Date: 2012-11-07

The Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, has disclosed that the much anticipated commissioning of the rehabilitated and expanded Ilorin Central Juma'at Mosque would be performed on December 14.

The emir, therefore, called on all the emirate's sons and daughters especially those in elective positions or appointed, to grace the occasion.

The emir gave the directive in Ilorin to douse anxiety over the commissioning date earlier announced by the Mosque Committee Chairman, Alhaji Shehu Gafar, last year that the commissioning would be done last year but did not take place.

It was gathered that the mosque, the first of its kind in Africa with its exquisite ornamental decorations spiced up with golden domes, would be commissioned by Vice-President Namadi Sambo with the support of the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Mohammed Sa'ad Abubakar, among others.

The emir expressed joy with the soaring profile of Ilorin with the appointment of its sons and daughters into various prominent positions and tasked them to allow the appointments trickle down by aiding the less privileged around them.

On the mosque project, the emir tasked them to contribute morally and financially to its maintenance.

He appealed to all Ilorin emirate indigenes at home and in the Diaspora to, as a matter of importance, attend the commissioning, saying they should all be around latest on Thursday December 13 for the commissioning.

"Your attendance is very significant and failure to be part of the historic event implies that you are not proud of your origin", the emir noted.