Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, was again celebrated last Thursday (December 17, 2015)for its contributions to the development of education in general and the Islamic religion in particular. This was at the 3rd Annual Public Lecture of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS) .

At the Lecture, titled "The Story of an Autochthonous Scholarly Network: Ilorin and the Making of Modern 'Ulama' in Nigeria", the Guest Lecturer, Prof. Amidu Olaleke Sanni of the Lagos State University (LASU), cited several networks linking early Ilorin Islamic scholars' manuscripts to different centres in Germany, Mali, Ghana, Egypt and others.

Prof. Sanni disclosed that the greatest collections of Ilorin Studies anywhere in the world are in Germany and that perhaps the greatest scholar of Islamic studies in Ghana today was tutored at the popular Markaz Islamic Centre, Agege, Lagos. The LASU Professor of Arabic Studies also urged Islamic scholars in the country to close ranks, noting that some current practices are inimical to the long-run interest of the group.

Also speaking on the occasion, which included the presentation of the Centre's second Book of Readings, "Ilorin as a Beacon of Learning and Culture in West Africa", the Chairman, Alhaji Yusuf Olanrewaju Shagaya, said, "Ilorin is the Centre of Islamic learning in Nigeria".

According to the Zanna of Ilorin, Markaz in Agege was built by Sheikh Adam Al-Ilory apart from Ansarul Islam institutions of Sheikh Kamaldeen Al-Adabiya and other Islamic institutions by other eminent Ilorin scholars. He noted that these have given birth to many modern Ulamas of note across Nigeria particularly in Ilorin and the entire South Western part of the country.

Alhaji Shagaya said, "The early settlers of Ilorin would not have envisaged the magnitude of development of Islamic knowledge, understanding, and use of the Holy Quran by present day indigenes". He, however, cautioned against the use of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah of the Holy Prophet for extraneous purposes.

He said, "My reservation and fear, however, are the fact that some of these modern Ulamas embark on some spiritual activities, which appear not to be in accordance with the teachings of the Holy Quran and the Sunnah. By this, I mean the use of the Quran for other purposes rather than for protection and guidance as ordained by our Holy Prophet Mohammed (Peace and Blessing of Allah be upon Him)".

The Chairman further eulogised Ilorin indigenes, saying, "The present Ilorin has developed from the reign of Abdulsalam in 1823 through to the reign of the present Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness, Mai Martaba, Dr. Ibrahim Zulukarnaini Gambari (CFR), the 11th Emir of Ilorin whose reign has ushered in multi-dimensional developments, witnessing peace and harmony".

In his own address, entitled "Brighter Future", the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), again corroborated earlier speakers, noting that, "it was not by accident that when the first university was to be established in Nigeria, Ilorin came naturally to the mind of the colonial masters because there was no better place for an institution of learning than a town of scholars. If not for lack of pipe-borne water and good electricity, Ilorin would have hosted the first university". He pointed out that "today, the city hosts the largest university by land mass and the most desired institution by admission applicants in the country".

Prof. Ambali, who was represented on the occasion by one of the Coordinators at the Centre and Dean, University of Ilorin Postgraduate School, Prof. Badmus Olanrewaju Yusuf, listed several Islamic scholars from the city and credited them with the impacts that Ilorin today is making at the vanguard of both Islamic and western education. The Vice-Chancellor said, "With many scholars of Ilorin extraction now combining both Islamic and Western education and creating works across disciplines throughout the country and beyond, the city has a bright future as the lighthouse of knowledge it has historically been".

Speaking further, he said, "I use this medium to encourage Ilorin sons and daughters and Nigerians at large to continue to hold knowledge and learning in high esteem because education is the ticket to a bright future". Prof. Ambali expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Centre for Ilorin Studies, congratulating both the pioneer Director and Chief Imam of the University, Prof A.G.A.S. Oladosu, for laying a solid foundation for the Centre and the current Director and Chief Imam of Auchi, Prof. Z.I. Oseni for sustaining the tempo.

Earlier, the Director of the Centre, Prof Oseni, had listed several achievements of the Centre, which include publication and presentation of Public Lectures; hosting of conferences in 2013 and 2014; and the presentation of the Centre's Book of Readings in December 2013 among others. He asked the University and interested members of the audience to help build a bigger office complex for the Centre because of plans to display "Ilorin Icons"-an on-going project aimed at profiling contributions of notable Ilorin indigenes to national development.

The occasion was witnessed by many dignitaries, including the wife of the Vice-Chancellor, Dr (Mrs) H.T. Ambali; the Mogaji-Nda of Ilorin, Alhaji Soliu Mohammed who represented the Emir; the President of the Ilorin Emirates Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alhaji Abdulhamid Adi; the first Grand Khadi of Kwara State Shariah Court of Appeal, Justice Abdulkadir Orire (rtd) and the current Grand Khadi, Justice S.O. Mohammed; the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Dr Ali Ahmad and many more.