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Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
An Islamic cleric and a key supporter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kwara State, Sheikh Abdulrahim Aduranigba, has expressed the hope that the emergence of Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq as governor in Saturday’s election will give room for the emergence of a new traditional ruler, to be known as Oba of Ilorin.
Aduranigba, in an exclusive interview with a Yoruba newspaper, Yoruba Ronuof, in its latest edition, under the headline “Ni Ipinle Kwara,Yoruba Setan Lati Fi Ibo Gba Agbara Lowo Saraki Ati Fulani” claimed to be the Chief Imam of Ilorin and entire Yoruba land.
He further disclosed a grand design by the Yoruba to use the 2019 general elections to wrestle power from the Saraki political dynasty and the Fulani clan in Ilorin.
“After winning the coming governorship election, we shall have an Oba of Ilorin, once our own son, Abdulrahman, becomes the state governor. We’ll then ask for our rights.
‘’When the new governor is inaugurated, he will help us upgrade the Yoruba chiefs in Ilorin Emirate and Kwara as a whole. Balogun Alanamu, Olu Isin, Onikangu, Magaji Are, Baba Isale, Alapado, Olu Oke- Oyi, Ohoro of Shao, Oba Saadu and Oba of Jebba must be upgraded.”
He claimed that the Yoruba ethnic group constitutes the largest population in Kwara State, and that his people have adopted the APC gubernatorial candidate, Abdulrasaq, as their choice for Saturday’s governorship poll. The cleric noted that the general elections present the Yoruba in Ilorin and Kwara State, the best opportunity to free themselves from the grip of the Fulani, who have been ruling them under the Emirate system that is alien to their culture.
“We’ve adopted Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq as our governorship candidate, because he is a Yoruba, and we’ve instructed him to conduct his campaigns in Yoruba language. The PDP candidate is Fulani and we challenge him to conduct his campaigns in Fulani language. Twelve out of the 16 local government areas in Kwara State belong to us (Yoruba).
