Ilorin
Ilorin is one of the largest cities in Nigeria and is the capital of Kwara
State. As of 2007 it had a population of 847,582.
History
Ilorin was founded by the Yoruba, one of the three largest
ethnic groups in Nigeria, in 1450. It became a provincial military headquarters
of the ancient Oyo
Empire, it later become a Northern Nigeria protectorate when the Shehu
Alimi, a descendant of Shehu Usman Dan-Fodio, took control of the city through
the spread of Islamic religion. The capital was occupied by the Royal Niger Company in 1897 and its lands
incorporated into the British colony of Northern Nigeria in 1900,
although the emirate continued to perform ceremonial functions. Although the city retains a strong Islamic
influence from the northern incursions, Christianity is now widely practiced by
significant portions of other Nigerians originating from other states. Ilorin
is the largest city and the official capital of Kwara State.
City of
Lawyers
The legal profession is strong
in Ilorin. The first lawyer to take silk in the whole of Nigeria's North is
from the city: Alhaji A.G.F. Abdulrazaq (SAN). He has at least two lawyers in
his family. A respected judicial officer in the Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, who once headed the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), is also from Ilorin.
His son is also a lawyer. The Belgore family has made notable contributions to
the profession, especially with Justice Alfa Belgore (4 of his five children are lawyers),
former Chief Justice of the Federation and Justice M.B. Belgore, retired Chief
Judge of the Federal High Court, whose two children are also lawyers, including
M.D. Belgore, SAN.
Ilorin's Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim
Kolapo Sulu Gambari, is a retired Justice of the Court of Appeal. Justice Saidu
Kawu, retired Justice of the Supreme Court and Alhaji Aliyu Alarape Salma (SAN)
are also from Ilorin. A one time Attorney-General of the Federation, Bayo-Ojo,
though not from Ilorin but practised in Ilorin. Other prominent lawyers in
Ilorin include Yusuf
Olaolu Ali (SAN)],
Wole Olanipekun (SAN), Chief P.O.A. Olorunnisola (SAN), Hon Justice Lambo
Akanbi of Fed.high court,PH. The U.N Under-Secretary General for Political
Affairs, Prof. Ibrahim Agboola Gambari is from Ilorin.
Sports
Ilorin has a 20,000-capacity
stadium and two Premier League professional football teams, the Kwara United
Football Club and Abubakar Bukola Saraki Football Club.
The city of Ilorin accommodates
the only standard baseball court in west Africa. It has also hosted several
national handball competitions
Media
Television and radio stations
in Ilorin include NTA Ilorin, Kwara Television, Radio Kwara, Unilorin FM,
Cruise FM (www.cruisefmng.net), Royal FM and an office of the News Agency of
Nigeria Ilorin.
Commerce
The political economy of Kwara
State can be traced to 1967 when it was created. Since then the state has
undergone various developmental efforts, mostly initiated by the federal
government given the nature of the Nigerian state, a centralized federal system
where all development policies and programmes originate from the center.
Despite its strategic location
as the gateway between the southern and northern parts of the country, there
are few industries in Kwara State. The state has a good network of roads, rail
and air transportation facilities linking it with Nigeria's other industrial
and commercial centers.
Nature has also endowed the
state with adequate vast and rich agricultural land for both road and
exportable cash crops.
Similarly, the limestone and
dolomite of Oreke, Idofian Kaolin and clay near Ilorin and other parts of the
state, pure gold at Kaiama and Patigi area,
and the highly exportable rich tantalite deposit of Iporin, make Kwara
State rich in primary resources.
Despite these favourable
conditions, Kwara State has only one or two viable industries, notably Global
Soap and Detergent Industries Nigeria Limited and the International Tobacco
Company.
Successive administrations have
attempted to attract industrialists to the state. Several meetings were held with
Kwarans both in Lagos and Kaduna, among others, but with little response.
However, in spite of the paucity of funds, Governor Bukola Saraki has made
progress in his efforts to improve the quality of lives of the people of the
state.
This is demonstrated by
successes achieved in the fields of finance, education, health, water and rural
development, agriculture, and industrial development.
With such efforts, Ilorin has
become the hub for Cashew processing in Nigeria and Olam (a leading MNC in Agro
Commodities) has set up Africa's biggest cashew processing plant. The plant
boasts to process 100 MT of cashew everyday and provides employment to over
2000 workers.
