An Islamic scholar, Alhaji Lawal Semiu has raised alarm over plans by members of his family to indoctrinate his son, Lawal Aliu Abiodun into Erinle worship.
Erinle is a deity in western Nigeria worshiped by traditional worshippers.
Alhaji Lawal, a staunch Muslim adherent, in a widely circulated WhatsApp message, accused his mother of wanting to Initiate his 33-year-old son, Aliu Abiodun as Erinle worshipper.
The Islamic scholar maintained that his mother wanted to replace his son in her stead after her demise.
Alhaji Lawal explained further that even after the demise of his mother in 2022, the Erinle worshippers and some elders in his family are conspiring to abduct his son and take him to the deity shrine for Initiation.
He called on the Ogun State Government to prevent the Erinle worshippers to refrain from coercing his son into worshipping their deity.
He noted that it is against his son’s fundamental right and freedom of religious association to be forced to practice a religion against his wish.
He alleged that the deity worshippers were responsible for his stolen car in July 2023 and his Son’s company was caught by inferno on August 18, 2023 respectively.
He said, “I have sent my son to Ibadan because my grandmother wanted to initiate my son, Aliu into Erinle worship. Islam as a religion is against worshipping Erinle.
“My mother whom we call Iya Elerinle was from Osun State, but married to my father who was based in Abeokuta. They gave birth to more than seven children as I was told, but only me survived.
“The actual problem started when my mother died in June 2022, after which it was pronounced that my son, Aliu Abiodun must become the custodian of Erinle diety, as customs and traditions demand based on the voice of the oracle.
“As a respected Islamic cleric, i have never participated in the worshipping of the deity because my religion forbids such ungodly object. I will fight it to my breath, and my son cannot become the custodian of any object in place of my creator, Allah.
“They have been cajoling my son and encouraging him by mentioning career people and successful businessmen and women who had been blessed by the Erinle deity. But will not shake his faith and belief, but they should leave son alone. Nigeria is a multi-religion country, there is freedom if association, nobody should coerce or hypnotize my son from doing anything against his wish.
“They have resorted to violence. My car was stolen in July 2023 while my son’s company (Cityvest Multiventures) was set on fire on August 18th, 2023. We suspected some of these family elders and the Erinle worshippers, and we tried to go to court, but our lawyer advised us not to try it as we did not have enough evidence to charge them.
“The lawyer warned us that they could charge us for defamation of character if we charged them without enough evidence. Therefore, we could not do anything for them because most of them were highly influential and politically connected. We are seen as an underdog and the nature of the Nigeria Judicial corrupt system has made the situation a worse one.
“We, hereby call on other Islamic groups in Nigeria to resist this act of nepotism and injustice. We call on Governor Dapo Abiodun and other relevant security agencies to please come to my son’s rescue and prevent this sodomy from existing in Nigeria.”
He, however, said his son was afflicted spiritually with immoral bisexual acts by the deity worshippers to further criminalize him.
Alhaji Lawal said the allegation was a game plan by the deity worshippers to criminalize his son and put him behind bars since he refused to accede to their demands.
Meanwhile, the police are in search of Lawal Aliu Abiodun in connection with bisexual allegation against him by some members of the community.
