Close communication on Isese festival, Sulu-Gambari urges his subjects

GBENGA OLARINOYE, Ilorin

The Emir of Ilorin and Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Mai-Martaba Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari CFR, on Monday ordered indigenes of llorin Emirate to sheathe their swords and close communication in the ongoing controversies generated by the letter written by Nobel Laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka.

In a statement issued on Monday by his spokesman, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, the Emir noted that peace and tranquility were the major recipes required for the promotion of harmony in the state.

According to him, “His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, has ordered that nobody should further express their anger on the Isese festival and Prof Wole Soyinka saga under any guise any longer in the interest of peaceful coexistence and harmonious working environment in Nigeria.”

He, however, appealed to the people of Ilorin Emirate and state at large to continue to live together in peace and restrain from any temptations that may arise from the cancellation of the Isese festival in Ilorin.

Alhaji Sulu-Gambari, therefore, thanked sons and daughters as well as friends of the Ilorin Emirate for the show of love and concern towards the preservation of the rich tradition and culture heritage of the Ilorin Emirate.

Meanwhile, Alhaji Sulu-Gambari has approved the revival of the annual Emir’s Cup in his honour as requested by the Ilorin Emirate Football Councils led by its chairman, Alhaji Abdulrazaq Owolabi Wopa.

The Emir, who gave the approval when the committee visited the monarch in his Palace, stressed that the tournament was aimed at promoting peaceful and coexistence in the Ilorin and beyond.

Wopa, however, assured the monarch that transparency and inclusiveness would be adopted throughout the tournament in order to achieve the objective of the game, which will kick-start in September 2023.