Kwara State (Ilorin and Kabba Province) was created by the military Government of Col Yakubu Gowon in 1967 as WEST CENTRAL state. Kogi was carved out of the state in 1991 thereby reducing its original size. Geographically Kwara State is located in the WESTERN part of Nigeria. Let's assume we want to locate only four grid on the Nigerian map I. e North, West, South, East. Kwara is the WESTERN part of Nigeria, Abuja is right in the miidle, Taraba/ part of Adamawa EAST, Rivers SOUTH and Katsina NORT. North Central is a multi-ethnic group with 65 percent of the settlers christians. Benue has the highest percentage of christians followed by Plateau then kwara with 44 percent christian population. Ilorin the state capital has more muslim population than christians (55 percent muslims, 41 percent christians and others (4 percent) although ilorin indegienes are majorly muslims (87 percent). The most popular language in kwara is yoruba (even more popular than English as the minority parts (Edu, Lafiagi,Baruteen and Kiamo LG speak "scanty" yoruba)
Kwara is made up of 16 Local Government Areas, the above LGAs are none yorubas (and are the most sparcely populated) while the remaining 12 are yoruba LGAs namely: irepodun (2nd largest LG in Nigeria, ifelodun (largest LG in Nigeria) , Offa, Moro, Oke-Ero, Ekiti, Oyun, ilorin West, ilorin South and Ilorin East local government.
Out of this 12 local government only 2 ilorin W and E have traces of other tribes like nupe, fulani and hausa (who all speak yoruba). This fulani minorities all have yoruba names as their middle name e.g ibrahim Kolapo Zulu Gambari (emir of ilorin) Dele Belgore, Babatunde Belgore etc. I once met a girl who is a grand daughter of the Emir of ilorin. After telling me her 1st name (yoruba name of course I thought I was talking to an oyo or osun girl untill I saw her I D card. I Was confused and this was the conversation that followed:
Me: Thesame 'Zulu-Gambari' ?
girl: YES! She answered.
me: so you are a fulani girl?
girl: Rara oo (nooo, she said)
Me: critically appraise what you mean (I said jokingly but was really intrested in that topic)
girl: em em em m well, I am not fulani but ilorin
Me: is ilorin a tribe?
Girl: technically I am ....(My phone rang and I had to leave her immediately. I haven't seen her since then.
I have always asked this question;
WHY IS KWARA CLASSIFIED as a northern state?
Geographical location? (NO)
Tribe? (NO)
While in school my friends used to make jest of me by calling me "aboki" It saddens my mind but what I usually do was to joke around it. I got really pissed one day and I called two of them (they are both ondo indegines)
Me: we all know the meaning of Oyewale (my name) and Ogundiran (surename) pls tell me the meaning of MIMIKO or AGAGU and I will accept the aboki title
(I saw myself as beign more yoruba than them)
Friends: jokingly they said "go ask them na"..
(they didn't know because those names don't sound like yoruba)
I have read different stories of how Afonja was killed by Alimi and also read about the mistakes made by the colonial government (Richards' Commission). To some extent I can argue that there are more ibos reciding in ilorin than the fulanis but that is a topic for another day. Recently the President set up a committee on the proposed Sovereign National Conference and I think the issue of kwara (ilorin) and yorubas in Kogi should be on the agenda. Why can't we have an Oba (say Afonja or Onilorin) of ilorin? I don't have anything against the Emir because he is a peaceful person and intelligent man too. -the only language he speaks in public is yoruba language, I don't know if he understands hausa/fulani languge but I know most of the fulanis in ilorin dont. Infact you won't know the educated ones among them are fulani untill you are told.
