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.

Orire     Lawal Jimoh     Tescom.kwarastate.gov.ng     Barakat Community Secondary School     Ahmad Belgore     Aro Yahaya     Nigerian Correctional Service     Kayode Zubair     Ilorin South Constituency     Sulyman Age AbdulKareem     Imam Gambari     Ilorin Muslim Community     Kwara Hotel     Code Of Conduct Tribunal     Yakub Lai Gobir     Justina Oha     Markaz Arabic And Islamic Training Institute, Agege     Federal College Of Education (Special), Afon     Ibrahim Taiwo Road     Gambari     ITP     Olatunji Bamgbola     Sam Onile     Isaac Gbenle     Grillo     Sheikh Ridhwanullah     Oju Ekun Sarumi     Sheu Ndanusa Usman     Oke-Ode     Is\'haq Modibbo Kawu     Amoyo     Hauwa Nuru     Christopher Odetunde     Inside Kwara     Tafida Of Kaiama     IPSAS     Abdul Jimoh Mohammed     Offa Metropolitan Club     Federal Neuro-Psychiatric Hospital     Omoniyi Ayinla     Bibire Ajape     Abdulrahman Abdulrazak     Peter Amogbonjaye     Kwara Polytechnic     Minimum Wage     Aisha Buhari     Adebayo Salami     Forgo Battery     UITH     Kwara State Pension Board     Omotosho     Tricycle Owners Association Of Nigeria     Monthly Sanitation Exercise     Bature Bello     Centre For Digital Economy     Yahya Mohammed     VADA     ENetSuD     Standard Organization Of Nigeria     Kwara State Television     Atiku Abubakar     Suleiman Alege Kuranga     Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies     Kwara State Fire Service     Aliyu Adebayo     General Hospital, Offa     Abdulrahman Iliasu     Kulende-UITH     S.O. Opowoye     Kola Olota     Saduki Lafiagi     CBT     National Pilot     Adedeji Onimago     Sobi Hill     Abdulmumini Jawondo     NIPR    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

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

Abdulmajeed Abdullahi     Post Utme     Esuwoye     Dan Iya     Nigeria Foundation For Artificial Intelligence     Rashidi Yekini     Basic Education Certificate Examination     All Peoples Party     Popo-Igbonna     Ahmed Ayinla Jimoh     Shaaba Lafiagi     Sobi Hill     Kola Bukoye     Emir Of Kano     College Of Health     Oyeyemi Olasumbo Florence     Sam Okaula     Ishola Moses Abiodun     Danladi     Mubarak Oladosu     IDPU     Ayinde Oyepitan     Nigerian Army     Colleges Of Education Academic Staff Union     Ayinde Oki     Abegunde Goke     Babatunde Ajeigbe     Kwara State Printing And Publishing Corporation     Jare Olatundun     Muhammad Yahya     Bluenile Associates     Nigeria Computer Society     Isiaka Rafiu Mope     Lateef Ademola Olatunji     Jamila Bio Ibrahim     Agbarigidoma     Jumoke F. Ajao     Olushola Saraki     Kawu Baraje     Olayinka Jelili Yusuf     Ayo Salami     NURTW     Najim Yaasin     08001000100     Bature Bello     Kulende     Modibo Kawu     Tunde Idiagbon Road     Samuel Adedoyin     Adamu Ibrahim Sabi     Bayo Ajia     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Hamza Usman     Adamu B. Yaqubu     Unilorin FM     Elections     Saad Omo Iya     Bank Of Industry     Aisha Buhari     NNPP     Gambari     David Oyerinola Adedunmoye     Nnazua     Omoniyi     Kwara South     Buari Edun     Kwara Hotel     Peter Obi     Fatai Olodo     Agboola Babatunde     Yahaya Seriki Gambari     Lafia Aliyu Korasabi     Mohammed Kamaludeen     National Democratic Congress     Ibrahim Abdulqadir Abikan     Iyaloja-General     Aso Ofi