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PREAMBLE
All praises belong to Almighty Allah, the most Beneficent and most Merciful. May He increase His mercies and blessings on Holy Prophet Muhammad (SAW), his companions, his household and those who believe in the Day of judgement, including all of us (Aamiin).
It is with exceptional gratitude to Almighty Allah that I stand, honorably, before you, on behalf of all the members of our great Union (IEDPU), to welcome you all from far and near, alongside our friends, to this particular annual gathering of members of our Emirate community.
Your Excellency, I want to, particularly and once again, thank you for finding time, despite your very tight schedules, both as Kwara State Governor and as Chairman of the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, to attend the opening ceremony of this year’s conference of our Union. It is on record that you have not missed any edition of the event since 2018. Your regular attendance demonstrates your support for all our programmes as well as your commitment and deep affection for the Union in particular and the entire Emirate in general.
Similarly, on behalf of the entire sons and daughters of the Emirate, at home and abroad, I wish to thank and appreciate our Royal Father and Life Patron of our dear Union, His Royal Highness, Mai Martaba, the Emir of Ilorin, for his constant guidance, wise counselling and unwavering support to the leadership of the Union as well as the Union’s various programmes over the years.
Your Excellency, Your Royal Highness, Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, this is my first conference outing as the President of our great Union; coinciding with the 29th year anniversary of our Royal Father as Emir of Ilorin.
Be rest assured, Your Royal Majesty, that all our members, including His Excellency, the Sardauna of Ilorin and indeed, the entire people of Ilorin, at home and abroad, are delighted to identify with you, our Royal Father, on this particular occasion as always. May Allah continue to grant you long, peaceful and prosperous reign in sound health. Aamiin.
At this juncture, please permit me to welcome and appreciate all our distinguished guests, officiating guests, all sons and daughters of Ilorin Emirate here present, including all our delegates who travelled from far and near, to participate in this year’s annual event. May Allah continue to grant all of us safe travels. Aamiin.
OUR PROJECTS
At this point, we want to recognize for appreciation, the moral and personal regular financial support received from His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq, CON, Alh. Abdullahi Muhammad Awwal, the CEO of A.A. Rano Petroleum (Our Principal Launcher last year), Distinguished Senator Salihu Mustapha, the Turaki of Ilorin, Apostle Oluwole Awotuyi, popularly known as FIOLU, the CEO of Tuyil Pharmaceuticals Nigeria Limited and others too numerous to mention.
Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari Skills Acquisition Hub
The foundation of the Hub was laid in 2023 by His Excellency and the structure has reached 65% completion but it is begging for interior and exterior fittings as well as equipment such as computers and other training equipment required to make it a truly Skills Acquisition Centre. In addition, constant Solar energy would be required to make the Hub functional at all times and to illuminate its surrounding for security, especially in the night.
This is more so because, sadly, during the year, the Hub, at its present state, became a target of vandalization by some miscreants and petty thieves severally; thereby compelling the Union to, immediately, embark on construction of perimeter fence.
Mosque
We have been able to complete the decking of the Mosque and have started to purchase some fittings, such as glass windows and other materials needed to complete the ground floor as well as to beat price increments.
The Mosque has become functional for daily and weekly Jum’at prayers.
Again, the work on both projects would have progressed beyond the present levels but for the sudden hyper-inflation that set in this year, culminating in absurd increments in prices of building materials, transportation and cost of labour.
By the special grace of Allah, we hope and pray that all of you and those who are not here with us today for one reason or the other, would, as usual, continue to support us to enable us complete the projects before this time next year, insha Allah.
I wish to emphasis, at this point, that these two on-going projects are only additional to many projects completed over the years by IEDPU. Such completed projects range from establishment of schools, colleges, construction of roads, to scholarship/bursary awards at different times and periods.
In particular, since its inception in the 1940's, IEDPU has, particularly, placed premium on educational development.
Hence, between then and now the Union has built three (3) Primary Schools namely:
i) United Model Primary School, Ilorin, established in 1944
ii) Ilorin Model School, Ita-nma, Ilorin, established in 2002
iii) IEDPU Pre-Basic and Basic School, IGS Compound, Ilorin, established in 2003.
