The New Traditional Title Holders of Ilorin Emirate: A Parade of Paragons of Patriotism

The New Traditional Title Holders of Ilorin Emirate: A Parade of Paragons of Patriotism

By Abubakar Imam

Last Thursday (July 22,2021) was an unusual but a great day in the recent annals of Ilorin. It was the date the Emirate combined many things at the same time. Yet, each of them not only went well but also ended well. That day, the Emir paid the traditional sallah visit(Bareke) to the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, at the Government House, Ilorin. There was, also, a well-attended stakeholders’ meeting on the management and maintenance of Ilorin Central Jumaat Mosque,which was hosted at the Mosque by the Chairman of the Mosque’s Board of Trustees and Iyan Garin of Ilorin, Honourable Justice Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore, CON, GCON(b. 1937), former Chief Justice of Nigeria; as well as the Chairman of its Central Working Committee, who is also the Danmadami of Ilorin, Alhaji Shehu AbdulGafar, OON(b. 1939). The Emir and his guests were also entertained at the forecourt of his palace at which another phase of the history of the southernmost Emirate began.

The previous day, which was designated for the 3rd edition of the Ilorin Emirate Grand Durbar, was marked with mixed feelings. This was because of the suspension of the durbar by the Kwara State Government as a result of security concerns. So many people had anticipated that this year’s durbar would be really grand. Many had even expected the announcement of new traditional title holders at the event, though, it did not happen that way.

But on Thursday when the Emir returned to the palace from the Government House, Ilorin, where he had gone to pay the traditional sallah homage to His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, he and his entourage were treated to multidimensional entertainment. It was in the course of the colourful event at the palace that the Emir announced the conferment of honorary traditional titles on nine very distinguished sons of the community.

I am sure that only very few individuals were surprised. Quite a number of indigenes, residents and friends of Ilorin were impressed with the appointments of those gentlemen as they have paid their dues to the community in one way or the other.

The new Madawaki of Ilorin, Alhaji Yakubu Garba Gobir,clearly holds the oldest of the nine titles conferred on that historic day. The title was created by the 8th Emir of Ilorin, Shaykh Abdulkadir Shuaib Dan Bawa, who lived between 1887 and 1959 and reigned from 1919 to 1959.The first recipient of the title was late Alhaji Yahaya Ori-Okoh,OBE,MFR(1907-1998). He held the title from 1955 till his death in 1998.Like the new Madawaki, Alhaji Ori-Okoh, who was later known as Yahaya Madawaki, was a community leader, politician and business man. He was, succeeded by one of his ex-pupils, Honourable Justice Saidu Kawu,CON(1928-2013), the pioneer Chief Judge of Kwara State. Justice Kawu held the title from 2006 to 2013 when he died. The new Madawaki of Ilorin, Alhaji Yakubu Garba Gobir, who was born in 1965, has made his marks. He is the President of Gobir Organisation through which many lives have been touched positively. One of his most remarkable contributions is the fact that he has succeeded in joining efforts with other members of the Gobir dynasty in “rekindling” the Gobir brand in the development of Ilorin. The new Madawaki has also continued from where his progenitors stopped by being a worthy offspring that his grand father, Mallam Muhammadu Ajeigbe Gobir(1900-1960), the first Waziri of Ilorin, would be very proud of. He is also perpetuating the service to humanity, which his illustrious father, Ambassador Abubakar Garba Gobir (1934-1996) and his mother, Alhaja Belawu Gobir(1943-2019), were renowned. Just as his illustrious uncles, Alhaji Yusuf Amuda Gobir, OFR, (1934-1975), Alhaji Yakubu Amori Gobir and Alhaji Amuda Ahmadu Gobir aka Amuda Agba(1930-1980) were also worthy patriots of Ilorin. One very distinguished contribution of this accomplished Pharmacist and promising politician, which has secured for him a space in the hearts of many people in Ilorin, is the comprehensive renovation of the famous Okesuna Primary School, Ilorin,the citadel of knowledge, which had produced some of the most influential figures in the annals of Ilorin including all his mentioned forebears and the father of the incumbent Emir. Alhaji Gobir is the only one among the nine new title holders who had received similar honour from a sister Emirate as he was turbaned as the Waziri Kasar Hausa by the Emir of Daura in Katsina State in 2019.The elegant display of the conferment of the prestigious title of Madawaki on this enterprising gentleman on billboards located in some strategic points across the city of Ilorin has added colour to the historic development.Alhaji Gobir,as Madawaki (Commander-in-Chief) of Ilorin, is imbued with all that are needed to defend the interests of Ilorin Emirate.

