By Adeleke Gbenga
The sky blue colour cap, the usual Northern cap popular in Ilorin and well designed seated fittingly well on his head. It was completed with an embroidered navy blue colour Kaftan he spotted to match. He sat on a raised dais above and over others who had to made do with any available space on the floor below him, inside an enclosure that looked like a mini palace. He was full of air and filled with confidence. He appeared as cool as cucumber, looking unflustered and calm.
People fawned around and over him, receiving instructions, delivering messages and running errands. Perhaps it was fura nunnu, a fulani brewed local beverage in a clean and well designed calabash placed before him, he sat over it and devoured the content with a relish. A few distance away outside the compound, the preparation had been completed for the ceremony to start. All the Daudus had been well seated. The Daudus’ assembly intuitively or counterintuitively whatever the case was appeared to stress and highlight the gerontological order of the Ilorin culture. A cult of the old people as sage which however is not witlessly orthodox and oppressive, in a “Kafkaesque” diminution of liberty and freedom in an overwhelmingly stifling environment. They looked resplendent in their ceremonial dresses and costumes. All the trappings of the Ilorin royal tapestries were emblematically displayed to illustrate not only the heritage of the ”Fulani Dynasty” of Ilorin. But also the status of ”Daudu” as prince, head of a ruling house and an heir apparent to the royal stool of the Emirate. This was the turbanning of the 4th Daudu Jeje at the Jeje family compound behind Emir’s palace at Ago Market on 11th April 2025. The new Daudu interestingly is a young man, not an old man like other Daudus. This is not to say there is no young man among the Daudus.
But the majority of them, the larger percentage are old grandees, suggesting perhaps that most of them had carried their heirlooms for long. The latest Daudu is Mallam Abdulwahab Olayinka Alheri an Immigration officer. The first Daudu Jeje in the family was Mallam Uthman Baba Agba, the second was Mallam Yahya Alheri, the third was Alhaji Abdullahi Aremu Mohammed Nuhu while the fourth is the newly turbaned Daudu, Mallam Abdulwahab Olayinka Alheri.
He was ushered into the venue of the turbanning ceremony by a motley crowd of family members, friends, associates and well-wishers at 5:40pm. After the performance of all Islamic and other traditional rites, he was turbaned with a long turban that was as white as snow and a light gold guinea brocade over his Kaftan. To complete the costume, he was decorated with a flowing golden colour Alkimba gown that was emblematic of the Ilorin royalty, awash with the stream of lights clicking from the paparazzi’s cameras. This was followed by the traditional greetings and prayers.
Among the Daudus that graced the occasion were Daudu Agaka, Daudu Bayero, Daudu Bere, Daudu Fagba, Daudu Gbagede Isale, Daudu Nidi Popo.
Others included Daudu Ajasa, Daudu Amule Olomo Oba, Daudu Yama, Daudu Onimalu, Daudu Saadu, Daudu Ogede Oti, Daudu Bala, Daudu Eruda, Daudu Ile-Ikangun, Daudu Idi-Adan among others. Among the traditional title holders who also graced the occasion were the Alanguas and virtually all the Jowuro of Fuani etc. Staff of the Nigerian Immigration Service turned out at the occasion in their large number to honour one of their own. The event was a masterpiece of culture, a portraiture of Ilorin royalty and Fulani ethnic group.
These were flaunted with a reckless abandon. Was it in entertainments, in fashion, dressings and costume? In every step of the way, the patterns were discernible. They were designed to communicate. This may after all be confirming the belief among cultural anthropologists that culture is a mode of communication. This is what Dr. Edward T. Hall described as ”silent language” in his seminal work of the same title ”The Silent Language” The following Saturday, 12th April 2025, the ceremony continued with an entertaining folklore performed by a group of women. The folklore was called ”ijo Olomo-Oba” comprising songs that were full of anecdotes, stories and histories of the past and present. These folklores and other local idiosyncrasies and mannerisms openly flaunted at the turbanning ceremony vividly brought out what could be described as ”Ilorin Exceptionalism” that defines their identity as a unique groups of people in Nigeria.
Mallam Abdulwahab Olayinka Alheri emerged as the new 4th Daudu in a contest that was keenly vied for. He succeeded his grandfather who was the 2nd Daudu. He hails from the Shitta Alimi Ruling House and as head of the family now, he is to direct the affairs of the royal family. He was born on 1st of August 1973 in Ilorin Kwara State to Mallam Abdullahi Oladimeji Alheri and Hajjia Hussaina Olajumoke Gambari.
He attended the following schools for his educations namely, United Primary School Ilorin, Kwara State, Mount Carmel College Ilorin, Kwara State, Ramat Polytechnic Maiduguri, Borno State and National Open University where he studied Peace Study and Conflict Resolution. He is a staff of the Nigeria Immigration Service, Kwara State Command.