Recently established industries
include Dangote Flour Mills, Tuyil Pharmaceutical company, KAMWIL, Golden
Confectionate Food Industries, Chellaram Motor-Cycle Assembly plants, and
Rajrab Pharmaceuticals.
To encourage both local and
foreign investors, the state government provides various incentives, such as
100 per cent waiver on statutory payments on land, which was also made
available to the Dangote Industries Limited for the flour mill complex.
Transport
Ilorin's central location makes
it easily accessible to all parts of the country by air, road and rail.
Although the Ilorin
International Airport has been re-designated and equipped as an International
Cargo Airport, there are scheduled commercial flights to and from Ilorin by
Over land and Capital Airlines. Current destinations include Lagos, Abuja and
Jos.
Ilorin offers reliable road
transport services to Lagos, Ogun,
Osun, Ondo, Oyo Ekiti, Kogi, Niger, Kaduna and Plateau States. Similar services
are available to and from Onitsha, Port
Harcourt, Abuja, Aba
and others.
The major roads in the city are
generally good, with relatively well-developed intra-city public
transportation. Other roads that need repairs are gradually receiving the
attention of the Kwara State Government.
There are three modes of
transiting from place to place in the city – the most popular being the
conventional taxis. Car-hire services are available in major hotels.
There are the commercial
motorbikes commonly called "Okada", and the more recent arrival on
Ilorin's roads, "Keke NAPEP", imported commercial tricycles given on
loan to beneficiaries in the National Poverty Eradication Programme (NAPEP/KEKE
MARUWA) introduced by the government of President Olusegun Obasanjo.
Compared to other cities and
state capitals in Nigeria, transport fares in Ilorin are cheap. While taxis
charge range between N50 to N100 per drop, a ride on the okada ranges depending
on the distance as the driver deem fit.
A major expressway to Ibadan is
currently under construction by P.W.
International LTD
Culture
The city is a confluence of
cultures, populated by Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani, Nupe, Baruba, other Nigerians and
foreign nationals. There are very significant Christian and Islamic
populations. Many ceremonial activities, mostly with religious aspects, take
place in the city throughout the year.
Ilorin presents the visitors with
friendly environment [generally called "Home of Peace"] hence host
different religious practice and training institutions. Located on the city's
GRA, the degree-awarding United Missionary Theological College (affiliated with
the University of Ibadan) produces many church ministers, teachers and
theologians of all denominations, the College of Arabic and Islamic Legal
Studies in Adeta Area trains Muslims in various Islamic, Arabic and social
science disciplines. Alfa Alimi's Mosque and residence is said to have been
built in 1831. It was the first Juma'at Mosque in Ilorin.
The city also present a range
of tourist attractions such as the imposing Sobi Hill, said to have offered
protection to natives during inter-tribal wars in ancient times. The Okuta
Ilorin is located in Asaju's compound, Idi-Ape Quarters. It is the stone on
which Ojo Isekuse, one of the founders of the city, used to sharpen his metal
tools. It was actually called "Okuta ilo irin" (meaning stone for
sharpening metals), and Ilorin is said to have derived its name from there. The
stone was a deified object of worship and sacrifice offerings in the past.
Pottery is big business in
Ilorin. The city boasts the biggest traditional pottery workshops in Nigeria.
They are located in Dada area of Okelele, Eletu in Oju Ekun, Okekura, Oloje,
Abe Emi and Ita Merin.
Also thriving is the
traditional textile industry. In various parts of the city, Aso-Oke, the
wonderful textiles and hand-woven on simple looms are made in large quantities.
Aso-Oke is patronized by traders and fashion designers from Kwara State, other
parts of Nigeria and from abroad.
The cultural center houses the
Kwara State Council for Arts and Culture, its performing troupe, and a gallery
with artistic objects and antiquities. Souvenirs of cultural and historical
values are also available.
Ilorin has a creation park
formerly Amusement Park, now renamed Metropolitan Park is located on Unity
Road, next to Guaranty Trust Bank. The Kwara State Stadium Complex has an
Olympic-sized swimming pool with facility for diving among others. The only
purpose-built baseball park in Nigeria is located in the Adewole area of the
city.
The National Commission for
Museum and Monuments has one of its centers in Ilorin, with interesting
cultural and ethnographic objects from Nigeria's many cultures. The Esie Museum is of
major note.
