The Emir of Ilorin and chairman, Kwara State Council of Traditional Rulers, Alh. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has clarified that no protest took place at the forecourt of his palace on the hardship being experienced by Nigerians.
The Emir, who was reacting to a viral video purported to have been shot at the frontage of his palace in Ilorin with people purportedly shouting, “we are hungry, ” said the video was that of an event that took place during the build-up to the 2019 general election in the state.
“We want to state categorically that the said video was part of the events that characterized and witnessed during the build-up to the 2019 general elections.
“The video does not have any connection with the current situation in the country and it would be recalled that in occasions of such, the Emir of Ilorin and chairman Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council,Mai-Martaba, Alhaji ( Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, always expressed his concern on the need to ensure that peace and harmony continue to prevail in the society,” the Emir said in a statement signed by his chief press secretary, Malam Abdulazeez Arowona.
“At the height of the outbreak of COVID-19 pandemic, the emir expressed high level of concerns and joined governments at all levels in the campaign towards ensuring that the unfortunate situation was contained while he also played frontline roles in championing the interest of the masses during the scarcity of Naira currency which inflicted hardship nationwide with no exemption to anyone irrespective of social, political and economic status.
“On the current economic hardship, the Emir and his colleagues at the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council level are engaging government at all levels on the need to continue to improve on the welfare, security and social life of the people of the state with commendations to the state government for being responsive to masses-oriented issues.
“We thereby appeal to the general public to disregard the video in circulation in order to avoid any misrepresentation of the scenario vis a vis the location of the gathering as reflected in the video even as we plead with the people of Ilorin and Kwara State at large to remain peaceful and prayer always,” the statement added.
