Date: 2014-01-05

There was tension in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital yesterday when a fetish object suspected to be atonement was found at the premises of the popular Ilorin Jumaat Central Mosque.

Investigations revealed that the object was dropped inside the flower port between gates four and five of the central mosque, which was reopened for use several  months ago, after the remodelling and expansion of the facility by the Ilorin emirate community.

The Herald On Sunday reliably gathered that a passerby, whose name could not be immediately ascertained, noticed the object and subsequently raised the alarm which drew the attention of the security operatives at the mosque.

The atonement, according to a source, contained boiled rice and eggs, salt, palm oil, cold pap and banana, as well as local birds.

The development almost sparked off demonstration as some youths and passersby at the vicinity protested against the fetish sight, wondering why such object was allowed to be dropped in the mosque unnoticed.

When Our Correspondent visited the scene around 11:30am, the remnants of the propitiation were still seen burning.

However, The Herald On Sunday gathered that it took the intervention of Mogaji Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Mohammed Woru, before the tensed situation could be brought under control, after he directed that the atonement be evacuated and burnt.

Woru, who is also the image-maker of the Emirate, told our Correspondent on a telephone that the youths were provoked by the development and wanted to cause chaos around the mosque.

He condemned the act which he described as abominable, admonishing those behind it to desist.

Woru also advised those involved in fetish practice to move closer to the Almighty God whose power supersedes any fetish practice.