A socio-cultural organisation, the Kwara South Consultative Forum, has strongly opposed the call by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, for the renaming of the University of Ilorin after Sheikh Alimi, the founder of the Alimi dynasty.
The Forum described the proposal as “highly provocative” and insensitive to the ethnic diversity and historical plurality of Kwara State.
The Emir had made the call during the 50th anniversary celebration of the University of Ilorin, sparking public debate across the state.
In a statement issued on Friday and signed by its Secretary-General, Adebayo Daramola, the Forum said the University of Ilorin belongs to the entire state and not to any single ethnic group or community.
“The entire state of Kwara is the catchment area of the University of Ilorin. We are just not homogeneous enough in Kwara State for that idea to ever be muted,” the statement read.
The group warned against actions capable of reopening ethnic fault lines, noting that the location of the university in Ilorin does not translate to exclusive ownership by the host community.
“The fact that the University is located in Ilorin does not confer ownership on the city. The privilege of being a host community should not be confused with exclusive ownership,” it stated.
The Forum argued that the historical significance of Sheikh Alimi does not resonate with many ethnic groups in the state, particularly those of Ekiti, Ibolo and Igbomina extraction in Kwara South, as well as communities in Kwara North.
“It will therefore be uncalled for to contemplate the imposition of a name that does not have statewide spread on our collective inheritance,” the Forum said.
As an alternative, the group suggested that proponents of the proposal should consider establishing a private university named after Sheikh Alimi, citing the growing number of private tertiary institutions in Kwara South.
It listed Landmark University, Omu-Aran; Thomas Adewumi University, Oko; Abubakar AbdulRazaq Toyin University, Gamo; Summit University, Offa; Offa University, Offa; Lens University, Offa/Ilemona, and Lens Polytechnic, Offa, as examples.
“So, we are advising you to take a cue from Kwara South by establishing a private university in the name of Sheikh Alimi if there is a strong desire to immortalise him,” the Forum stated.
The group also faulted the recent renaming of the Kwara State Government House as Ahmadu Bello House, saying it was done without adequate consultation with other ethnic groups, particularly those in Kwara South.
According to the Forum, if the Government House must be named after an individual, it should honour the pioneer Military Governor of Kwara State, late Brigadier General David Bamigboye (retd.).
“It is still not late to right the wrong by renaming the Kwara State Government House as David Lasisi Bamigboye House, considering that he laid the foundation of the state and left enduring legacies, including the Government House,” it said.
The Forum appealed to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to intervene and reverse what it described as a “glaring injustice,” stressing that equity, fairness and justice must guide governance in the state.
“We must not do anything that can tamper with our resolve to live together in peace and harmony in Kwara State, the State of Harmony,” the statement added.
The University of Ilorin, established in 1975 as a federal institution, draws students and staff from across Nigeria and beyond, making it one of the most diverse universities in the country.
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