The International Council for Ifa Religion (ICIR) has expressed appreciation to Oyo State Governor, Engr. Seyi Makinde, for receiving its petition over the alleged discrimination against practitioners of the Ifa religion at the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS).
The council, however, alleged that the management of the state-owned broadcasting corporation has yet to implement resolutions reached during a peace meeting convened by the Office of the Special Adviser on Inter-faith.
In a letter dated August 3, 2026, and signed by its Public Relations Officer, Ifajemisin Awoyemi Ayanladun, the council commended Governor Makinde for his commitment to justice, fairness, religious tolerance and good governance.
It also appealed to the governor to intervene over what it described as the refusal of the BCOS Chairperson, Mrs. Dotun Olaitan, to comply with agreements reached on July 13, 2026.
According to the council, the resolutions included issuing a letter of clarification and apology to Dr. Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode and withdrawing all disciplinary measures taken against BCOS staff who facilitated the participation of the Ifa religion representative.
IREPORT247NEWS recalls that ICIR had earlier petitioned Governor Makinde over the alleged discrimination against the Ifa religion during an interfaith programme organised at BCOS, urging the state government to investigate the incident and ensure fairness and equal treatment for adherents of all faiths.
According to the petition, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union (RATTAWU) at BCOS jointly organised an interfaith prayer programme for members of staff on Tuesday, June 2, 2026.
The council said the programme was intended to promote religious inclusiveness by accommodating representatives of Christianity, Islam and the Yoruba Traditional Religion.
Related news
- Traditional religion group accuses BCOS Chair of alleged discrimination, seeks Makinde’s intervention
- Another painful goodbye: BCOS mourns Olaolu Afolabi, veteran staff member who died months before retirement
- Ex BCOS Staff writes open letter to Seye Famojuro, raises concerns over corporation’s state
ICIR stated that Dr. Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode, whom it described as a respected Ifa scholar and representative of the traditional religion, was invited to participate in the event.
However, the council alleged that rather than support the spirit of religious harmony, Mrs. Dotun Olaitan objected to the participation of the traditional religion representative, resulting in what it described as hostility and public embarrassment directed at Dr. Fakayode during the programme.
The petition further alleged that Dr. Fakayode was humiliated solely because of his religious belief, describing the incident as an abuse of office and a violation of his constitutional rights. ICIR argued that the alleged actions undermined peaceful religious coexistence and religious freedom in Oyo State.
The council also cited Sections 38 and 42 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), which guarantee freedom of religion and prohibit discrimination on the basis of religious belief.
It maintained that BCOS, as a government-owned media organisation, has a constitutional obligation to remain impartial and treat all religious groups fairly.
IREPORT247NEWS also reported that Mrs. Dotun Olaitan denied the allegations, insisting that she neither humiliated nor disrespected Dr. Fakayode.
She explained that only Christian and Muslim clerics were originally scheduled to participate in the programme, as they were the regular participants invited by BCOS for such events.
According to her, no formal arrangement had been made for the inclusion of an Ifa priest, and his participation was not part of the initial programme.
Olaitan further stated that she later attended the event briefly to prevent any misunderstanding and maintained that she did not in any way insult or embarrass the traditional religion representative.
She added that Dr. Fakayode has appeared on several BCOS programmes in the past, describing the allegations against her as false and insisting that the entire event was recorded.
The latest letter from the International Council for Ifa Religion indicates that while the organisation appreciates Governor Makinde’s intervention and commitment to religious tolerance, it believes the matter remains unresolved due to the alleged failure of the BCOS management to implement the resolutions reached at the July 13, 2026, meeting convened by the Office of the Special Adviser on Inter-faith.
Among the resolutions the council said have yet to be implemented are the issuance of a letter of clarification and apology to Dr. Fayemi Fatunde Fakayode over his description as a “controversial Ifa Priest” and the withdrawal of all queries, warning letters, transfers and disciplinary actions taken against BCOS staff members who facilitated the participation of the representative of the Yoruba Traditional Religion at the interfaith programme.
The council reaffirmed its commitment to peace, dialogue and harmonious coexistence among all religious groups, expressing confidence that Governor Makinde’s administration would ensure that the constitutional rights of every citizen, regardless of religious belief, are protected and that the agreements reached are fully implemented.
