VC: Traditional Worshippers Dissociate Self From Joining Protests In OAU

The leadership and the entire members of the Traditional Religion Worshippers Association (TRAWSO), the umbrella body for all adherents of traditional religion, on Wednesday, dissociated itself from the news of alleged invasion of the Obafemi Awololwo University, Ile-Ife by its members over the rejection of a new Vice-Chancellor of the institution by the indigenes of the host community.

The group in a statement by its president, Dr Oluseyi Atanda, and the secretary, Ifasola Onifade, called on security agencies to fish out, investigate and uncover those that dressed like traditionalists and invaded the campus.

The statement reads, “Our members were not involved in the protest. The activities of those involved are self-serving and shameful.

“The worrisome aspect is the fact that the protesters tended to portray us in a bad light as fetish and uncivilised and we warn against the use of our items by people that are not known to us.

"Those that are involved should be warned seriously as our members will not take kindly with the repeat of such show of shame which may attract stronger reaction, or even litigation from our end to protect our integrity.

“We also advise whoever wants to express displeasure through protest to take proper channel and desist from the conducts capable of destroying the integrity and honour of others.

"We want to place it on record that our members did not participate in such despicable acts and we dissociate ourselves from the protest and describe same as inexplicable to use anything belonging to us when in the real sense of it, the cause of the protest has nothing to do with us.

“We believe in fairness and we oppose cutting corners. We did not participate in the protest within the Campus of OAU and we are not in any way displeased with the management of the University regarding the running of the Institution.”

"While we recognise the inalienable right of whoever feels aggrieved to protest of any perceived injustice, we consider it strange that our sacred costumes, paraphernalia and other items (except charms and strange objects as reported) synonymous with traditionalists were adorned by the protesters.

“After thorough checks, we discovered that the protesters were neither members of TRAWSO in our Ile-Ife branch, nor belong to our other branches around the Ile Ife community.

“As respected members of the traditional institution, we were not involved in the running of the affairs of OAU and we were not involved in the processes that led to the appointment of the new Vice-Chancellor for the University, hence, we have no justifiable reason to protest the appointment of the VC of the Institution, a Federal University for that matter."