Why I visited Emir of Ilorin —Oluwo

The Oluwo of Iwo-land, Oba Abdulrasheed Akanbi, has described his visit to the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, as his vision for harmonious relationship between the two towns reputed for their depth in Islamic religion.

Oba Akanbi was on Thursday a guest of Sulu-Gambari alongside other traditional rulers in his Iwo Kingdom.

The Oluwo said the visit was overdue on account of the religious ties between the two towns and also the need to promote social-economic development of their subjects and  described the Emir as a good leader who is revered by his subjects for his profile as a legal icon before he ascended the throne.

Oba Akanbi assured the Emir of his continued relationship for the benefits of the people of the two towns.

The Oluwo revealed that Iwo built the first mosque in Yorubaland in 1655, adding that the pace-setter role has position the town as a reference point to other Yoruba towns which later accepted Islam.

“No town is an island. That is where we must relate well with one another with a view to promoting a peaceful society. There is no doubting the fact that Iwoland is a frontline Islamic town in the whole of Yorubaland, hence my resolve to visit Ilorin known as city of knowledge,” he said.

However, he said his difference to the worship of deities is his adherence to the teaching of Islam in contrast to alleged disparaging of Yoruba culture.

“I cannot insult our cultural heritage but I must make it clear that the era of promoting deities that depended on sacrifice is gone. We should make our cultural sites tourist attractions to make money for the government,” he said.