Date: 2018-08-18

No fewer than 500 dignitaries are expected to ride on 500 beautifully decorated horses in an Ilorin emirate grand durbar.

The grand that would take place on Wednesday next week, would be by the Emir of Ilorin ,Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari to mark this year's Eid-el-kabir festival.

The cultural celebration has been slated for the second day of Eid-el- kabir celebration at the frontage of Emir's palace in Ilorin.

The chairman of the durbar committee, Yahaya Alapansanpa, an engineer told reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara state capital.

He said unlike in the past, this year's durbar will be extended beyond the emir, and royalty . "Durbar is the unique ceremonial display and cultural processions of well decorated and garrisoned horses usually and beautifuly mounted by the royals , chiefs, princes and some other eminent citizens of a given emirate to celebrate an important cultural epoch or religious event or , sometimes ,the presence or visit of an August dignitaries.Thus ,the forthcoming durbar cultural festival has no any political intention",he said. Alapansanpa said the event was being organised to promote the rich cultural heritage of Ilorin emirate and guard against cultural imperialism that was fast eroding the cultural values of the people.

"Durbar is to prepare the entire Ilorin emirate community against the deep danger inherent in unguarded Cultural dynamism of our contemporary time and the threat of growing cultural imperialism which if left unchecked may destroy the fabrics, essence and organic foundation of our basis as a unique people within the context of the Nigerian nation" "The organisation of durbar will also discourage the penetration of foreign culture into the psyche and consciousness of our often impressionistic younger ones who opened and often exposed to "attractive' but destructive cultural products of the western world and their allies. With the continuous future and regular organisation and their participation in one way or the other by our growing population they will surely develop affinity for what it is ours and do away with what is detestable".

"Durbar will also douse the acrimonious tension and socio-cultural apathy the perennial haphazard staging of baseless, meaningless and pernicious social carnivals by some restive, and poorly guarded youthful groups across the emirate and halt the appalling tendencies of promoting cultural illicities , drug addiction, thuggery and sexual misdeamour that come with it and among participants and which are sometimes visited on innocuous, helpless and innocent young members of our community ",he said.

According to the committee chairman, "on that day, the emir will ride on his decorated horse through Isale -oja to General hospital along Baboko through Taiwo Oke to Taiwo Isale ,Emir' s road and to the palace where he will be welcomed by all and sundry." He dismissed the insinuations making the rounds that the durbar was being organised to achieve political interests.