Unsurprisingly, the Emir also announced the appointment of Dr Muhammad Alimi AbdulRazaq as the Mutawali of Ilorin. The title was introduced into the socio-cultural lexicon of Ilorin Emirate by the 9th Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Sulu Gambari,CFR, who lived between 1914 and 1992 and was the Emir from 1959 to 1992.The title came into being in 1962. The choice of the then Emir was the renowned all-round pioneer and first Lawyer from the then Northern Region, Alhaji AbdulGaniyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq, SAN, OFR,(1927-2020).Alhaji AbdulRazaq, who was also the first Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and Honourable Commissioner and Member of the Kwara State Executive Council from Ilorin Emirate, held the honourary traditional title for 58 unprecedented years. With the development under review, the amiable and always smiling deceased Lawyer has been succeeded by his eldest son, Dr Alimi AbdulRazaq.The new Mutawali of Ilorin shares so many similarities with his late dad. He is a Lawyer like his illustrious father. He is also a pioneer in his own right as his father. While his father happened to be the first Lawyer from Ilorin, the son is also the first indigene of Ilorin who obtained a doctorate degree in Law. He is also a politician like his father. Dr AbdulRazaq has also made the record of being one of the not too many individuals who inherited the honorary chieftaincy titles vacated by their fathers. The first is Alhaji Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari (b. 1965) who took over the title of Ciroma of Ilorin, which was previously held by his father, Emir Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, from 1984 to 1995.The amiable prince became the Ciroma in 2006.The second instance of a son directly inheriting the title earlier held by his father is the case of Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, CON(b. 1962).He was first appointed the Turaki of Ilorin in 2006 when his father was elevated to the position of Waziri of Ilorin. He subsequently took the title of Waziri a few years after the demise of his father. The fourth is Engr. Kale Kawu,who has just been appointed as Dan Iyan of Ilorin in succession of his dad. Dr AbdulRazaq, no doubt, deserves the honour. He is a chip of the old block and a fine gentleman whose love for Ilorin is incontrovertible as it was the case with his father and predecessor. Dr AbdulRazaq has all it would take to serve as “the protector of the treasures” of Ilorin Emirate.

