Ilorin Emirate Pavilion Scandal: N500 Million Project Stalls as Politics Undermines Tradition

By Omowumi Omotosho

 

 

 

 

For generations, the Ilorin Durbar has stood as a majestic display of heritage, unity, and pride, an annual celebration that weaves together the very soul of Ilorin Emirate. But in 2025, the heart of this cultural spectacle is under threat. Not because the people have lost interest, but because politics has frozen progress on a project that was supposed to elevate the festival to new heights.

The proposed N500 million Ilorin Emirate Pavilion, a federally funded initiative championed through the 2024 Appropriation Act, was envisioned as a permanent cultural edifice: a home for the Durbar, a hub for tradition, and a monument to Ilorin’s storied Islamic heritage.

Instead, it has become the epicenter of a bitter political rift between Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the lawmaker representing kwara central at the upper chamber, Senator Saliu Mustapha, with bureaucratic delays now casting a long shadow over one of Nigeria’s most treasured cultural events.

Friends or foes: Sen.Saliu Mustapha and Gov. Abdulrazaq 

Durbar Displaced: The Cultural Toll

The clearest casualty of this impasse is the 2025 Ilorin Durbar, which will no longer hold at the traditional Emir’s Parade Ground. Due to the stalled pavilion project, the venue has been shifted, displaced to the baseball court in far flung Adeta, Ilorin.

The pavilion was designed to enhance the Durbar with proper seating, a gallery for artifacts, improved accessibility, and safety features. Its absence strips the 2025 celebration of the dignity and grandeur it deserves, replacing pageantry with improvisation.

The Durbar brings thousands of residents and tourists to Ilorin, boosting local commerce, preserving tradition, and reinforcing inter-generational bonds. The displacement not only affects the aesthetics of the event, but also diminishes the economic and emotional returns the community counts on every year.

For many in the Emirate, this change is more than logistical. It is a cultural blow, a break in tradition, and a painful reminder of how political gamesmanship can trample on the sacred.

On Tuesday Morning, when National Pilot visited the the Baseball court in Adeta, Ilorin which is now the new location for the Durbar celebration, contractors were seen working tirelessly to get the place set for Durbar. The platform for the mobile pavilion used yearly at the Emir’s palace has been erected. Also, painters were seen painting the walls of the pavilion while welders were seen working on the baseball pavilion roof.

A member of Ilorin Durbar planning committee who spoke with National Pilot under strict anonymity on Tuesday morning disclosed that the baseball court would be ready for the Durbar celebration. He further disclosed that ” the Durbar is three days after Ileya, the contractors are aware and they will working with time. The venue will be ready before Durbar.”

Work in progress at the relocated Durbar venue, Baseball court, Adeta on Tuesday 

Politics vs. Heritage

The pavilion’s delay is not due to a lack of funds. The money N500 million was approved by the National Assembly, facilitated by Senator Mustapha, and earmarked for use before June 30, 2025. But the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS), which is responsible for issuing land and architectural approvals, has reportedly failed to act on the Emir of Ilorin’s application submitted as far back as March 3, 2025.

However, the Kwara state Geographic Information Service (GIS) in a statement dated May 8, 2025, signed by its Executive Chairman, ESV. Abdulkareem Babatunde Sulyman stated that at no time was any approval sought nor any given before the contractor embarked on the construction work at the site. He argue that “this is a grave offence under the law, which attracts 200% penalty. The Service does not tolerate such behaviour under whatever guise, hence the stoppage of work on the second day it started, February 7, 2025.”

Abdulkareem also disclosed that “the Service acknowledges that it received a set of incomplete documents from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security with a cover letter from the Ilorin Emirates Council. That was a single document out of many others.”

” The said proposed pavilion is a constituency project to be funded by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, the Service had since written to the client Ministry requesting it to supply all relevant documents that ought to accompany the request for statutory approval. This is a matter of law. The Service’s letter is dated March 12. It was acknowledged by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security on April 7, 2025.