In addition, the Union has nine (9) secondary schools to her name.
Consequently. IEDPU has the singular honour and privilege of, arguably, being one of the (if not the only) socio-cultural organization of its type in Nigeria that has the establishment of so many primary and secondary schools to its credit.
We are proud, too, to announce that many products of these schools and colleges have successfully occupied and many more are occupying positions of high responsibilities at all the three levels of Government and in the private sector.
It is in consonance with this enviable trajectory that the Union embarked on the on-going Skills Acquisition Hub named Ibrahim Sulu- Gambari Hub in eternal honour of our life Patron, the highly beloved Emir of Ilorin.
There is no gainsaying that when completed, this Hub will add value to the employability and capability of our youths.
So, to refresh our memories and for record purposes, I have directed the National Secretary, Alhaji Abubakar Imam to highlight some of the Union’s achievements since inception. Details of these achievements are contained in this year’s brochure.
PROMOTION OF HARMONIOUS CO-EXISTENCE
It is pertinent at this point to remind ourselves that, as Muslims, Islam is a religion of tolerance, peace and reconciliation.
However, because occasional communal misunderstandings and conflicts are inevitable, this Union (IEDPU) has put in place a well-oiled mechanism for conflict management in our community.
In the course of this year (2024), there were some conflicts (social, political and religious) that occurred and appeared intractable. But with our intervention, the conflicts were contained and the ‘warring’ parties decided not only to sheath their swords but also commit to peaceful co-existence.
We give thanks to Allah that we are ending Year 2024 in peace.
COMMENDATION
On behalf of the people of Kwara State, I wish to commend, once again, our development-conscious Governor, His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq CON, Sardauna of Ilorin and Chairman of Nigerian Governors’ Forum for his unprecedented urban renewal program. I am confident that before the end of his tenure, Ilorin and other cities in Kwara State will wear adorning looks.
The giant strides being recorded by the administration of His Excellency are not limited to infrastructural development and urban renewal. The government is impacting on Kwarans in all spheres of life; such as education, health and social welfare.
Other major milestones of his administration include but are not limited to the establishment of Kwara State University of Education, Ilorin, kick-off of academic activities at Osi and Ilesha Baruba Campuses of KWASU as well as the construction of International Conference Centre and Art Gallery. The resumption of Hajj flights from Babatunde Idiagbon Airport, Ilorin, this year is also commendable.
REPLICATION OF STATE GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS AT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
As the State Governor is passionately continuing his urban renewal program, I urge the newly elected Local Government Chairmen in the state, especially those of Ilorin Emirate, to take a cue from him and also take advantage of their newly enshrined financial autonomy to initiate their own “Rural Transformation Program”. Suffice it to say that they should see their mission as a call to reverse “Rural-Urban Migration” to “Urban-Rural Migration”. Making our rural areas accessible and attractive is a crucial factor in achieving this. Rather than pursuing grandiose projects, it may be wise to only construct drainages, sand-fill and grade the rural roads. More roads for more communities will ease transportation and boom economic activities in the rural areas. The result will be that the army of unemployed youths roaming the streets in our urban areas will begin to find their ways back to the villages to find gainful employment.
Establishment of Cemeteries
As we are all aware, it is ordained for every soul to taste death when Almighty Allah states in the Holy Quran and I quote ‘kulu nafsin, zahikatil maoth’. As Muslims, we must, therefore, always be conscious of our journeys through this ephemeral world and be prepared for the inevitable return to our Lord any time.
Similarly, we must also prepare our final abode as death can strike anybody at any time. It is in the light of this that we call on all the newly elected Chairmen of the local councils within Ilorin Emirate as well as Muslim bodies and organizations to make the establishment of Muslim Cemeteries a major priority in their programmes.
We, therefore, appeal to all of you to “make hay while the sun shines” by acquiring land for this purpose before land grabbers confiscate everything.