The appointment of Mallam Saliu Mustapha as the fifth Turaki of Ilorin was most unsurprising to this author and, indeed, the overwhelming majority of the people of Ilorin Emirate. This is because of the ground breaking manner he has registered himself in the consciousness of the people as a patriot and philanthropist. Just like the previous holders of the title, Mallam Mustapha, the Chairman of Saliu Mustapha Foundation, has left no one in doubt of his desire to see to the transformation of Ilorin. The title was also a creation of the second longest reigning Emir of Ilorin so far, Shaykh Sulu Gambari. It was created in 1963 and the first holder was the late Alhaji Sanni Olanrewaju Buraimo Okin, OFR (1910-1972).The second holder of the title was the community’s most influential Politician and philanthropist of all times, Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki (1933-2012).Dr Saraki dominated the sociopolitical life of Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State like a colossus that he was. The second republic Senate Leader, who held the title between 1974 and 2006, was directly succeeded by his son, Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki, a former Governor of Kwara State and the immediate past Senate President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The younger Saraki held the position between 2006 and 2018 when he was made the Waziri of Ilorin again in succession to his father. The new Turaki of Ilorin shared many attributes with all the three previous holders of the title. He was neither born nor raised in Ilorin just like his distinguished predecessors. He is also a politician and businessman like them too. The handsome Mallam Mustapha is also a philanthropist of note. Like the previous holders of the title, no project or programme has been undertaken in Ilorin in the last few years without his meaningful input. He also contributed Millions of Naira towards the running of the Ilorin Central Jumaat Mosque. He has also extended his generosity to the annual Ilorin Emirate Durbar festival like no other individual. Several sociocultural organisations of the people of Ilorin Emirate have also attracted his supports through mind blowing donations. In “emulation” of his predecessors, he has also secured a comfortable place in contemporary national politics. Saliu Mustapha is in his 40s just like his last two predecessors who were also conferred with the title in their 40s.The former Senate Leader became the Turaki of Ilorin at the age of 41 while the immediate past Senate President took the position at the age of 44.One other thing that stands Mallam Mustapha out among the other new title holders is that he is the youngest of them all. He is 49 years old. The title Mallam Mustapha now hold in Ilorin was made famous by three great Nigerians such as the first elected President of Nigeria, Alhaji Shehu Usman Aliyu Shagari,GCFR, who was the Turaki of Sokoto between 1962 and 2018 when he died;the second republic Senate Leader,Dr Abubakar Olusola Saraki,who was the Turaki of Ilorin; and the first elected Vice-President in the present dispensation, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar,GCON(b. 1946)who was the Turakin Adamawa before his elevation to the title of Wazirin Adamawa in 2019. Mallam Mustapha,as Turakin Ilorin, is endowed with qualities required of whoever would serve as “a leader in the world of business” in Ilorin Emirate.

Alhaji Saka Onimago’s appointment as the Shettima of Ilorin might have come as a pleasant surprise to several of his compatriots. This view is not unconnected with the fact that he is not a typical politician or a moneybag. He is a financial technocrat and an accomplished administrator who was born in 1949. The title of Shettima was created in 1979 by the father of the present Emir. The first holder of the title was the highly endowed intellectual giant and long serving technocrat and community leader, Alhaji Abubakar Lah, MFR (1919-2013). Alhaji Lah, a teacher to many who later became statesmen across the erstwhile Northern Region, was an extraordinary linguist and superlative polyglot who spoke 17 different languages. The new Shettima, like his predecessor, is a distinguished technocrat. Alhaji Onimago is an accomplished Chartered Accountant and the immediate past Chairman of the Kwara State Civil Service Commission. He had previously served as a Commissioner and Member of the Kwara State Executive Council. He was also Secretary to the Kwara State Government at a point during the tenure of Dr Abubakar Bukola Saraki as the Executive Governor of Kwara State. Of all the new title holders, Khalifa Onimago is the only one who was very active in the IEDPU,the main sociocultural organisation of the people of Ilorin Emirate. He held influential positions in the Union at various times. He was the Union’s National Financial Secretary and National Treasurer at one time or the other,particularly in the early 1980s. The new Shettima of Ilorin was a high ranking staff of the Industrial Training Fund prior to his retirement. He is also a home boy with many of his friends being indigenes of Ilorin. He is truly deserving of the title of “Shettima”, the origin of which is traceable to the great Borno Empire and it was the first indigenous Governor of the defunct Northern Region, Alhaji(Sir)Kashim Ibrahim,who was also the Shettima of Borno,that made the title quite popular. The new Shettima of Ilorin is blessed enough with tested and trusted humanitarian feelings to serve as “the promoter of humanitarian affairs” of the people of Ilorin Emirate.

