Women and non-indigenes resident in Ikate-Elegushi, a Lagos community, have expressed concern over the fixing of Oro ritual festival on the day of the governorship and State Assembly elections, amid a warning restricting their movement within the period.
They specifically said the order restricting their movement on account of the festival could jeopardize their chances of casting their ballots in the election.
The festival date was reportedly fixed by the traditional ruler, Saheed Ademola (Kusenla III), who also announced the restriction of movements. The festival will last for a period of three-days.
The special assistant on media affairs to the Ikate Kingdom’s monarch, Temitope Oyefeso confirmed that an Oro rite will take place in the Ikate-Elegushi Kingdom.
He 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 – Wednesday to Saturday.”
Oyefeso, however, debunked the allegation that it will affect election activities on Saturday, arguing: “We are not saying people should sit at home during the day like they have in other places.”
He added: “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.”
According to him, the Oro rite will bring peace to the community, adding that it happens in all communities within Lagos.
He explained that non-indigenes registered to vote in Elegushi will participate in the voting process, reiterating that “they will not leave the house to vote by 2:00 am, so they ought to be in their house.
“Voting starts by 8:00 am; 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,” the monarch’s spokesman explained. “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 pm.”
Residents of the community, however, allege that there is a political motive for the curfew, which will further disenfranchise women and non-indigenes from voting on election day. Others complained that it would paralyse commercial activities in the community.