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.
First Lady Malete Ita-Nmo Market Mohammed Lawal Dar-Al-Handasah Consultants Ltd Saka Saadu Muhammad Yahya Ashiru Abatemi Usman Funke Adedoyin Yusuf Olaolu Ali Lithium Deposit National Broadcasting Commission Senate Ijakadi Air Peace Mohammed Katsina Ahmed Bolaji Nagode Ayo Adeyemi Borgu Abdulwahab Ololele Umaru Saro ASUU Ibrahim Oloriegbe Bilikisu Gambari Hassan Oyeleke Gbenga Awoyale Samuel Olusegun Adedayo Sobi Specialist Hospital Lotus Bank Ganiyu Abolarin Vishvas KOZ Tractors Olatunde Jare A.O. Belgore Alabi Lawal Sheikh Ariyibi Abdulrahman Onikijipa Saidu Isa Sulyman Buhari Cornelius Fawenu Baba Adini Of Kwara State Ekiti Ejidongari Laolu Saraki Omoniyi Seed Technologies Sayomi Yoonus Lawal Yemi Sanni Simeon Ajibola Chief Of Staff Prince Mahe Abdulkadir Temi Kolawole Sulyman Tejidini Prince Bola Ajibola Universal Basic Education Commission Dairo Kunle Paul Jide Oyinloye Ndama Al-hassan Gbemi Saraki Amasa Shuaib Boni Aliyu Mustapha AbdulGaniyu Kwara Basketball Association Olaitan Buraimoh Shehu Jimoh Adanla-Irese Oloye Innocent Okoye Age AbdulKareem Mubarak Oladosu Convocation Ceremonies Agboola Babatunde Flights To Ilorin Muslimah Entrepreneurship Forum Ibrahim Bio Ilorin.Info