The new Tafida of Ilorin is Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje (b. 1951).He is a seasoned teacher, an outstanding administrator and an accomplished politician. He is also a great philanthropist and exceptional school proprietor. He is the second holder of the title, which became vacant last year, following the death of the first Tafida of Ilorin, Dr Yusuf Amuda Aluko, OFR (1935-2020).The title was created in 1986 by the 9th Emir of Ilorin, Shaykh Sulu Gambari,CFR. Alhaji Baraje, who hails from Baboko area of Ilorin, shares some similarities with his predecessor. He is largely an home boy who worked within and around Ilorin for the most part of his working career. He is also a politician and the first and only son of Ilorin Emirate,so far, who will emerge as the Chairman of a national ruling party. He is also a personification of loyalty to every cause he believes in like his predecessor. Alhaji Baraje is also the founder of Baraje Center for Arabic and Islamic Studies, Ilorin, a school, which offers free tuition and transportation to its students. The contributions of Alhaji Baraje to the progress of Ilorin Emirate is unquantifiable considering the number of indigenes of Ilorin who passed through him as a teacher and many others he had assisted with jobs and career progressions. Like Dr Aluko, most of the friends of the new Turaki are also indigenes of Ilorin with whom he grew up together. The title, which was made popular nationally by a former Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters who ended his sojourn on earth as a phenomenal politician, General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (1943-1997), the late Tafidan Katsina, is befitting to this illustrious son of Ilorin. Through fidelity, diligence and integrity Alhaji Baraje has become an “important figure” in Ilorin Emirate, which the title connotes.

The title of Dan Iyan of Ilorin was a creation of the immediate past Emir of Ilorin, Shaykh Aliyu Babaagba Abdulkadir, who lived from 1916 to 1995 and was the Emir of Ilorin between 1992 and 1995.The first holder of the honourary traditional title was Alhaji Ibrahim Folorunsho Kawu Agaka. Alhaji Agaka was an accomplished palace technocrat who served as the Principal Private Secretary to the 9th and 10th Emir of Ilorin. He was also a prince of the Shitta ruling dynasty. The new holder of the title is Engr. Kale Kawu Agaka who is one of the children of his predecessor. The name of the new Dan Iyan is not new to the people of Ilorin particularly among his contemporaries. He is a hardworking and patriotic technocrat and the Director of Project at the Rural Electrification Agency. He has been of tremendous assistance to the people of Ilorin Emirate. So many communities have benefited from his office through supply and installation of electrical infrastructures. He is also an humble and generous personality. Therefore, appointing him as the Dan Iyan in succession to his father has been most unsurprising to those who follow the trend of events in the southernmost Emirate. Despite being an unassuming and self-effacing but a “visionary and always sought after personality”, the 52 years old distnguished Electrical Engineer would no doubt continue to live up to the meaning of his well-deserved title.

Many who have their ears to the ground have been sniffing the possibility of the emergence of Shaykh Suleiman Faruq Onikijipa as the Grand Mufti of Ilorin for quite sometime. His appointment was therefore not surprising to that category of people. Yet, many others expressed profound surprise with the development. He is seen to be relatively too young compared with the age of his predecessors as at the times of their appointments. The title was established by the incumbent Emir in 2004.The first holder of the title was the celebrated avatar and highly venerated founder of the Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, Shaykh Muhammad Kamaldeen Habeebullahi Al-Adabiyy, MFR, OFR, ORSA, FISN (1905-2005).He held the position for about two years before his demise. The second holder of the title was a direct student of the pioneer Grand Mufti, Shaykh Khidir Salaudeen Apaokagi Al-Adabiyy (1917-2013).The penultimate Mufti held the title for five(5) years from 2008 to 2013 before he died. Shaykh Apaokagi, the founder of Adabiyyah Arabic Institute, Owo,Ondo State; and the immediate past National President of the Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, was succeeded by the eldest of his teacher’s children, Shaykh Sofiyulahi Muhammad Kamaldeen Al-Adabiyy (1926-2014) who held the office for less than a year. The new Grand Mufti is certainly the youngest holder of the title as he is still in his 50s while none of the previous holders was less than 80 years of age as at the date of their appointments. Shaykh Onikijipa shares some similarities with his predecessors. He comes from the same part of Ilorin as they did. He also attended the same Arabic and Islamic Training Centre(Markaz), Agege, as did by his immediate predecessor. His teacher,mentor and the founder of the Arabic School from where he graduated, Shaykh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory(1917-1992) was a close friend and intellectual comrade to the penultimate Grand Mufti,particularly during their younger days. While the new Mufti has demonstrated convincing admirations for all his predecessors,he is expected to bring to bear his scholarship and sense of moderation as endowed, manifested and clearly demonstrated by all his illustrious predecessors to justify his position as the “Overall Head of Islamic Jurists” in Ilorin Emirate. I believed that the highly sophisticated new Grand Mufti would discharge his responsibilities competently.