We commend our Governor as well as our Royal Father for the provision of parcels of land and their efforts on the present cemeteries in Ilorin under the administration of Prof. Abubakar Aliagan et al. We salute Prof. Aliagan and his colleagues for their commitment in this regard, too. May Allah reward all of them accordingly.
LAND ADMINISTRATION AND MANAGEMENT
In the light of the growing population in Ilorin metropolis, we would like to remind all our people that supply of land is inelastic and therefore call for prudent management to enable future generations to also benefit from its availability. For this purpose, we want to appeal to our people, particularly our traditional title holders including Ward Heads, Daudus, Alanguas, Magajis and Heads of all land-owning families in the Emirate to please desist from wanton and indiscriminate sales of land; especially to non-indigenes. It is so sad that, nowadays, this wanton and indiscriminate sales of land, particularly to non-indigenes, do not even exclude our family compounds.
Instead of outright sales, we strongly recommend the adoption of leasing of land for specific or limited period.
Secondly, we want to repeat the advice that IEDPU gave to the then Ilorin Local Government about 1978, under the Chairmanship of Alhaji Saidu Obalowu Agarawu, to acquire portions of land in Ilorin metropolis for the exclusive allocations to indigenes of the Emirate and for preservation for future use. That was what led Ilorin Local Government to acquire land then for that purpose in Dada.
Unfortunately, succeeding Local Councils, after the tenure of Alhaji Obalowu, did not follow the philosophy behind the setting aside the land in Dada.
Unfortunately, again, today, hardly can indigenes of the Emirate find land within Ilorin metropolis, even to build personal residences. The situation could be worst in future unless we take serious steps to prevent such a calamity.
Even now, land for additional or new projects like schools, hospitals, recreation centres, industries or even farming can hardly be found. Therefore, IEDPU begs all of you, our fathers present here today and those who are absent, to please take this matter seriously and help so that future generations of Ilorin Emirate will not become tenants in their home land.
STATE ISSUES
(a) Urban Renewal
The Union is delighted with the rate of developments going on in the state generally. Both the completed projects and the numerous ongoing-projects which the State Government is executing are laudable. When completed the projects will completely change the face of, not only Ilorin, the State Capital but also the entirety of Kwara State.
(b) Notice of Demolition of IEDPU SHOPS
Your Excellency, our Royal Father, Mai martaba, the Emir of Ilorin and all distinguished guests here present, may I, at this juncture disclose that IEDPU is a major victim of the ongoing urban renewal efforts of Kwara State Government.
All the Forty-Eight (48) lock-up shops owned by the Union, just after the gate of Ilorin Grammar School, along Umaru Saro Road, have been marked for demolition as part of the Government’s urban renewal efforts. The shops were the sole complementary source of the IEDPU’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
Now the shops are going! But the Union is bearing the loss with magnanimity as an inevitable sacrifice, though very painful and discomforting, that has to be made for the physical betterment of the state capital.
(c) Establishment of Kwara State University of Education (KWASUED)
Your Excellency, the recent establishment of Kwara State University of Education (KWASUED) is a commendable milestone achievement of your government.
Ilorin Emirate and indeed, we believe, the entire Kwara State, are happy and proud of Your Excellency for this laudable legacy which you are bequeathing to posterity. THANK YOU, Your Excellency.
(d) Appeal
We wish to point up that Ilorin is expanding at an alarming rate with many new communities continually emerging. Consequently, we are hereby, appealing to your government to provide more public primary and secondary schools as well as more primary hospitals and maternity centers in the new emerging communities in and around Ilorin such as Olunlade, Ali-Ara, Ita-Elepa, Osin group of communities, Baba-Ode, Gaa-Saka, Madi, Oko-Olowo, Medina, Airport, Adabiyah and Alagbado, to mention but few. Majority of those living in these communities may not be able to send their wards to private schools or afford taking their sick ones to private hospitals.
Your Excellency, you may have to start thinking of restructuring our public primary and post-primary schools into storey buildings because of emerging paucity of land as highlighted earlier.
(e) Rural Roads
We also appeal to your government to extend your rural roads infrastructure and rehabilitation scheme to cover some of these new communities mentioned above.
