An indigenous religion practitioners group identified as Isese Welfare Association has distanced itself from Mufutau Olufola Olobi, the lawyer who wrote an apology letter on behalf of their detained member, Abdul Azeez Adégbolá, aka Tani Ọlọhun.
PurpleWorld earlier reported that Olobi had tendered an apology to Muslims, Islamic clerics and the sons and daughters of Ilorin Emirate for Tani Olohun’s actions.
In the apology letter dated October 9, 2023, and addressed to the Association of Proud Sons and Daughters of Ilorin Emirate and the entire Muslim clerics and Muslim adherents worldwide, the lawyer claimed that his client had repented.
“Furthermore, in furtherance of genuine intention, sobriety, clear, sincere and unequivocal apology of Our client he has formally mandated and instructed us to on his behalf write this letter of further personal apologise.
“With humility, we are making our reliance for the basis of this our letter on the provisions of the noble Holy Quran on forgiveness by commending you to the following provisions,” the apology letter read in part.
Reacting to the lawyer’s request and plea, Isese Welfare Association in a press statement dated October 11, 2023, jointly signed by its Coordinator, Adérẹ̀mí Ifáòleèpin Adérẹ̀mí and Secretary General, Ifágbénúṣọlá Owomide Popoola, said Olobi “is not a personal lawyer of Tani Olohun and hence, the lawyer lacks justification to write any letter on his behalf”.
The statement reads: “We specially write on behalf of Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Community worldwide to formally announce, publicly, that one Barr Mufutau Olufola Olobi is not a personal lawyer of our spiritual son, Abdul Azeez Adégbolá, aka Tani Ọlọhun, who is standing trial before the Magistrate and Upper Area Courts in Ìlọrin, Kwara State on the allegations of defamation of character and other charges.
“It should be noted that, this Barr. Mufu Olobi, is a practising Muslim said to be an indigene of Offa, but residing in Lagos and shuttling between Lagos and Ìlọrin, Kwara State was hired on behalf of the larger Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Community Worldwide by the local Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Community in Kwara State on the day Tani Ọlọhun was arraigned at the Magistrate Court, Ilorin by the Police, and he was paid the total sum of #300,000.00 as his Appearance Fee before he appeared in the courtroom.
“It was on that same day that he has been disengaged and clearly told that his service is no longer required. This was based on the premises of his unethical actions; it was observed that he was hobnobbing with the complainants and other several Islamic clerics and Muslim leaders in Ilorin, Kwara State at the expense of his so-called client.
“But, to our greatest surprise, he has refused to stop parading himself as a lawyer to Tani Ọlọhun, and he always used his connections in higher places to visit Tani Ọlọhun in Correctional Center in Ilorin and exploiting his present predicament and circumstances to manipulate the young man and also become a confusionist in the Legal Team of Tani Ọlọhun being ably led by the Lead Counsel in the person of Barr Ademola Banks.”
Tani Olorun was remanded in prison for allegedly planning to “start a war” in Ilorin city, the Kwara State capital, by “inviting other traditional and idol worshippers to assemble in Ilorin on the 20th of August, 2023”.
He was also accused of burning the Quran and insulting some Islamic clerics.
Tani Olohun’s alleged actions came after some Muslim clerics in Ilorin earlier were caught on camera threatening to stone some Isese worshippers performing rites at a river in the Oko Lowo area of the state.
The Muslim clerics threatened to stone the indigenous religion practitioners including their priestess.