Ilorin Durbar: Group harps on independent funding
Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin
The Ilorin Emirate Concerned Group has advocated independent funding of the 2025 durbar celebrations devoid of government patronage.
The group has, therefore, urged the 2025 durbar committee set by the Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) to source for funds from wealthy apolitical son’s and daughters of the Emirate.
Addressing journalists in Ilorin, the state capital, the Secretary of the group, Mallam Shuaib Nuhu, said that the durbar is a celebration of the cultural heritage of the Emirate and should not be intermingled with politics.
He said: “The disturbing picture of a revered institution to a political pawn in the hands of those who would rather exploit the 2025 durbar celebrations as a tool of political leverage than preserve it as a symbol of unity and pride of the Emirate is unthinkable.
“We use this medium to advise and draw the attention of the durbar committee to the politics being perpetrated on the 2025 durbar celebrations.
“The body now considers it to enumerate some provoking concerns that have been militating against the peaceful conduct of our annual durbar celebrations.
“We therefore suggest to the durbar committee, IEDPU to bring a stop to the usual political interventions which undermine the integrity and sincerity of the programme and personality of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
“It is sad to note that barely three weeks to the celebrations of the fiesta, the committee has not raised enough funds for the successful hosting of the cultural festival.”
Nuhu added: “The durbar committee needs to stop politicising the annual event. It is a community programme and should remain so.
“Funds should only be sourced from the well to do indigenes rather than politicians using the event to score political points to their own advantages.”