ILORIN is no doubt a unique Community. The status we enjoy is not enjoyed by any other community in Nigeria. This is not boastfulness, this is an expression of pride in gratitude.

We are a Community of diverse tribes and cultures, yet, we are never fractured by our differences. The common denominator that seals us together is strong and unbreakable.

Our unequal adorable unique status has attracted both envy and admiration for us and against us. Some non-Ilorin people just hate us for no reason while some adore us by default at mere mention of our name.

Our friends celebrate our unique status while our foes begrudge us. Many people have tried to unsettle the settlement but they have always met a brick wall as a result of our common denominator - ISLAM.

ILORIN is the confluence of multi-national ancestral descents and genealogies, gracefully divinely commonized, centralized and united by Islam.

We are not a people without history and it is not without certain ancestral polarity, but we do not define, view, relate with each other or assess our communal status by that cultural polarity.

We have gone and grown beyond the worldly identity in tribes and ethnicity. We celebrate our diverse cultures under the umbrella of ISLAM.

We are an immutable Community of religious adherents congregated purely by Islam in it's undiluted and uncompromising form.

The official local government delineation is seen purely for official demographic purposes. ILORIN people do not see Ilorin local governments (South, West and East) as differences of the people in culture or tribes but mere geographical allocation of natural landed resources the united indigene.

The Emirate nomenclature we chose to describe ourselves is not a subservient subjugation to any other people but simplification of our existence as a people led by the leader of the faith in Islam - Amiru-L-Mumeen.

The turban we wear represents our religious bearing than tribal affiliation. It may be perceived otherwise by outsiders, but we prefer to make it Islamic rathan than bearing it with beaded crowns.

We evolve and advance everyday, in knowledge and other social affairs. We adjust to the tune of decent civilization but never in our internalized community values and mores do we place anything above Islam.

Dissident innovationists are not entirely absent from our community but the generality is united on the supremacy of Islam as our path to eternity. Even at our human vulnerabilities, we are never carried away to forget this orientation.

We are not the saints of the ancestral Islamic caliphate of the Prophet's era (SAW), but we are not those of the ignorants who value anything else more than the dictates of Allah.

When ILORIN is mentioned, in our hearts, we hear Islam. Others, who do not understand our eternal grace and unique belief as a Community, confuses us for a culture of tribes.

The worst ignorance that has been demonstrated against ILORIN is by those who are aiming to "capture" us, redefine us as a certain tribe and change us to whatever.

We are not at war with any tribe but we are not and we will never be friendly with anything that seeks to replace our way of worshipping of our Creator - Allah.

To us, our only culture is ISLAM. When you bring anything else, we will unite against you on our horse caravans.

We know and constantly remember what "Jahiliyah" means and we do not seek to go back to it. If you are not comfortable with our Islamic standing, we can never be comfortable with you.

When you view us in tribal lens, we see ourselves purely as a people of Islam whose MAIN goal is the generational retention and transmission of Islamic admonitions as contained in the Holy Qur'an.

Everything we adore, celebrate traditionally and defaultly revolves around Islam. Even in our human weakness, we are often reminded and guided with the words of Allah.

When the Community is collectively celebrating anything, it must be something that showcases Islam and prominently promote peace.

We are the people that adorn the northern attire with a western "gobi" cap. We can decide to wear Yoruba Ankara for "are osan" while we attend the walimah with our northern "Alikinba"

We are the people that conduct our wedding ceremonies in Fulani tradition with Yoruba chants and oratories. We are the people that combine Islamic given names with Fulani middle names and Yoruba penegyric.

It is only in Ilorin an individual will bear Abdullahi Bature Durosinlohun Ayinde. This is our diversity management gift. It is our identity. It is our pride. It is our way of life.

We are the people that converse in different tribal languages and recite Qur'an in its Arabic form with the best sonorous voice.

The Islamic gospel that you find all over the South West and beyond today can unarguably be traced to the Dawah from Ilorin Clergies. We are the Alfas of all other Alfas.

If you see an average ILORIN man establishing Qur'anic school (Ile Kewu), it is because we cherish the value of Islam more than anything else. It is a legacy we have bequeathed and will continue to bequeathe to generations to come.

We frown to disagree with each other but we are always united to fend off the foxes that seek to roast and eat our chickens.

If you are seeking to topple us in needless supremacy contest, we will seek no servile docility from you. We will stand in defence of our God given grace. We are not at war with anyone but we will not wait for us to be captives of war of attrition.

We have fought wars and we have won battles. We will always stand firm to maintain and retain the peace of the Community and the principles of Islam.

We know a friend when we see one and we can identify a foe even when such is wrapped in friendly clothing.

We are our own self. We are not slaves to one. We are our own leaders. We are only unique in the grace of our peculiar identity borne out of our unique creation.

Since the beginning of our existence, we have defied the odds against us and we will continue to defy any future odds against us.

If you are looking for any other definition of what ILORIN is and who the people are, you are looking for what is not missing.