has a way of worshipping their God. I know that there is no place where you cannot pray to God before He answers your prayer in all the places; whether you are a Christian, Muslim or traditional religion adherent. I’m not doing it to please human beings. I’m doing it for humanity; I’m not doing it for people to worship in the building. Even during the recent crisis, some of those that I have assisted also spoke against me and have condemned me because of the Aje festival.”
