Ilorin Central Jumat Mosque BOT Proposes 250-Bed space Student Hostel Project to Boost Mosque Maintenance Fund
By Omowumi Omotosho
The Board of Trustees (BOT) of the Ilorin Central Jumat Mosque has under the leadership of leadership of its chairman, Honourable Justice Salihu Modibbo Alfa Belgore unveiled an ambitious plan to construct a ₦1.1 billion students hostel at the University of Ilorin Main Campus. The proposed 250-bed space facility is expected to serve as a sustainable revenue-generating project to support the long-term maintenance of the historic Ilorin central mosque.
This development was disclosed during the 2025 annual BOT/stakeholders meeting held at the women’s wing of the Ilorin Central Mosque on Saturday. The progress report on the mosque’s activities was presented by the Secretary of the BOT, Alhaji Shehu AbdulGafar.
According to Alhaji AbdulGafar, the board has already submitted a letter of intent to the University of Ilorin authorities regarding the proposed hostel, and a 3D architectural design of the building was showcased during the meeting. He emphasized that the hostel project aligns with the board’s broader efforts to ensure a stable income stream for the mosque’s maintenance.
He further noted that aside from the proposed hostel, there is a pressing need to replace the rug in the mosque’s main hall, which is estimated to cost over ₦100 million.
During the gathering, attended by distinguished personalities including former Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Professor Ali Ahmad; the Grand Mufti of Ilorin, Sheikh Faruq Onikijipa; the 1st Makama of Ilorin, Sheikh Ibrahim Oniye; and Sheikh Yusuf Murtala Pakata, among others, concerns were raised over the mosque’s growing expenses compounded by the rising inflation.
The BOT lamented the “epileptic power supply remains a great challenge coupled with hyper bill of over One Million Naira monthly to the operation and maintenance of the Mosque. This is coupled with unstable prices of diesel running to #700,000 monthly including servicing. The low in-flow of donations to the Mosque especially levies expected from Ratibi Mosques”
Speaking with pressmen, the BOT Secretary explained the rationale behind the project: “The Central Working Committee of the Mosque, having considered so many projects, concluded that for now, hostel accommodation business is a very lucrative business. At least for every 9 months that the students will be in the hostel, we are sure of getting money. With this money, since we are not allowed to take loans from commercial banks because of the injunction in the Qur’an we believe that revenue generated through the student hostel will go a long way in funding the maintenance of the mosque.”
That will assure us of sustainable maintenance. That’s the reason why we want to embark on a 250-bed space hostel at the University of Ilorin main campus. By our projection, we believe it will go a long way. In addition to other sources, the mosque cannot rely on just one. For example, we receive grants from the five local governments in the Emirate monthly. We also expect that the state government will assist because this Central Mosque is no longer just a worship place, it is a monument which attracts tourists from far and near. If you go through our visitor’s book, you will be surprised at the places where people have come from: America, Asia, the UK, Egypt, and so on,” he added.
The BOT Secretary also touched on the energy challenges the mosque faces, particularly with power consumption and operational costs: “We have solar already, but the solar installation is meant for certain functions of the mosque. The mosque is centrally air-conditioned. No solar system as of now can power the ACs. To run the air conditioning, we rely on our 350 kVA generator, which consumes 100 litres of diesel every hour. The mosque is designed to be air-tight, and this increases the power requirement. We have solar-powered boreholes, solar-powered internet for the library, and solar support for offices, but certainly, solar alone cannot meet the power needs of the main hall.”
The BOT therefore appealed to the Muslim community, stakeholders, and government authorities for greater support to preserve the mosque’s spiritual, cultural, and historical significance as the Mosque continues to serve not only as a major place of worship but also as a symbol of unity and a growing tourist destination in Kwara State.
