Lagos Monarch fixes ‘Oro’ festival on election day

Lagos Monarch fixes 'Oro' festival on election day

 

The traditional ruler of the Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom, Saheed Ademola (Kusenla III), has reportedly fixed a three day Oro rite in the area on the election day.

According to People Gazette, this was issued to the people through a memo by the Monarch on Wednesday.

Also, the news has been confirmed by the special assistant to the monarch,Temitope Oyefeso, who said “Yes, there is an Oro rite happening in the Ikate kingdom. So, the Elegushi community council decided that residents and visitors should be in their houses from midnight to morning on Wednesday to Saturday”.

He also refuted the claims that the rituals was designed to keep residents away from voting.

“We are not saying people should sit at home during the day like they have in other places.

“Elections are held during the day, and by morning we will open the roads for people to come. It is a traditional rite.

“But unfortunately, it has come at this time. It is an annual event, and this is not the first time. We are not disrupting any process.

“Voting starts by 8:00 a.m., and there is a police curfew for midnight on election day. We are not doing anything different from what the police have done. It will just commence two days earlier.

“People should stop speculating rumours or being mischievous about Oro rites; it is not interfering with the process of the election. Residents can move about from morning till 11:30 p.m,” he said.

Reacting to the news, the police spokesman in Lagos, Benjamin Hundeyin, said, “Do you want to talk about rumour or you want to talk about facts? I am not engaging in hearsay. They have the freedom to say whatever they want to say. I will not engage in speculation”.