About 3 years ago Governor Babangida Aliyu of Niger state was invited by Muslim Law students in OAU and he was made to believe that there was an unbrella body for Northern Students in the school. He donated N500000 and promised to give more in future. So we were to form an Association for Northern Students in OAU. The association was formed and almost 70 percent of the members were yorubas majorly from kwara with a significant number from Kogi, We were to elect leaders for the association and while the plans to nominate members of the electoral committee was going on, the core Northern Students made a request that the posts of President, VP and Gen Second should be restricted to them alone (ie NW,NE and the core North). They made that request because they felt the chances of having core Northern students hold key posts in the association was very slim (if charisma and population was considered) and they wiould be relegated in the association that was supposed to promote the intrest of the North. It become very obvious they would not allow a Babatunde Samuel (just an e.g) be the President as the association (-I understand there plight) as his identity doesn't depict North in any way so the association was dossolved and I learnt they formed Arewa Student Association not long ago.
....(KWARA students are OUTCASTs here)
Kwara Students have very slim chances of getting scholarships. The state government is definately doing very little in this area (I spent 5 years in Ife and I didn't receive any assistance from the government in form of schorlarship/Bursary. I am not a fan of Saraki/Ahmed so I never expected much/anything from them. -Politically kwara is doomed and only divine intervention can deliver us. I don't belong to any political party but I know for sure that 80 percent PDP's rigging machines are in Kwara (let's not even talk about the Offa LG election). - Jonathan truely won kwara in the last election (They may have rigged for him but kwara people prefered him to Buhari). He (jona) has not impressed me at all as he is misplacing his priorities and very little is beign done to purnish corrupt politicians. "I see a confused man at the helms of affairs of the country even though he has good plans and trueely desired a better Nigeria" HIS GOVERNMENT TOTALLY RELEGATED THE YORUBAS. Back to the last general election in kwara PDP did RIGGED the election as there was no way they could have won in Kwara South. Saraki also rigged kwara central senatorial seat for himself as he would not have defeated Oniyangi of APC in a free and fair election (not my business though).
Governor Ahmed is from my senatorial district. He is 100 percent yoruba and"Aregbesola is not more yoruba than him"
He is by far the MOST POWERLESS GOVERNOR IN NIGERIA'S HISTORY and He himself will atteast to that.
The various scholarships for yoruba students are usually restricted to South Western Students which is very wrong. The Afenifere and other yoruba groups should do something very urgently about this as we(kwara students) are really suffering from this.
I don't know what will be the criteria for selecting delegates to the Soverign National Congress but I know traditional leaders and socio-cultural groups will be part of the delegates.
I love Nigeria and have never for once thought about disintergration but I can never sacrifice yoruba for Nigeria. NEVER I love YORUBA more than I love NIGERIA and love NIGERIA much more than my state (KWARA) because I have never really benefitted any tangible thing from KWARA.
I have the following suggestions which am sure would definately make Nigeria a much better place :
1. Nigeria should scrab either the Senate or House of Reps (we don't need two chambers. There primary assignments are not well done (most of them only wait for alerts from bank after each seating. I can name atleast 40 past and present senators/reps who didn't make up to 10 contributions throughout their 8 years in the senate/HoH. You always see them dozing/sleeping and wakes up when only to say HI and NA even when they don't know what is being discussed. Besides that the cost of maintaining them is too high which is while other sectors like education, aviation, heath, power etc are suffering
2.The present 36 states too needs to go and should be replaced with only 5 regions (North Central should be dissolved)/ this country needs to be regrouped. The grouping should be tribal sensitive as NO PART OF THE MAJOR TRIBES SHOULD BE MINORITIES IN OTHER REGIONS I.e all yorubas should be together including those in kwara and Kogi states. Same thing with other tribes (hausa and fulani should be together as they have very similar culture and tradition and have never really had problems living together)
3. TRUE FEDRALISM. Each of the 5 regions should operate like the 50 states in U.S.A

