Date: 2016-08-21

The peace- loving people of Ilorin Emirate in Kwara State woke up in the early hours of Wednesday (17/8/2016) to hear the breaking news of the demise of the most Senior Traditional Chief in the Emirate Council, the Balogun Fulani of Ilorin ,Alhaji Mahmood Atiku Abubakar. He died at the age of Seventy- six during a brief illness at the University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin.

The deceased occupied a powerful position that is highly respected and sacred in the Ilorin Emirate .Any living occupier of that exalted position (Balogun Fulani) has a say in decision making at any point in time in the Emirate especially the choice of who, occupies the position of the Emir of Ilorin. This affirms the relevance of Balogun Fulani as one of the Kingmakers within the statutory function of the Emirate council.

In a situation where the Emir is not available, the Balogun Agba (Balogun Fulani) automatically stands out in attending to visitors and other related matters. Few days to the demise of the Balogun Fulani before he was rushed to the Teaching Hospital for treatment of an ailment, he never knew that it was his lifeless body that would be returned home for burial till eternity. No matter ones position, or status, when death stuck, nobody can halt its effect and consequence.

Death is a black carmel, which kneels at the gates of all. If the good words, and encomiums passed on the late Balogun after his death can be considered by God, probably He would have resurrected the deceased. But where shall we place the Holy Prophet Mohammed (SWT), who is still been praised and would continue to be eulogized thousands of years after his demise but still did not resurrect .To a well- organized mind, death is but the next and inevitable great adventure .

The young, the old and other categories of people, even, the Maimartaba of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, who knows and hears more about his Chiefs better than any other person , equally poured encomiums on the late Balogun Agba.

The Emir personally paid his last respect to the deceased in accordance with customs and tradition that when any of the Kingmakers in the Emirate dies or any of the Baloguns passes on, the physical appearance of the Emir becomes visibly mandatory.

No doubt, the late Balogun had a robust relationship with his other contemporaries (other Baloguns, the Magaji Are and other Magajis, especially the Serikin Musulumi himself, the Emir of Ilorin.

The Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki described him as a complete gentleman, a friend and a father. According to him, the death of the elder statesman was a personal loss to him and a colossal loss to the Ilorin Emirate, the government and people of Kwara state and the entire Nation while the Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed described his death as a big loss to Ilorin Emirate and the state at large.

The governor added that the demise of the Balogun Fulani would deny the people of the state, his wise counseling. In the same vain, the number one lawmaker in the State, Hon Speaker Dr. Ali Ahmad described the death of the late Chief as a huge loss to the ancient city of Ilorin and Kwara State.

Dr. Ahmad regretted that the late Kingmaker would be greatly missed for his fatherly roles and useful advice to government, while a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abubakar Kawu Baraje said he was speechless and shocked when he learnt of his demise. Alhaji Baraje prayed God to grant him Al-Janah Firdous.

The umbrella union of the emirate, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union, (IEDPU) through its National President, Alhaji AbdulHamid Adi in his condolence message, described Balogun Agba as a committed member of the union. According to him, the love the deceased had for Ilorin community since he was in Kano is unquantifiable. The General- Secretary of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria , Comrade Issa Aremu did not mince words in a condolence message addressed to the Emir, where he rated Late Alhaji Durosinlorun Atiku as an accomplished public servant, a teacher, a committed and dedicated Muslim, patriotic Nigerian, bridge builder and an advocate for peace and unity of Nigeria.

A peace- loving man, friend of the young and the old, a good mixer and very open minded personality, the late Balogun Fulani would be seriously missed by all and sundry. A widely travelled Fulani man worked assiduously to bring about absolute peace among the Fulani's at home and other communities within his jurisdiction.

The fact that he was widely travelled, gave him the opportunity to be well connected. As if he knew that death was knocking, late Alhaji Mahmood Atiku Balogun Fulani had always taken life as mere ephemeral .Hardly can you meet him in a sober mood and when he shared ideas with others on local, national or international issues, he marshaled his points intelligently. No doubt, lot of people would definitely miss Balogun Agba .Even in the sporting arena or in the social circles, Baba was not a push over. All these attributes could be likened or linked to his educational background. Like the words of Prophet Mohammed, we should look for knowledge to any length.

Late Balogun Fulani was a B.Sc and M.Sc holder in Vocational Education and Industrial Education in the U.S.A. He also obtained the Advanced Diploma Certificate in Education in the University of Leeds in the United Kingdom. Late Balogun Fulani started his educational career at Okesuna Primary School, Ilorin as a young but determined lad and graduated to Government Technical College, Ilorin and ended up at National Technical Teachers College, Yaba,Lagos.

His urge for greener pasture took him to Jos in Plateau State where he was the HOD, Water Works section in the Ministry of Works. The late high Chief later shifted to Kano where he was also the HOD, Welding and Plumbing at the Government Technical College before he was elevated as Vice Principal then to Acting Principal.

Alhaji Mahmud Durosinlorun Atiku equally worked as Inspector of Education, Technical in the Kano State Ministry of Education before returning home after his journey to the Northern part of the country. He never knew that he would one day rose to the position of Balogun Fulani of Ilorin. He had at various periods served as Principal, Government Technical College, Ilorin, Erin-Ile, Jebba and later at Government Technical College, Mopa in Kogi State.

With his working experience and educational profile, late Alhaji Durosinlorun Atiku can be described as the highly respected elder-statesman. Baba Balogun was indeed a complete Nigerian. A destabilized personality, who spoke all major Nigerian languages fluently .His hobbies include research, reading, football, hockey and tennis. No human being is perfect, except God, hence we pray that the Almighty Allah will grant him, Aljanat Firdous and forgive him of all his sins. With the demise of the eleventh Balogun Fulani of Ilorin , Alhaji Mahmood Atiku Balogun , (Balogun Agba) who was born on 21st January , 1941 and died on 16th, August, 2016, the unfortunate exit marks the end of an era.

Ilorin Emirate is a home of peace and harmony and the people of the ancient community accept all that comes their ways with the fear of God and as the will of God Almighty and absolute submission to a divine will. Tuesday (23/8/2016) has been fixed as the day for fidau for the repose of the soul of the late Kingmaker when who is who in the community and the entire nation will converge to offer special prayers for the Late Alhaji Atiku. Thereafter, the struggle for succession to that vacant stool will begin in earnest . No doubt , the succession bid to appoint the twelfth Balogun Fulani of Ilorin which rests solely on the authority of Sheeeeeeuuu Maimatarba ,the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.)Zulkainani Gambari has commenced .It's our prayer that after the expected wide consultations, a new Balogun will emerge at the appropriate time.

It's also the fervent prayers in Ilorin Emirate that a well acceptable choice will emerge without fracas or crisis who will continue from where the late Balogun Agba bided the world goodnight.

We should all have it at the back of our minds that death is the terminal of all biological functions that sustain an organism. Adieu! Adieu!! Adieu!!! Balogun Agba of Ilorin. Inalilahi wahinalilai rajihun.

Indeed, a chapter has closed to unveil another phase in the chiefdom within the Ilorin Emirate Council of Kwara State, harmonious home of peace.

Tunde Akanbi wrote this piece from Ilorin via tundeakanbibabby@yahoo.co.uk