” ⁠It is not true that the Service has received any further correspondences providing the documents required to process the request for approval. For the avoidance of doubt, the documents being awaited from the client Ministry included (but not limited to): detailed survey plan; locational plan; block plan with detail dimensions, specifications and setbacks to the adjoining roads and properties; site analysis; parking lots plan; sewage system plans; drainage system plans; fire safety plan; storm water management plan; M & E drawings; soil test; environmental management plan; environmental impact assessment; and geophysical examination report.

“As of today, Thursday, May 8, 2025, the Service has not received any response from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, or anyone for that matter, furnishing us with the required documents to process the approval. The Service is not empowered under the law to issue statutory approvals where conditions precedent have not been fulfilled. This is to prevent any untoward happenings afterwards.”

GIS boss, Abdulkareem Sulyman 

Radio Waves and Finger Pointing

In early May, the issue exploded into public discourse when Alhaji Ibrahim Zubair Dan Maigoro, the Governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Religious Matters (Islamic Affairs), appeared on a local radio program to address mounting concerns. His comments, though couched in diplomacy, ignited further controversy.

“I came on air to make some clarifications on the pavilion issue, which certain preachers have started using in their sermons. I urge them to investigate thoroughly before condemning the government,” he said.

Addressing the structure of communication between the state government and the public, he emphasized his accessibility.

“If you need clarity on government policies and programmes, I am close to you. We are all Islamic preachers. You can always approach me.” he added

Dan Maigoro further questioned the timing and procedure behind the project, pointing out that the pavilion was listed in the 2025 budget, but work reportedly began even before the budget’s approval. “Was the contractor approved through proper channels? Was the Durbar Committee, IEDPU, and the Emir’s Palace Committee consulted?” he asked.

He also weighed in on the political tension between Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and Senator Saliu Mustapha, attributing the friction to what he described as the senator’s “excessive ambition.”

“Other people want to contest for governor too, but Senator Saliu Mustapha is too ambitious. The reason I didn’t declare for governorship is because Amb. AbdulFatai Yahaya Seriki is already in the race,” he said.

SSA to the governor on Religion(Islamic), Dan Maigoro

The Senator Strikes Back

The following day, Barrister Abdulkareem Alabi, Senator Mustapha’s aide, went on the same radio program to offer the senator’s side of the story. Alabi insisted that all procedural steps had been followed, including the formal application to KW-GIS and accused the state government of deliberately stonewalling the project after over 60 days of silence on the approval.

Ilorin Durbar Committee Clarifies Position on Controversial Palace Pavilion Project

In a detailed statement issued on behalf of the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari (CFR), the Ilorin Durbar Committee clarified its stance on the proposed pavilion.

Speaking through its Chairman, Engr. Suleiman Yahaya Alapansapa, the Committee emphasized that the idea of constructing a pavilion was originally conceived by the Ilorin Durbar Committee as part of efforts to enhance the aesthetics, safety, and comfort of the Ilorin Annual Durbar and other royal events.

” The Durbar Committee initiated the idea of having a pavilion in the forecourt of the palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR. We considered this as both a cost-cutting initiative and an effort to enhance the safety, comfort, and security of our people as well as further embellish the spectacle and beauty of the Ilorin Annual Durbar and other Royal events,” the statement read.

The Committee also noted that the project had been subjected to consultations with major stakeholders, including Kwara State Governor, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq (CON), who has served as the lead sponsor of the Durbar festivities for the past six years.

” This idea was discussed with different stakeholders in Ilorin, including His Excellency, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq ( CON) , the Governor of the State, Chairman, Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF), and Sardauna of Ilorin as the lead sponsor of the Durbar events in the past 6 years. In his response, the Governor made significant suggestions about our initial design and how the project can better serve its purpose,” the statement read further.

However, the Committee, according to him, was caught by surprise during the 2024 Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) National Conference, where a representative of Senator Saliu Mustapha (Turaki of Ilorin) unveiled a different design for the pavilion, one that had not been presented to or approved by the Committee.

⁠”The discussions on amendments to our original design and execution of same, among other things, were still ongoing as of December 25, 2024 when a representative of the Distinguished Senator Saliu Mustapha, Turaki of Ilorin, unveiled a design of the pavilion at the annual Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU) National Conference as a gift from his office.