These will make the local governments independent, empowered and more effective/functional.
.... To be continued....

Waiting.

I subscribe....
The yorubas,fulanis, can all claim ilorin,bt ilorin must have a yoruba leader.

If d middlebelt was to be dissolved, that means the southsouth wud be dissolved too...

lygn19: If d middlebelt was to be dissolved, that means the southsouth wud be dissolved too...

kwara's case is different bro

greatdonmikel: kwara's case is different bro

Y...is it because they re yoruba?... Aren't there Igbo's in d southsouth?

lygn19:
Y...is it because they re yoruba?... Aren't there Igbo's in d southsouth?

abeg dnt claim South south o. U knw better!

And abt ilorin, there is no need to fight, ilorin can be classified as a middle belt anyways. Same a Kogi.

Part of Yoruba land is beign classified as North instead of South. SE and SS have lots of similarities aside that the ibos in SS are part of the minority but kwara is 85 percent yoruba yet classified as a Northern state. The present governor of kwara state is the only yoruba man in the Northern Governors' Forum

SLIDE waxie: abeg dnt claim South south o. U knw better!

And abt ilorin, there is no need to fight, ilorin can be classified as a middle belt anyways. Same a Kogi.

I am not claiming southsouth if dats ur fear, but am claiming d Igbo's on it.

lygn19:
I am not claiming southsouth if dats ur fear, but am claiming d Igbo's on it.

Funny! How can you claim human beings ibo or not? Are you their God or ruler or leader? Are they tubers of yam unable to know where they belong or want to belong?? This is the problem and mistake ibos have: a desire to have or think they have more right than the other person.

The writer here is making his own case not claiming for anybody. He is saying where he wants to belong and the curious cases he has encountered. He is saying I want to be with my people, we want our families to be with our bigger families and he is not asking that the minority Northerners become Yorubas (go and read it again if you missed it). Should the minority people decide to go with the majority of their current Yoruba neighbours to belong to a Greater Yoruba (Western) Region-State-Country, it is their exclusive prerogative and I have no doubts that they will not only be welcomed but they will partake in a far better living conditions than in present arrangement and better than belonging to the north, the way we know it. For example, free education and healthcare and best in class economic opportunities will be available to them or their children - something no other part of Nigeria has ever provided to their citizens.

Sloan:

Funny! How can you claim human beings ibo or not? Are you their God or ruler or leader? Are they tubers of yam unable to know where they belong or want to belong?? This is the problem and mistake ibos have: a desire to have or think they have more right than the other person.

The writer here is making his own case not claiming for anybody. He is saying where he wants to belong and the curious cases he has encountered. He is saying I want to be with my people, we want our families to be with our bigger families and he is not asking that the minority Northerners become Yorubas (go and read it again if you missed it). Should the minority people decide to go with the majority of their current Yoruba neighbours to belong to a Greater Yoruba (Western) Region-State-Country, it is their exclusive prerogative and I have no doubts that they will not only be welcomed but they will partake in a far better living conditions than in present arrangement and better than belonging to the north, the way we know it. For example, free education and healthcare and best in class economic opportunities will be available to them or their children - something no other part of Nigeria has ever provided to their citizens.

Ok, but re der Igbo's in the southsouth?

following and good job @op, you spoke the heart of many.

lertee: Good points made by the OP.
There is confusion in classifying ilorin town,firstly almost a 100% of ilorin indegenes are muslim unless for those that convert on getting to other states.
Secondly,ilorin culture is solely the hausa/fulani culture and no yoruba mixture like there's no diety festival or egugun or oro and the likes even the marriage rites common in yorubaland.
Now the part of having a yoruba or fulani ruler has been fought so many times and according to history,the fulanis have more right to rule ilorin than a yoruba. They bear yoruba names yes and this because it is normal to adopt a local name or alias wherever you find yourself. Most part of ilorin indigenes have their roots to fulanis apart from the “idi ape” who originated from oyo empire. Now the “idi apes” are a minority in ilorin and so they cannot rule as oba,it has to be the fulanis.
Kwara in general has most of the parts bearing oba title from ollofa of offa to elerin of erin ile to oniko of share among others.
The quest for a yoruba ruler in “ilorin” cannot be achieved because from history ilorin indigenes are not yorubas even though the language is the most spoken there. The truth is we cannot change history neither can identity be changed.

.

You need to go back to your history books. Ilorin is a yoruba land and Afonja the founder of ilorin was the 1st Aare Ona Kakanfo of yoruba land. MKO Abiola was the last Aare Ona ka kan fo. Its not just like any other title its reserved for only distinguish and very powerful yoruba indegines (warriors)

Am not yoruba but let me chook mouth. Illorin people are just fulani by name, it is their town yes, they won it in war. It is only normal that they rule the town. They emir of Illorin is more yoruba than fulani, i dont see the need for a yoruba oba. It will just cause discord.

