The 57th annual national conference of the apex body of all socio- cultural groups in Ilorin, Kwara State- Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) provided a platform for the people to appraise the gains of the past years and as well chart a new course for their increasingly expanding community.
The colourful and memorable two – day event took place between December 25 and 26, 2022 . The opening ceremony was held at the expansive forecourt of the palace of the Emir of Ilorin while the second day event was held at Bode- Saadu, the headquarters of Moro local government area- one of the five local government areas that make up Ilorin Emirate. The remaining four local governments are Asa, Ilorin West, Ilorin East and Ilorin South.
Our correspondent observed the joy and excitement of the people of Ilorin Emirate, especially the leadership of the IEDPU about the citing of two new federal institutions in the Emirate.
The institutions are the
Federal Neuro- psychiatric Hospital, Budo- Egba and the Federal College Of Education (FCE), Afon, both in Asa local government area.
The establishment of the FCE, Afon is a prayer answered as the successive leaders of IEDPU had since 1992 been clamouring for the establishment of the institution in Kwara State to replace the FCE, Okene which was taken away as a result of the creation of Kogi State in 1991 by the then military administration of President Ibrahim Babangida.
And at the state level, the people are happy about the leap in the infrastructural development of the Ilorin Emirate. All the speakers at the opening ceremony of the conference took cognizance of the gigantic ongoing road projects in some parts of Ilorin, the garment factory, the ICT Hub, the international conference centre and the flyover project along the University of Ilorin road, Tanke area.
Both the state governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq,who was physically present at the event and the national president of IEDPU, Alh Aliyu Otta-Othman spoke about the positive impacts that the projects would have on the socio-economic development of the capital city.
Going forward, the IEDPU president, Alh Otta-Othman called on the well to do indigenes of Ilorin Emirate to contribute funds towards the completion of the unions Information Communication Technology (ICT ) Hub.
Akin to the call of Otta-Othman, Governor AbdulRazaq immediately announced a donation of N25m towards the completion of the project.
Turaki Ilorin and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Kwara Central Senatorial Candidate, Malam Saliu Mustapha also
donated N20m, while Alhaja Muinat Shagaya donated N10m in support of the project.
Governor AbdulRazaq who restated his commitment to the completion of the ICT project commended the Emir of Ilorin, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari and the IEDPU for keeping the flag flying and said a lot needs to be done to make the capital city the number one positive reference point in Nigeria.
“I especially commend the Emir and the leadership of the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union for keeping the flag flying every year. We thank you for keeping the legacy of Sheikh Alimi evergreen. Distinguished elders, brothers and sisters, our administration remains committed to inclusive growth. Our goal is to make Ilorin one of the most celebrated capital cities in Nigeria and beyond. This is what informs the focus of our projects,” he said.
“We need to commend the focus of the IEDPU. We used to come annually for the launch of calendar. But this year has changed and we are proud of that. The main focus for this year is the ICT centre. I dare say that we must support the IEDPU to make sure that by this time next year the ICT project is completed.
“I was in Kwara South yesterday( December 24,2022) to launch a hospital project by Offa Metropolitan Club. Let’s also make Ilorin greater; we should take the lead. By this time next year, IEDPU should be launching another project. It is a challenge for all of us. We are all members of the IEDPU and we should support them to achieve the set goals.
“By now we should be pointing to numerous community-sponsored projects in Ilorin. I am glad this has started already. On our part, we are trying to change the face of Ilorin. You can see interlocking pavements taking place all over the town under our urban renewal programme. We are dualising the Yebumot/Oloje road; we are fixing Adeta/Pakata road; and Pakata/Oja-Oba road project; Old and New Yidi road. We will keep doing our best to make sure we transform Ilorin.
“In terms of infrastructure, we are renovating different parts of the state stadium; and we are building a new Squash Court. The Ilorin International Conference Centre will be the best of its kind in northern Nigeria outside Abuja. In terms of industrialisation and employment, we have just awarded a contract for industrial pack in Eiyenkorin. There will be another pack in Malete. And you know, the state is building its own Innovation Hub, which will run along with IEDPU’s Innovation Hub in order to empower our youths to achieve greater heights.
“Let us commend the Chief of Staff to the President Prof Ibrahim Gambari. He hardly has time to come to Ilorin but he has been doing a yeoman’s job in Abuja. One of the projects, which has not been announced properly, is the protocol we signed which work will begin soon. It is a brand new diagnostic center worth $7million which will be located in Ilorin here. You have seen that during Maimartaba’s reign God is doing Ilorin favours. All Ilorin indigenes are progressing dutifully and rightfully,” AbdulRazaq added.
Also speaking,the Emir of Ilorin, Alh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari appealed to the descendants of the Emirate to remain peaceful and united, and be committed to the course of growth and progress of the Emirate.
Sulu-Gambari hailed Governor AbdulRazaq for taking a lead in the projects that continue to change the face of the capital city.
National president of IEDPU, Alh Aliyu Otta- Uthman, said the cultural activity was organised to converse, consult and harvest thoughts on issues of local, national and international dimensions for the good of the Ilorin community and the nation at large.
Otta-Uthman, who clarified that the union is apolitical, called on political parties in the state to make their campaigns issue-based and devoid of violence, asking politicians to always caution their followers against what could threaten the existing peace in the city and the entire state.
He praised AbdulRazaq for his government’s investments in road and school infrastructure, and waste management system, including the flyover at Tanke and expansion of Yebumot/Ita-Ama/Oloje road project, asking the government to do more.
“Crime and criminality are reducible if the youth are engaged in any sector of our economy or offered the opportunity to run their own enterprises. We owe our youth the duty of making a living and surviving notwithstanding the condition of our economy by drawing them away from political thuggery, cybercrime, scam of any sort,” he added.
One of the highlights of the programme was the Emir announcing Hajia Bola Shagaya as the Zaraniya of Ilorin.
In a communique issued at the end of the conference, IEDPU called on the federal government to expedite action on the take off of the newly approved Federal College of Education, Afon.
The communique was signed by the chairman and secretary of the communique drafting committee, Shuaib Dagbo and Dr Muhammad AbdulRahman respectively.
The IEDPU, however, commended the federal government on the establishment of Federal Neuro- psychiatric Hospital, Budo- Egba,also in Asa local government area.
On the 2023 general election, the union while reiterating its nonpartisanship called for violence free elections and urged politicians and their supporters to sustain unity and peaceful coexistence that have been the heritage of Ilorin Emirate.
It charged the indigenes of the Emirate not to allow politics to divide them and truncate the harmonious peaceful atmosphere in their domains.
On the challenge of insecurity facing the nation, the union called on both the state and the federal government to be more proactive, noting that the challenges have become a threat to the unity of the nation.
“The union emphasizes the need for government at all levels to look into the high rate of unemployment which has been on the increasing level and breeding criminalities in the society. It also calls for an enabling environment for the survival of farmers and improvement of entrepreneurship in order to boost economy of the state and invest in the youth.
“In this regard, industrialization of the state with possibility of looking at the area of agriculture and other ways of creating job opportunities for the indigenes and people of the state in general was emphasized, with the view to drawing attention of the youth away from thuggery, cybercrime, cultism and other forms of social vices.
“The union decries the high cost of food items and other goods and commodities,epileptic power supply, poor standard of the health sector, incessant strike in federal universities and the unfriendly price of fuel.
“The union, therefore, appeals to government to put in place, policies that will cushion the effects of economic hardship facing the nation in all ramifications,” the communique added.