“The Durbar Committee heard of this development like everyone else at the event. We were not privy to it until then. The new design from Senator Saliu Mustapha is also different from the Durbar Committee’s original Architectural and Structural Design, which was being reviewed based on the inputs from the State Governor,” Alapansapa stated.

While expressing gratitude to both the Governor and Senator Mustapha for their commitment to the development of Ilorin Emirate, the Committee made a strong appeal “all the stakeholders who share our common values and whom we trust are working genuinely for the same purpose of ensuring that the best is done for our community and in honour of our revered Emir, Dr. Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR to stop further comments on the pavilion in the interest of peace, oneness of purpose, and mark of our usual highest regards for the seat of Sheikh Alimi.”

“The imperative for all to heed this appeal is fundamental in order to allow for a lucid resolution of issues as the Government considers the Original Pavilion Design and other subsequent Plans before it in accordance with building standards, public safety and environmental impact regulations. We fully submit to the legal role of Government to uphold due process and security of its citizens; it is our duty to comply with the final decision of the state government on this matter. Accordingly,⁠ His Highness, the Emir of Ilorin, being a legal Icon with excellent track records of being enforcer of due process and rule of law, appeals to all to align with the letter and spirit of the law and regulations in the processing and execution of the project.”

Durbar Committee chairman, Engr Alapansapa 

PVAN Asks Durbar Committee to Address Alleged N150m ‘bribe‘

A Kwara-based pro-democracy group, the People’s Voice Advocacy Network (PVAN), however, called on the Ilorin Emirate Durbar Committee to immediately respond to allegations that it received a N150 million conditional sponsorship offer for this year’s durbar festival.

In a widely circulated opinion published last week, former Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr. Wahab Oba, alleged that the Durbar Committee accepted N150 million from the administration of Governor Abdulrazaq on the condition that it distance itself from the pavilion project facilitated by Senator Saliu Mustapha, who represents Kwara Central.

Oba, citing an unnamed member of the committee, claimed the arrangement was politically motivated, raising serious concerns about the politicisation of the revered cultural event.

However, in a statement signed by its Deputy Publicity Secretary, Engr. Abdulraheem Kehinde, PVAN described the allegation as grave and one that casts a shadow over the integrity of the Durbar Committee. The group further expressed concern that the situation, if left unaddressed, could bring the Ilorin Traditional institution into disrepute.

The group said it was deeply worried that despite the gravity of this allegation, the Durbar Committee was yet to issue a public response, warning that the committee’s continued silence on the matter was not only damaging but could erode public trust in it.

It declared that the Committee owes the people of Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State an explanation, noting that the integrity of Ilorin Traditional institution and the cultural sanctity of the Durbar festival are at stake.

“The allegation that the Durbar Committee received N150 million from the state government under controversial conditions is serious and must not be ignored. If true, it casts a dark shadow over the independence of the committee and the neutrality of the Durbar, which is supposed to be a unifying and apolitical celebration of our Emirate’s rich heritage.

“We deliberately waited this long, hoping that the Committee would address this allegation, but we are worried that almost a week later, there has been no clarification from the Committee. Silence, in this context, is not neutral; it is corrosive.

“We, therefore, call on the Alhaji Yahaya Alapansapa-led Committee to, in the interest of transparency, immediately address this allegation. The Committee is urged to clarify whether it indeed received the said N150million from the state government and to explain under what terms the money was disbursed,” the group said.

PVAN warned that partisan rivalry should not be injected into an event that should serve as a unifying and apolitical celebration of Ilorin Emirate’s history and identity.

The group also condemned the Committee’s decision to host the 2025 edition of the Durbar festival at the baseball stadium in Adewole, rather than the traditional venue, the forecourt of the Emir’s Palace.

“The Emir’s Palace is not just a location; it is the historical and spiritual heart of the Durbar. Moving the festival to a different location undermines its cultural and symbolic significance and weakens the communal atmosphere the Durbar is known for,” the statement read.