Kwara is geographically in the north, its based on geography that its in the North Central. Tribal sentiments are usually not followed when making such delineations. By the way, yoruba people as Northerners makes the country stronger.

You suggestion on 5 regions does not fly. It will cause more tribalism, and power struggle. Let it be made that states that want to unite should unite, those that dnt want should stay.

theSpark: Am not yoruba but let me chook mouth. Illorin people are just fulani by name, it is their town yes, they won it in war. It is only normal that they rule the town. They emir of Illorin is more yoruba than fulani, i dont see the need for a yoruba oba. It will just cause discord.

Kwara is geographically in the north, its based on geography that its in the North Central. Tribal sentiments are usually not followed when making such delineations. By the way, yoruba people as Northerners makes the country stronger.

You suggestion on 5 regions does not fly. It will cause more tribalism, and power struggle. Let it be made that states that want to unite should unite, those that dnt want should stay.

are you saying the fulanis won the town during war? The fact that Alimi overthrown his master does not change the the identity of the town. The real indegines still constitute more than 90 percent of the population of ilorin people. They have the only yoruba speaking Emir (very absord)

greatdonmikel: kwara's case is different bro

pls just shut up

Enegito: pls just shut up

Easy oga. Do you know anything about Kwara at all?

lertee: Good points made by the OP.
There is confusion in classifying ilorin town,firstly almost a 100% of ilorin indegenes are muslim unless for those that convert on getting to other states.
Secondly,ilorin culture is solely the hausa/fulani culture and no yoruba mixture like there's no diety festival or egugun or oro and the likes even the marriage rites common in yorubaland.
Now the part of having a yoruba or fulani ruler has been fought so many times and according to history,the fulanis have more right to rule ilorin than a yoruba. They bear yoruba names yes and this because it is normal to adopt a local name or alias wherever you find yourself. Most part of ilorin indigenes have their roots to fulanis apart from the “idi ape” who originated from oyo empire. Now the “idi apes” are a minority in ilorin and so they cannot rule as oba,it has to be the fulanis.
Kwara in general has most of the parts bearing oba title from ollofa of offa to elerin of erin ile to oniko of share among others.
The quest for a yoruba ruler in “ilorin” cannot be achieved because from history ilorin indigenes are not yorubas even though the language is the most spoken there. The truth is we cannot change history neither can identity be changed.

YOU ARE REALLY LOST BROTHER... PLEASE ISLAM IS NOT HAUSA CULTURE, ISLAM IS A CULTURE OF MUSLIMS...BETTER RETRACE UR SOURCE... THE ONLY DAT IS NOT YORUBA IN ILORIN IS THE EMIR THING, AND DAT IS KINDA ISLAMIC NOT HAUSA... TIME SHALL, MY PRAYER IS NIGERIA TO DIVIDE AND SEE IF REALLY WE CAN'T HAVE OBA IN ILORIN... IS THE FULANIS IN ILORIN DAT DNT KN0W WEA DEY BELONG, ILORIN IS FOR YORUBAS...AND WE WILL SOON HAVE OBA AS LEADA...

theSpark: Am not yoruba but let me chook mouth. Illorin people are just fulani by name, it is their town yes, they won it in war. It is only normal that they rule the town. They emir of Illorin is more yoruba than fulani, i dont see the need for a yoruba oba. It will just cause discord.

Kwara is geographically in the north, its based on geography that its in the North Central. Tribal sentiments are usually not followed when making such delineations. By the way, yoruba people as Northerners makes the country stronger.

You suggestion on 5 regions does not fly. It will cause more tribalism, and power struggle. Let it be made that states that want to unite should unite, those that dnt want should stay.

ILORIN IS NOT WON BY WAR... BUH BY GREED AND BETRAYAL FR0M FULANIS... GOD BACK TO HISTORY, YORUBA NEVER LOSS ANY WAR WITH FORIEGN TRIBE...THE IBADAN WARRIORS DEFEATD FULANI WARRI0RS, D ONLY MISTAKE DEY MADE WAS; THE DNT PURSUE DA FLEEDIN FULANI WARRI0R TO ILORIN AND CHASE THEM OUT OF ILORIN...GO AND READ YORUBA HSTORY DONT SAY WAT U DNT KNW!!! Soti ye e?