(f) Bridge at Akerebiata (Near the Abattoir)
Your Excellency, the bridge near the abattoir at Akerebiata, where the popular Islamic Cleric, Sheikh Abdulganiyu Aboto, met his untimely death due to high level of perennial flooding, needs government’s urgent attention to prevent a repeated occurrence in future.
We pray Allah to continue to guide you aright as you confront, head-on, the numerous challenges ahead.
NATIONAL ASSEMBLY MEMBERS
We are gladly following the positive contributions of our Distinguished Senator and Honorable Members of the House of Representatives towards the development of our communities and human capital development within our communities. It is in the light of this that we urge you to further work together amicably to ensure the realization of more achievements such as the establishment of National Food Reserve Agency, Integrated Rural Development Agency, Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria, Federal College of Education and a Federal Medical Center in the Emirate, among other laudable projects that you have already proposed on the floor of the National Assembly.
RESTRUCTURING OF THE NATIONAL POLITY
In recent times, so many kites have been flown in respect of restructuring the nation. With respect to this issue and similar others, we expect constant and constructive engagements with our communities from you so as to put our minds at rest by synchronizing your thoughts with ours and carry us along.
The call for restructuring the Nigerian polity has been in existence for long and has been growing. All the geo-political zones in the country now have groups calling for Nigeria’s restructuring in one way or another: ranging from devolution of power from the federal level to geo-political zones and up to outright secession, at the extreme.
Let me hasten to say that the people of Ilorin Emirate strongly believe in Nigeria’s unity and, therefore, opine that the restructuring of our polity should be limited to devolution of power. While we hold on firmly to our vision for devolution of power, we strongly advocate that we take the opportunity of the recent granting of financial autonomy to Local Governments to learn the challenges that power devolution could encounter in our peculiar setting. This will put us in a better stead for devolution of power to zones or regions, as the case may turn out to be eventually.
Traditional institution
In April 2024 and in response to calls for memorandums on the proposed review of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended) by Federal House of Representatives, the Union observed in her submission that traditional institution and leadership are essential parts of our culture and are still respected across the nation particularly because of the increasing positive roles they play in facilitating peace and progress of our various communities.
IEDPU, in the submission, proposed that the traditional institution should be assigned specific roles and authority, especially at state and local government levels, and particularly in the maintenance of law and order. We also proposed that they should be allotted specific periodic consultative roles at the national level.
Our Distinguished Senator and Hon. Members, IEDPU still stands by this submission.
NATIONAL ISSUES
Economy and Inflation
IEDPU wishes to call for caution in our response to the present state of our economy and the attendant inflationary trends. We, however, hasten to appeal strongly to the Federal Government to look in the direction of facilitating the development of productive and technological capabilities by us. If we, as a nation, are able to be self-sufficient in our local needs, including foods and capable of producing for export; there will be a great turnaround for the better in our economy.
If we have the capabilities for food processing and preservation, it will certainly alleviate the prevailing high rate of inflation resulting from poor agricultural harvest, processing and preservation.
It may not be out of place too, to re-establish farm centers where corpers especially graduates in related fields and other youthful Nigerians can be trained and deployed for mass agricultural production. This will go a long way to encourage our youth to develop interest in agriculture, resulting in food sufficiency and earnings. Farming should no longer be reserved for students of agriculture and those living in the villages alone.
Furthermore, the present tax policy should be revisited with the aim of giving tax relief to very poor and low-income Nigerians.
Tax on food items, medications and medical equipment should be drastically reduced to ameliorate the devastating effect of inflation on the less privileged and low-income earners. Conversely, imported ostentatious and luxury goods should be heavily taxed to discourage such importations and encourage patronage of local goods.