A National Pilot source who is closed to the Durbar committee confirmed that the Committee indeed received N150m from the state government for the Durbar celebration.

According to the source who spoke under strict anonymity, the cheque for the organisation of the Durbar was given to the Durbar chairman, Alapansapa with set of conditions which included distancing the Durbar committee from the Saliu Mustapha sponsored pavilion and ensuring that opposition figures from the Emirate are not allowed to attend the Durbar ceremony.

Alapansapa was said to have agreed to the conditions before the cheque was handed over to him.

In a candid interview with National Pilot, a social commentator Engr. Yinka Otukoko didn’t hold back on the damage already done saying: ” Yeah, I think the whole drama is just quite unfortunate. It’s affecting a lot of things that are traditional and cultural. The bitter politics they are playing within themselves is affecting a lot of things.”

He recalled how, after initial concerns were raised, the project’s facilitator, Senator Saliu Mustapha, apologized and wrote to request official consent for the project. The Emir’s Palace reportedly followed with a letter of its own, signed by His Royal Highness. Yet the state government, through the Kwara State Geographic Information Service (KW-GIS), has failed to act, two months and counting.

“You will remember that immediately after the state government said that, the senator in charge came out and apologized and wrote a letter to request for the consent for the project. The palace is rumored to have written a letter to be signed by His Royal Highness, Emir Of Ilorin for the approval of the project and up to now, nothing has happened there. That has shown to us that what is behind the whole thing is not just requesting for a technical approval but a political game within some parties,” he said.

At the heart of Otukoko’s concern is the cultural cost of the delay as the stated that “coming back to the tradition, the land there is the land that belongs to the palace. I want to agree that there could be some regulatory requirements for a structure like that which the government needs to check and approve. But it’s taking forever to get that done. Considering the importance of that to the culture and structure of the land. And now, as we have it, the contractors are taking possession of the site. They have started construction work from foundation level and the work is stopped and is still at the foundation excavation site. What it means is the same plot of land cannot be used for Durbar this year. So the question we need to ask ourselves is where are we moving Durbar to? Irrespective of what the politics we will play with, it’s important to have a certain interest, especially when it is a collective one that has to do with everybody. So many people have appealed to the government to give approval for that construction. But it doesn’t take forever to get that approval. For a construction like that, given the importance of such construction to the entire Ilorin community. So, the problem now is where do we put this up?”

He further explained that the pavilion project isn’t just any construction, it was backed by the Federal Ministry of Works, funded through the 2024 Appropriation Act, and must have undergone all necessary pre-construction assessments. With all federal boxes checked, Otupopo questioned why the KW-GIS has refused to process a routine land and architectural approval, especially for a project of such cultural magnitude.

“This project is not just a project an individual has sponsored. It is a project that is coming from the federal ministry.

“What does that mean? It means the federal ministry has done pre-assessment, pre-construction technical assessment required for such construction. The federal government ministry must have gotten the necessary approval, technically. Because if our fear is the collapse of buildings, it is coming from the federal ministry and it is expected that they must have done necessary technical assessment of the project. They have developed what we call the Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation that captures every item to be executed on that site, one by one. That is a document.

” This is a law. It is a bill that is signed by the National Assembly and is assented to by the federal government of Nigeria. That is the presidency. What it means is it has passed a lot of processes of certification.

“It has passed a lot of processes of certification before it gets to approval and is awarded. The ministry went through a lot of processes before giving a letter of power to a contractor. They do procurement processes that require a visitation of the site, checking the land, coming up with the technical assessment and developing a Bill of Engineering Measurement and Evaluation that will be used to do that construction.

“So coming from the federal government, it is expected that they have done all this work. So that Bill, the GIS office would have requested for that Bill. Study it together, one, two, three days. Do whatever assessment you want to do on the project site. Then give an approval. Consider the importance of that project.

“I was not expecting that it would take forever like this before that approval is given. So for now, the deed has been done and there is no way we want to have a celebration the way everybody had expected it would happen. Because we had all expected it would have been under a million this year. But that is not obtainable now again because there is no way they can do that construction between now and December,” he concluded.

