Chairman of the Ilorin Emirate Durbar committee, Engineer Sulyman Yahaya Alapansapa, has said that a collaboration with the United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) will help to expand the scope of the annual cultural festival.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on the scheduled activities of the programme, planned for the second day of the Eid-el Kabir celebration, Engineer Alapansapa said that the Durbar was initiated by the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, to foster unity and progress of the Ilorin Emirate.

The Durbar, which is also aimed at promoting the age-long royal culture of the Ilorin Emirate is scheduled to hold on the second day of Eid-el Kabir at the palace forecourt, Ilorin.

“We are planning to expand our scope this year and make it more elaborate. We are also talking with UNESCO to be around as part of an effort to incorporate Durbar into their calendar”, he said.

Engineer Alapansapa, who urged stakeholders in the Emirate and the state at large to support uplifting the Emirate and Kwara state, commended one of the sons of the Emirate, Alhaji Moshood Mustapha, for his donation of N10 million for  the Durbar and other developmental activities of the Ilorin Emirate.

“We see your coming and donation as encouragement because you identified fully with the programme and it is a wake-up call to other wealthy sons and daughters of the emirate to follow MM’s path”.

For his part, the representative of the Emir of Ilorin, the Seriki Gobir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ahmad Yusuf Gobir thanked MM for reaching out to the Durbar Committee and supporting other developmental activities of the Emirate.

“Your gesture is simply a way of cementing the reputation you already have in the emirate, and we assure you that the money will be judiciously used. We promise one of the best Durbar in the history of Ilorin Emirate”.

Also speaking, Alhaji Moshood Mustapha, a business mogul and stalwart of the All Progressives Congress (APC), said that “Durbar is something that we see as our culture and we are proud of it and ready to contribute to our quota to keep it growing and sustainable.

“It’s not just donating money but coming around to be associated with the committee and appreciate them for promoting our culture.

Alhaji Mustapha (MM) explained that the N10 million will be shared in the following order: N5 million for the Ilorin Durbar Committee, N2 million for the maintenance of the Ilorin Emirate Central Mosque, N1 million for the Emirate Football team for Durbar, N1 million for the Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association and N1 million for Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.

He noted that the gesture was not about politics “We should take ourselves as brother and sister and not let politics divide us”.

Those present during the cash presentation include the Dan Masami of Ilorin, Engineer Sulyman Yahaya Alapansanpa; the president of IEDPU, Alhaji Usman Ottah; the Seriki Gobir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ahmad Yusuf Gobir; Retired AIG, Adisa Bolanta.

Others are the Chairman, Durbar Media Committee, Alhaji Tunde Ori-Okoh; Professor (Dr.) Aishat Gobir; Professor Ibrahim Jawondo; and APC House of Reps candidate, Hon. Yinka Aluko, amongst other eminent sons and daughters of the Ilorin emirate.