Security
We give glory to Almighty Allah for the low level of insecurity in the state as compared to other states of the federation. For this, we salute our government and all the security agencies operating in the State. However, considering the phenomenally swelling population of Ilorin metropolis, there is need for more Police presence and Police Divisions towards maintaining law and order as well as curbing criminal activities which are growing alongside the increasing population of the metropolis. We therefore, solicit the state government’s intensification of support to the Police, particularly in the areas of provision of patrol vehicles and Armoured Personnel Carriers, to ensure more effective combating of crimes and criminalities in the state. The Union is also calling for the establishment of Police Campaign Against Cultism and other Vices (POCACOV) Unit in Ilorin to tackle the increasing spate of cultism, particularly among the youth living within and around Ilorin Emirate; and by extension, Kwara State.
In the face of the current security challenges in the nation, we wish to appeal for additional federal government investment in modern technologies to curb insecurity and safeguard lives and properties of citizens. Modern intelligence gathering and effective community policing can yield positive results in this regard.
At this juncture, permit me to add that our correctional facilities should be upgraded. Suspects held in detention should be treated with dispatch and as innocent until they are convicted while convicts should be exposed to programs designed to rehabilitate and equip them with skills to enable them to be reintegrated into the society as productive citizens at the expiration of their prison sentences. The idea of convicts being released from correctional centers hardened and ready to fall back to crime should be discouraged.
NYSC
The National Youth Service Corps scheme which was introduced in 1973 as a means of fostering unity after a bitter civil war has creditably served its purpose. The scheme always effects the posting of fresh graduates to places other than their state or tribe of origin and this promoted understanding of other people’s cultures. Consequently, inter-tribal marriages became more fashionable and Nigeria became better integrated. As a matter of fact, the country had been staved off the precipice at some critical moments because of the way NYSC has built strong relationships over the years across ethnic and religious divides.
But after 50 years of its existence, the scheme has become embroiled in challenges that call for its overhaul. NYSC postings that were once looked forward to with excitement are now awaited with trepidation. The scheme now, though not by design, causes untold hardship to participants and, in some cases, unforgettable disasters to families. Yet, what is required is not the scrapping of the scheme but its reform to make it continue to fulfill some strategic national needs.
In the light of the current security situation in the country, Corpers will have a better sense of security if they are made to serve in a familiar terrain. Thus, the NYSC scheme should be reformed to post Corpers to states other than those of their origin BUT within their geo-political zones or to contiguous states. If this suggestion is accepted, it will reduce anxiety on the part of the parents while at the same time, Corpers will be attuned to the nuances of the security and culture of where they are serving and be able to navigate their ways through security or other challenges.
URGENT REQUEST
At this juncture, may we request the Federal Government to consider constructing flyovers or underpasses at Oko-Olowo and Shao junctions to prevent avoidable frequent accidents at the ever-busy T-junctions on that road, especially, as that road, (Ilorin/Bode Sa’adu/Mokwa Express Way), is being expanded into a dual carriage way.
We also recognize the efforts of the past and present governments at fixing the two dangerous colonial bridges (popularly called Moro bridges) along Ilorin-Igbetti - Kaiama Road which now appears to be abandoned. We therefore, request the Federal Government to instruct the contractors to return to site and resume work on the projects.
ISLAMIC MUSEUM IN ILORIN
We wish to thank the Federal Government for approving, last year, the location of an Islamic Museum at the premises of the old Ilorin Central Jum’at Mosque. Our people are, however, filled with apprehension because work is yet to start on the project. We therefore, appeal to the Federal Government for prompt commencement of work on the project.
CONCLUSSION
In conclusion, we wish to condole all the families of our late fathers, mothers, brothers and sisters, particularly a former President, Alhaji Aliyu Alarape Salman and Justice Ahmed Olanrewaju Belgore as well as others who were very supportive and active in the Union’s activities while alive. They are too numerous to mention. May Allah forgive their shortcomings and grant all of them Aljanatul-Firdaus. Aamiin.
We also sympathized with the families of the victims of kidnapping/insurgency or other forms of violence while praying Allah to take control of our affairs in this country. Aamiin.
May Allah make 2025 and beyond to be more peaceful, prosperous and blissful for all of us. Aamiin.
I thank you for your patience.
ALHAJI Abdulmumini Ayo Abdulmalik, Psc, B.A (Sp Hons), MPA
Asst. Comptroller General of Immigration (Rtd),
National President.
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