Engr Otukoko 

Also, in a strongly-worded interview with National Pilot, the Coordinator of Ilorin Emirate Concerned Group, Alhaji Sola Muse condemned what he described as the “sale of Ilorin culture” to political interests.

According to him, the chairman of the Durbar Committee has failed the emirate by allowing the state’s political leadership, to influence a heritage project that ought to remain under the guardianship of traditional authorities.

“For the durbar committee chairman to sell the culture and the people of Ilorin emirate to the governor is a bad omen. Government has no control of durbar which is our cultural heritage. For him to have even fallen prey to the governor is not a good thing to those of us in the Ilorin emirate. So our position in the Ilorin Emirate Concerned Group where I become the coordinator is that they should not go cap-at-hand to the governor any longer. They should tap the tapables in the emirate. We have men of mens in the Ilorin emirate. We told them we can generate more than ₦1 billion if we have to tap without any political affiliation as the chairman is doing. Whether Bukola Saraki, Saliu Mustapha or any other body for that matter , they are citizens of Ilorin emirate,” Muse asserted.

He went further to claim that the governor has contributed little or nothing to Ilorin’s development before his tenure yet now “uses his office to manipulate those who sell out their integrity.”

“Before Abdulrahman came on board as governor, has he ever contributed anything to IEDPU, has he ever contributed anything to the Ilorin emirate in terms of contributing factor for development. It is when he became governor that he is now using his office to manipulate those who try to sell out their integrity to him. And one thing we must realise is that one will not need to inform the governor that what of if somebody becomes the governor tomorrow and he is not from Ilorin ; then, you will now be saying that he is sabotaging Ilorin programme. So, we have to be futuristic in whatever we are doing. We condemn the attitude in totality ” he said.

This reaction directly echoes the broader sentiments and allegations of how political undercurrents and rivalry especially between the governor and Senator Saliu Mustapha have delayed the pavilion project, disrupted planning, and caused the controversial relocation of the Durbar venue to the Kwara State Baseball Arena, a move many view as culturally inappropriate.

Muse voiced the discontent of many Ilorin indigenes, stating, “It does not sink well with the children of Ilorin Emirate that understand or respect our culture. It’s supposed to be on the nose of His Royal Highness.” He criticized the silence of key cultural custodians who have failed to challenge the state government’s interference, calling their inaction “hypocritical silence.”

“If you sample opinion, they are not happy. And the silence of people that suppose to uphold that culture and tell the governor the gospel truth are of hypocritical silence. So, we condemn it in totality,” he added.

When asked about the alleged Kwara state government’s 150 million naira Durbar sponsorship, Muse questioned the legitimacy of the claim calling it a fabrication.

“As I speak, we have not gotten any information that confirms the receipt of such amount of money. The chairman is telling me to look outside the nimble of that to get money—it’s a kind of abracadabra. As I speak, there is nothing of such” he said.

Alhaji Sola Muse 

Ilorin Durbar Organizers Refute Claims of Receiving N150m from Kwara Government

The Ilorin Emirate Durbar Committee has however firmly denied reports suggesting it received N150 million from the Kwara State Government to host this year’s annual cultural celebration.

Addressing journalists in Ilorin on Monday during a briefing on preparations for the festival, the committee’s chairman, Engr. Suleiman Yahaya Alapasanpa, alongside the secretary, Prof. Ibrahim Jawondo, dismissed the allegations as baseless and misleading. Other committee members were also present at the media interaction.

The officials stated that such claims were entirely unfounded and likely originated from misinformation or deliberate attempts to mislead the public.

Engineer Alapasanpa, who said that the cultural event is independent of any government agency, added that durbar festival, “is purely Emir’s activities and anyone can come forward for partnership. There’s no pressure from any quarter. We have said it over and over again, durbar is for the Emir not for politicians.

“We have survived 18 annual durbar through partnerships. We never pleaded for or rely on government sponsorship because government come; government goes”, he said.

