Ilorin Durbar Not A Partisan Platform, Alapansanpa Warns

Ahead of the Ilorin Emirate Grand Durbar scheduled for Thursday, the Chairman of the main organizing committee, Engineer Suleiman Oba Yahaya Alapansanpa, has cautioned that the festival is not a platform to advance a political course.

He therefore urged stakeholders, political leaders, traditional institutions, community groups and others to see the Durbar as a common ground.

Engineer Alapansanpa said this while speaking to Journalists on the preparations of his committee for the festival, which is to hold at Baseball Park Adewole Area of Ilorin on Thursday, a day after Eid-el-Adha.

He disclosed that a minimum of 500 horses have been lined up for the celebration of the cultural festival, describing the durbar as an avenue to project the identity of the Ilorin community.

According to him, the Ilorin Emirate and the institution of the palace remain symbols of unity, continuity, and collective identity for all sons and daughters of Ilorin regardless of political affiliation, social status, ideology, or background.

He posited that the business of every participant at the festival is continue to identify with the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, who is the custodian of Ilorin Emirate culture and tradition.

On security, Engineer Alapansanpa assured that arrangements have been made to forestall breakdown of law and order during the cultural fiesta.

Also speaking, the Secretary of the Durbar Committee, Professor Abdulganiyu Ibrahim Jawondo, announced that tourists from international community including United States, United Kingdom and others are expected to grace the event.

Professor Jawondo noted that efforts are in top gear to project the festival across the globe to propel Ilorin Emirate Durbar to number one on the list of United Nations.

He said the federal government through National Orientation Agency (NOA) and Federal Ministry of Culture are mobilizing resources to achieve the desired results.