Emulate Ilorin people for peace to reign, Unilorin VC urges Nigerians
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.
Issa Baba Kayode Ishola Sola Saraki Educational Foundation Oluwole Dupe Kwara United IF-K Abiodun Musa Aibinu Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq James Kolo Chief Imam Of Omu-Aran Prince Bola Ajibola All Confederation Of Principals Of Secondary Schools Mufutau Olatinwo Hassan Taiye Salam Saad Omo\'ya Ibrahim Jawondo Henry Olaosebikan Abdullahi Samari Centre For Community Empowerment And Poverty Eradication Presidential Election Ganiyu Abolarin Baba-Isale Kehinde Boyede Ahmed Ayinla Jimoh Isapa Mohammed Haruna Kwara State Governor Zara Umar Sai Kayi Abdulkareem Alabi Jaiz Bank Atiku Abubakar UITH Simon Sayomi Oba Abdulkadir La\'aro Nigeria Governors\' Forum Toyin Sanusi Olatunji Ayeni Alore 07039448763 Oke Sunna Tafida Kawu Baraje Mohammed Kamaludeen Kale Kawu Ramat Oganija Temitope Ogunbanke Okeose Christian Cementary Kayode Yusuf Samari Magaji Are Baba Issa Awoye Afusat Nike Ibrahim COEASU Apata Ajele Secondary School Rex Olawoye Muhammad-Mustapha Suleiman Erubu Irepodun Ilorin East Junior Secondary School Certificate Examinations Ibrahim Taiwo Road Ogidi-Oloje Abdul-Rahoof Bello Ijakadi BECE Alfa Yahaya Road Jumoke Gafar Bashir Badawi Femi Gbajabiamila Alapansapa Budo Egba Muhammed Danjuma Kwara State Branch Of The National Library Moro Aliyu Kora Sabi Oke-Ogun