Christianity
in Ilorin
The city has a host of ancient
and modern Churches and very large congregations such as the holy order of
Cherubim and Seraphim churches, Anglican, Methodist, Celestial Church of
Christ, Catholic, Seventh day Adventist and Protestant populations of the
Christian faith. Most Christian Churches in the state started schools and most
of the innovative and positive ideas introduced through the church schools were
readily adopted by the Muslim schools, once they saw the advantages that were
to be derived from them.
The Ilorin
Central Mosque
History
The first Ilorin central mosque
was founded in 1820 at Agbarere popularly known as "Ile-elewa", under
the leadership of Sheik Imam Munab'bau. This was followed in 1835 when another
central mosque was built at Idi-Ape during the reign of the first Emir of
Ilorin, Abdul Salam. However, more than a century later, this central mosque
could no longer cope with the phenomenal growth in the population of the Muslim
Ummah of the city. For this reason, in 1974, the 9th Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji
(Dr) Zulkarnaini Gambari invited Grand Mufti Alhaji Mohammed Kamal-u-deen and
the present Wazirin Ngeri of Ilorin, Dr. Abubakar Sola Saraki to co-ordinate
the fund-raising and the construction of a new central mosque befitting of the
status of Ilorin as a city of Islam.
The present Ilorin Central Mosque
On April 30, 1977, the
foundation was laid for the new mosque by the Emir of Gwandu on behalf of the
Sarki Musulmi, Sultan Abubabar III. At the time the new Ilorin Central Mosque
was completed and officially opened in 1981 by the former president Alhaji
Shehu Shagari.
Today the mosque is generally
dilapidated with visible structural defects like cracks showing on some of the
columns, the concrete walls and the domes, causing profuse leakages in a number
of locations. The glass mosaic finishes on the walls and marble floors are
cracked or chipped off making the mosque look generally rough and unsightly.
Similarly, all the auxiliary structures like the toilet building and the steel
stanchions are either dysfunctional or completely bad.
The "New" Ilorin Central Mosque
This project, the
rehabilitation, refurbishment and redecoration of the Central Mosque is an
effort to restore this important cultural icon. The planning work had started
in 2007 when Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Zulu Gambari, CFR, the Eleventh Emir of
Ilorin, with great assistance from Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, the Turaki of
Ilorin, and the Executive Governor of Kwara State, set up a technical committee
headed by Alhaji Shehu Abdulgafar, on the rehabilitation and enhancement of the
central mosque. The committee has worked actively and had invited expertise
from specialists in mosque construction from around the World, especially from
Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Nigeria.
In addition to the general
restoration of enhancement of the mosque, it will now have a total of 99 domes
of different diameters, 75 feet above the floor. The large dome will be of gold
finish while the four big domes around it will be coated in green and
reflective illumination. The mosque form is enveloped within a pyramid shape of
square base and 45 inclinations for the faces. It has four accessible minarets
each standing at the height of 150 feet. Moreover all the dilapidated domes and
minarets with mosaic finishing will be restored and the finished with
cut-to-size marble. The exterior and interior will also be covered by special
marble while the expanded courtyard will be constructed with heat-absorbing
granite (marble) finish. The doors and windows will be replaced with specially
designed ones befitting the new mosque concept.
Added facilities include:
·
3 Modern Ablution centers
with toilets facilities, each able to hold 100 worshipers at a time.
·
A well equipped
multi-purpose hall.
·
An Islamic library with
modern facilities.
·
A car park.
·
Modern lighting
equipment, air-conditioners and long-range speakers for salat calls among
others
Education
It is home to Four of Nigeria's
universities, the University
of Ilorin, Hallmark University, Al-Hikmah University, Ilorin, and
Kwara State University. It is also home for the following educational
institutions:
·
Kwara State Polytechnic,
Ilorin
·
Federal Government
College Ilorin
·
Kwara State College of
Education, Ilorin
·
Muhyideen College of
Education, Ilorin
·
College of Arabic and
Islamic Legal Studies
·
United Missionary
Theological Seminary.
·
School of Nursing and
Midwifery
·
National Centre for
Agricultural Mechanization
·
Agriculture and Rural
Management Training Institute
·
Michael Imoudu Institute
for Labour Studies
·
Kwara state University
·
Federal Training Center
·
Government Secondary
School, Ilorin Founded in 1914
·
Ansarul Islam Secondary
School, Ilorin
·
Mount Carmel College,
Ilorin
