Emulate Ilorin people for peace to reign, Unilorin VC urges Nigerians

Date: 2014-04-23

Prof Abdul-Ganiyu Ambali, Vice-Chancellor, University of Ilorin on Tuesday called on all Nigerians to learn from the harmonious relationship of people of diverse culture living in Ilorin 

Ambali made the call during the second National Conference of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS) of the University, with the theme: “Language and Religious Scholarship in West Africa: The Ilorin Factor”.

He noted that that Ilorin was a conglomerate of diverse tribes and cultures, intertwined and living peacefully.

“It is my belief that we need to understand and appreciate how the Yoruba, Fulani, Hausas, Nupe, Baruba, Gobirawa and the rest of the groups that make Ilorin, were able to live together harmoniously.

“We will then appreciate that Nigeria, despite our cultural plurality, can also be a peaceful and harmonious abode for us all,” he said.

Ambali urged the Federal Government to study the Ilorin situation and apply the principle nationwide, so that the country’s diversity, would be converted to strength.

In his keynote address, Justice Saliu Belgore, former Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), gave an exposition of the Ilorin city, saying the name “Ilu-Erin” meant “City of metal weapon”.

He disclosed that by the 17th century, the town was a small village and when Oyo became a powerful kingdom, it became one of the places to check the incursion of the Nupe slave traders.

According to him, the Yoruba people were to later merge with many indigenous people, to the extent that their language became influenced.

He explained that Muslims from various parts of Africa and the Sudan moving down to Yoruba land, were teachers and preachers, among them, the Islamic Scholar; Mohammmed Saleh.

He added that Saleh settled in Ilorin after his sojourn in some parts of Yoruba kingdom and became a renowned preacher nicknamed “Alimi” in Ilorin.

Belgore noted that the Islamic preacher, after aiding a warrior, named Afonja, who ran from the Oyo Empire, established an Islamic caliphate and homogenised all tribes within the city.

Prof Abdulrasheed Na’ Allah, Vice-Chancellor of Kwara State University (KWASU), who also spoke at the event, said that language was the most important endowment of human beings.

He noted that the linguistic proficiency of Ilorin had always being accorded high regards and dueattention.. (NAN)

 


Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

CUTI     Toyin Sanusi     Saka Asiat Ayinke     Kawu     Ayekale     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Oloje     Pakata Development Association     Al-Hikmah University     Chartered Institute Of Personnel Management Of Nigeria     Ilesha Gwanara Road     Rasaq Jimoh     General Tunde Idiagbon International Airport Ilorin     Aliyu Muhammed     SARS     National Union Of Road Transport Workers     Toyin Saraki     Alfa Modibbo Belgore     MAI Akande     Abdulmajeed Wahab     Bayo Mohammed Onimode     Abiodun Abdulkareem     Yusuf Abubakar     Ibrahim Mohammed     Kolawole Akande     AbdulGafar Tosho     Oyelere Oyinloye     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Omupo     Nigerian Army     Mohammed Khadijat Kubura     Isiaka Danmeromu     Tope Daramola     Nnazua     Adamu Attah     Alabi Olayemi Abdulrazak     Roseline Oni Aremu     Aminu Adisa Logun     Sheikh Ridhwanullah El-ilory     Kwara State Council Of Chiefs     AbdulHakeem Ajibola Akanbi     Mohammed Katsina Ahmed     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Segun Ogunsola     High Court     Tanke Road     Demola Banu     Kwara State Health Insurance Agency     Just Law Forum     Afolabi-Oshatimehin Adenike Harriet     Abdullahi Biffo     Haruna Tambiri Mohammed     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Mumeen Lah     Hijab     Pakata     Sebastine Obasi     Bank Of Industry     Cassava Growers\' Association     Shoprite     Taibat Ayinke Ahmed     Saad Omo\'ya     Kwara 2019     Mohammed Lawal     Yakubu Gobir     Timothy Akangbe     First Lady     Apata Ajele Secondary School     Ajibola Saliu Ajia     Shola Odetundun     Olohungbebe     UNILORIN Alumni     Labour Party     Aminat Ahmed     Yahaya Dumoye     Bukola Ajikobi     Taofeeq Olateju    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Abubakar Imam     Kwara State University Of Education     Ethical College     AbdulRazaq Jiddah     Suleiman Rotimi Iliasu     Press Release     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Bature Bello     Muhammadu Gobir     Kwara State Health Insurance Agency     Timothy Olatunde Fadipe     Theophilus Oyebiyi     Obasanjo     Oyedun Juliana Funke     Al-Ilory     Saliu Ajia     Saad Omo Iya     2023 Elections     Saidu Isa     Borgu     Local Government Pension Board     Ekiti     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Towoju     Bio Ibrahim     General Hospital, Offa     Makama Of Kaiama     Saka Saadu     Yusuf Babatunde Abdulwahab     Onilorin     Babaita     Hikmah AbdulKareem     Ahmed Shuaib Buranga     Government House     Ademola Kiyesola     Yunus Oniboki     Abdulfatai Baakini     Towobola Abdulrahman Toyin     Bamidele Adegoke Oladimeji     Third Estate     Babajide Ajayi     Haashim Initiative For Community Advancement     Moshood Kashimawo Abiola     Maryam A. Garuba     Fatai Garuba Labaka     Toyosi Thomas     Suleiman Ajadi     Quranic Recitation Competition     Ajibola Ademola Julius     Shururat Olatinwo     Neo Mundo Ltd     Salami Adekunle     AbdulRazaq Abubakar Jiddah     Tinubu Legacy Forum     JUSUN     Sarah Alade     Halimah Perogi     Abdulwaheed Musa     CCEPE     BECE     Federal Allocation     Is\'haq Modibbo Kawu     Kayode Ishola     Haruna Olawale Sulaiman     Idofin     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Rapheal Ashaolu     Igosun     Aliyu Alhassan     Sulu Gambari     Sidikat Uthman Ajibola     Chikanda     Peter Obi     Buhari     Ajuloopin     National Pilot     Frootify