Date: 2011-12-28

The Central Working Committee of the rehabilitated and expanded Ilorin Central Mosque has formed a 14-member committee to work out the modalities for relocating traders around the mosque.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin, the Chairman of the Central Committee, Alhaji Sheu Gafar, said the 14-man committee comprised  representatives of the state government, Ilorin Emirate Descendant Progressive Union (IEDPU), Board of Trustees of the mosque, Ulama (scholars), Central working committee and the architects in charge of rehabilitation of the mosque.

The intent, he said, was to detach the mosque's surroundings completely from the market because, " with a mosque of this magnitude worth N1.8 billion, we cannot afford to have a surrounding that is not befitting".

He said the committee was given two weeks to report back in order to take positive action to decongest the place.

Alhaji Gafar also said that the Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, had already provided a place for the traders at Ita-Nmo for those who could not afford to hire shops at Ilorin International Market or Ago Market as the case may be.

He argued that no allocation was made for a market to be located around the mosque, adding that the place was not gazetted as a market, saying "that place used to be a motor park where people come to trade illegally and we want them to be relocated".

Shedding more lights on the planned relocation of traders around the mosque, the secretary of the CWC, Dr. Ali Ahmad, said, "the mosque is a beautiful place and this market is an eyesore".

He said the rehabilitated central mosque would be commissioned in January, 2012, barring unforeseen hitches, saying that  N140 million would be required to complete the contract.

To raise the fund, he said the committee was exploring various sources and prevailing on individuals who were yet to redeem their pledges to the mosque during a fund-raising held in 2010, to do so.