He, however, declared that this year’s event scheduled for next Sunday, would hold at the Kwara Baseball Park in Adewole area, Ilorin, a shift from the traditional Emir’s palace.

“We’re not taking durbar out of the palace. Other activities of the durbar like the free medical examination/care, exhibition of artefacts by local artisans, etc, are taking place in the palace”, he explained against misconception among some stakeholders.

The committee noted that the Emir’s palace is increasingly unable to accommodate the growing scale of the event, pointing out that it has just a single entrance, unlike the Base Ball venue which offers seven access points along with ample parking facilities.

Alapansanpa emphasized that the Durbar goes beyond a mere cultural showcase, portraying it as a vibrant expression of Ilorin’s lasting harmony, shared heritage, and communal spirit.

“The Ilorin Durbar is far more than a cultural event. It is a living testimony to Ilorin’s rich heritage; a celebration of unity, peace, and enduring harmony,” he said.

Looking back at the historical beginnings of the Durbar, he linked its emergence to the year 1830, following Ilorin’s triumph over the allied forces of the Old Oyo Empire and the Baruba warriors. He suggested that the decisive confrontation occurred at Ita Kudimo, a location that would later host the inaugural celebration commemorating Ilorin’s victorious legacy.

“These early gatherings were not parades of conquest but solemn affirmations of peace and healing, a blending of diverse peoples including Fulani, Yoruba, Hausa, Baruba, Nupe, Kanuri, Gobir and others,” he said.

This year, in what the committee described as a symbolic return to Ilorin’s historical roots, the Emir is expected to ride through historic path from Ita Ogunbo into Ita Kudimo before proceeding to the main event at the Baseball Park.

The 2025 celebration carries the theme “Unity in Diversity – Ilorin’s Timeless Gift”, highlighting the city’s legacy of peaceful coexistence among its many ethnic groups.

In his reaction, former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Prof Ali Ahmad, issued a public statement decrying what he called a “deliberate attempt to stall the Ilorin Emirate Pavilion project”. According to a statement signed by his media assistant, Sa’ad Ayinde, and accompanied by a broadcast video obtained by National Pilot, Prof. Ahmad described the obstruction as a political vendetta that disrespects both the Ilorin Emirate Council and the people it serves.

“This is a project meant to serve cultural and economic purposes, fully endorsed by the Ilorin Emirate Council and respected religious leaders. Yet it is stalled by someone’s ego,” Ahmad stated during a live radio programme.

He laid direct blame on the Kwara Geographic Information Service (KWGIS), accusing it of hiding behind “incomplete documentation” to block the project. He challenged the agency’s refusal to waive non-essential paperwork like sewage plans and parking lot designs—documents that are often fast-tracked for politically favored projects.

“So the GIS cannot grant waiver of these anecdotal paperwork for the Emirate Council?” he asked pointedly.

Prof. Ahmad further exposed the systemic pattern of selective approvals by citing how another federal project—the Gaa-Aremu Road—also facilitated by Senator Mustapha, has faced similar delays. Meanwhile, the Nursing School project in Kwara South, facilitated by a minister from the governor’s political camp, faced no such roadblocks.

“Would the government dare to obstruct such school project in the name of red tape?” he asked, contrasting it with the treatment of the Pavilion project.

Prof. Ahmad called on the public to reflect on how past administrations particularly under Dr. Bukola Saraki–respected traditional and religious institutions, noting that no leader of that era ever undermined the authority of the llorin Emir.

“This is exactly what you get when people vote based on sentiment. Next time, they must scrutinise all candidates,” he concluded.”

 

Dr Alli Ahmad

The Real Cost of the Stalemate

While politicians argue on the airwaves, the real losers are the people of Ilorin Emirate. The pavilion was meant to create jobs, promote tourism, and provide a cultural hub that would endure for generations. Instead, the site lies untouched, with its federal funding at risk.

Under the Fiscal Responsibility Act of 2007, any capital project not executed by the end of the fiscal year must have its funds returned to the Consolidated Revenue Fund. In simple terms: if construction doesn’t begin before June 30, the N500 million earmarked for the pavilion disappears—possibly forever.