Of all the distinguished gentlemen who were granted honourary traditional titles by the Emir of Ilorin last week, many have convincingly argued that the 84 years old Shaykh Yakub Aliagan Al-Adabiyy is probably the most deserving. He is neither wealthy nor ever held or aspired to any ephemeral office. But he has been very useful to the community in his over six decades of a career dedicated to nothing but teaching and propagation of Islam. He has been the Chief Preacher at the Ilorin Central Jumaat Mosque for the past four eventful decades. The title, Sarkin Malami of Ilorin, he was conferred with is a creation of the present Emir of Ilorin. The position was first held by the pioneer Grand Kadi of Kwara State, Honourable Justice Abdulkadir Orire, CON(1934-2021).Shaykh Aliagan is therefore the second holder of the prestigious title. He shares some similarities with his predecessor. He is taking the title at an obviously advanced age just like Justice Orire. He also started his “Islamic activism” as a Member of the Youth Wing of the Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria in the 1950s, the same path Justice Orire took. Shaykh Aliagan is also a fearless preacher and straight forward leader like his predecessor. Even at an advanced age, his oratory is also as fascinating as that of the late Muslim jurist. Shaykh Aliagan is incontrovertibly the oldest of the nine new titles holders and his conferment with the “leadership of all Islamic scholars” in Ilorin Emirate is seen as a reward for relentless services,selfless commitment and undiluted patriotism.

Finally, the last but not the least of the titles is Malam Ubandoma. The title originated from Sokoto and it is always given to an extremely trusted scholar of high value. The prestigious title went to Dr Abdulkadir Salman, who is popularly known as Alfa Oba Solagberu. The title is a creation of the incumbent Emir and a worthy addition to the list of honourary titles specifically reserved for Islamic Scholars in Ilorin Emirate. Just like others, Dr Salman deserves the honour in view of his vast erudition and contributions to the growth and spread of Islamic knowledge. The pioneer Malam Ubandoma, who was born in 1965, is an upwardly mobile scholar of Arabic and Islamic Studies. An excellent orator, world class preacher and a great philanthropist in his right, Dr Salman is the Proprietor of the famous Darul Kitab Wa Sunna College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Gaa Akanbi,Ilorin. He is also the President of Shehu Alimi Islamic Foundation for Peace and Development and the pioneer Chairman of the Kwara State Board for Arabic and Islamic Studies, as well as the promoter of the proposed Darul Kitab University, Agbeyangi, Ilorin. He has done quite well and conducted himself so fantastically fascinating to deserve being anointed as a “trusted cleric”.

All the nine gentlemen are patriots who truly deserved the titles that have been conferred on them. The only challenge is for them to live up to the expectations of not just the Emir but also the people of Ilorin Emirate. This is because more than ever before, these title holders will now be recognised as leaders in the community. I urge them to be conscious of the yearnings of the people and ensure that the people of Ilorin are not disappointed by their words, actions and inactions. I must say that, with the appointments, they have lost their privacies. They are now confirmed public figures and “public property”. Their statesmanship has been affirmed and secured by the different titles conferred on them. They must strive to remain real statesmen as they are.

I sincerely congratulate all the new title holders for their selection for the honours among several qualified and equally compatriots. I wish them a very, peaceful and progressive tenure of their various offices.

Imam is National Publicity Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.