Afonja - To Be Or Not To Be - Guardian Newspaper

Date: 2000-10-22

THE old time rivalry and mutual suspicion between the ruling Fulani minority and the Yoruba majority took a new turn on Saturday October 14 when six persons believed to be members of the banned Oodua Peoples Congress were killed by policemen on their way to the ancient city.

Ilorin itself was thrown into a state of near anarchy but for armed policemen that brought assurances that the citizens will be adequately protected.

No sooner did the smoke from the fire of discord disappear that the traditional institution of the town relapsed into its too familiar pastime; arguments, name calling and malice.

The picture is getting more complex by the day. To a casual observer, the quarrel is a straight one between the Afonja descendants and the Emir-led Fulani rulership.

True, the Yoruba (or is it the Afonja descendants) look determined to install an Onilorin of Ilorin in the city but there are other complexities that are giving the Emir, Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, some cause for worry.

Four of his Baloguns (one one of them is Yoruba) who are supposed to be his councillors in their various areas have declared 'war' against him. To show their seriousness about being upgraded, some of them are actually in court seeking legal interpretation of their demands.

As if that is not enough, the Baloguns joined by two king makers (Mogaji Aare and Baba Isale) severed relationships with the emir ñ subsequently they neither greet him, pay homage or visit him at the palace as the tradition required.

One might be tempted to say the face-off was between the emir and his chiefs but for the attempt to crown a new parallel monarch for Yorubas.

The two sides at loggerheads over the proposed Onilorin stool are the emirate council and the Afonja Descendants Union (ADU).

While the Emir's people say the ADU is a bunch of jesters, the Union says the emirship represents nothing but lies. They both try hard to prove that their different positions are supported by history.

Another serious point is that while the Emir and his supporters claim he is a father of all, his detractors say he leans entirely towards the Fulanis. They even claim that he removed Kolapo, the Yoruba part of his name so that no one will be in doubt about where his heart is.

 

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Adesoye College     National Broadcasting Commission     Quran     Oju Ekun Sarumi     Abegunde Goke     Okala Baba     Kwara State Geographic Information Service     Omu Aran     Kemi Adeosun     Nigerian Supreme Council For Islamic Affairs     Abdullahi Samari     Ibrahim Abiodun     Suraj Tunji Oyewale     Ilorin South     Afolabi-Oshatimehin     NIRSAL     Muhammed Taofeeq Abdulrazaq     Yusuf Amuda Abubakar     Patience Jonathan     Abdulrasaq Alaro     Oniyangi Kunle Sulaiman     Busari Toyin Isiaka     Dan-Kazeem     Babajide Ajayi     Aliyu Kora Sabi     Femi Agbaje     Maimunat Oniyangi     Sulyman Tejidini     Solomon Edoja     Muideen Olaniyi Alalade     Bukola Saraki     Edret Sabi Abel     Government Girls’ Day Secondary School Pakata     Babaita     Abdulrahman Iliasu     Arandun     Iliasu     Dauda Adeniran Adeshola     Abubakar Abdullahi Bata     Balogun-Ojomu     Rasaq Jimoh     Ilorin Airport     Women For Change And Development Initiative     Tosho Yaqub     Tescom.kwarastate.gov.ng     Anilelerin     Ashiru     Iyeru Grammar School     Nigerian Army     UNIFEMGA     Islamic Development Bank     Muyiwa Oladipo Kanu     Societe Generale Bank Of Nigeria     Muhammed Abdullahi     Isiaka Danmeromu     Abdulmumini Sanni Jawondo     Muhammad Ghali Alaaya     First Lady     Rabiu Kwankwaso     Majlis For Sadakah, Zakat And Waqf     Omotosho     Hauwa Nuru     Ojo Fadumila     Pakata Patriots     Raheem Adaramaja     Yusuf Lawal     Ramadhan     Muslim Cementary     SSUCOEN     Pakata Development Association     Lai Mohammed     Unilorin FM     Abdulwahab Oba     Oba Abdulraheem     Kawu     Kwara Hotel     Yahaya Muhammad    

Cloud Tag: What's trending

Click on a word/phrase to read more about it.

Countryside Emerging Leaders Fellowship     Ayeyemi Sulaiman     IHS     Ahmad Ali     Majlis For Sadaqah, Zakat And Waqf     Oro Grammar School Old Students Association     2023 Elections     Kwara Basketball Association     Special Adviser On Digital Innovation     Katibi Ibraheem Adeola     Senate President     Kwara State Television     Kale Bayero     IQRA College     Orisa Bridge     Olabode George Towoju     Baba Issa Awoye     Sodiya     Elerin Of Adanla Irese     V.O. Abioye     Kwara Hotel     Summit University     Kpotum Mohammed Baba     Segun Adeniyi     Bibire Ajape     Adeniyi Ojo     Ibrahim Mohammed     Mohammed Abdulahi     Moronfoye     Laolu Saraki     Falokun-Oja     Tricycle Owners Association Of Nigeria     TESCOM     Jimoh Akani     Okin Biscuits     KWATMA     Olokoba Sulyman     Wahab Femi Agbaje     Yahaya Seriki Gambari     Yakub Ali-Agan     Eleyele     Opaleke Bukola Iyabo     Funmilayo Mohammed     Saadu Yusuf     Yusuf Amuda Gobir     Kamoru Kadiri     Saka Saadu     Sunset Workers     Musa Aibinu     ANCOPPS     Toyosi Thomas     James Kolo     Babatunde Idiagbon     Abdullahi Atanda     Madawaki     Gobir Organization Foundation     Akande Idowu Ayoola Muhammed     Centre For Peace And Strategic Studies     Mohammed Alabi Lawal     Egbewole     Durbar     AbdulHamid Adi     Salmon Babatunde Salmon     Doyin Agbamu     Ilorin Like-Minds     Laduba     Abdullahi Dasilva Yussuf     Harafat E. Mukadam     Abdulkadir Akanbi-Oke     Tanke Road     Shonga Farm Project     Adolescent Girls Initiative For Learning And Empowerment     Nigerian Medical Association     AbdulFatai Adeniyi Dan-Kazeem     Onikijipa     Taiwo Joseph     Lukman Oyebanji Fagbemi