A special prayer was at the weekend held to seek Allah’s continuous favour for sustainable peace and development in Ilorin and its environs under the reign of the emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari.
The prayer which was at the instance of the Daudu Banni (District head) in Ilorin west local government area of Kwara state, Alhaji Adelodun Orilonise Usman, was held at the Daudu’s palace in Banni area and was attended by a delegation of Sarkin Salama of Ilorin from the emir’s palace .
The prayer was led by the Imam Banni, Alhaji Abdulkareem Adi and was attended by prominent sons and daughters of the community including a former chairman, Transition Implementation Committee (TIC) of Ilorin west local government, Alhaji Abdulhamid Oladipupo Ali, popularly known as Mr. Nigeria.
Speaking to Blueprint at the sideline of the prayer session, the Daudu said the prayer had became an annual tradition of the community at the instance of the reigning Daudu to seek Allah’s continuous favour for the emir whose reign, according to him, has been peaceful and eventful.
The daudu recalled that the 2024 Ilorin emirate grand Durbar procession lead by the emir of Ilorin, got to the interland including Banni community, a development which he said had further connected the emir to his subjects.
He also praised the state governor Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq for embarking on various infrastructural development across the township with an appeal to consider Banni community in his list of communities that deserved to benefit from such projects.
He also appealed to the governor to consider the sons and daughters of Banni community for political appointments even as he enjoined the people of the community particularly, Alaro and Ogidi community to always see themselves as one and chat a common cause for the development of the community.
His submission was corroborated by Mr. Nigeria who also preached peace and unity among the people of Alore and Ogidi communities.