Credible insider sources within the Ilorin Emirate Durbar Committee have revealed that a controversial N150 million sponsorship offer from the Kwara State Government came with strict conditions that allegedly forced the Committee to tilt the 2025 Durbar in favour of Governor AbdulRazaq’s political agenda.
— Wahab Oba
By Abdulrahman Aliagan,
Fresh controversy is brewing in Kwara State as the revered Ilorin Emirate Durbar celebration, traditionally a cultural and spiritual gathering of unity, is now reportedly caught in the crossfire of a political feud between Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq and the Senator representing Kwara Central, Malam Saliu Mustapha.
A damning commentary authored by veteran journalist Wahab Oba has brought to light allegations of political manipulation, financial coercion, and a calculated attempt to reframe the Durbar celebration as a tool for political dominance rather than a platform for cultural expression.
According to Oba, credible insider sources within the Ilorin Emirate Durbar Committee have revealed that a controversial N150 million sponsorship offer from the Kwara State Government came with strict conditions that allegedly forced the Committee to tilt the 2025 Durbar in favour of Governor AbdulRazaq’s political agenda.
The State Government’s alleged insistence on controlling the narrative, sidelining key political figures—including Senator Mustapha—and portraying the Governor as the sole sponsor of the event has sparked widespread dismay among cultural stakeholders and indigenes of the Emirate.
“The Ilorin Durbar, meant to celebrate our shared history and unity, is now being reduced to a partisan jamboree,” Oba wrote. “It is a sacred tradition of the Emirate, not a tool in any governor’s reelection or succession strategy.”
The feud between Governor AbdulRazaq and Senator Mustapha has simmered for months, with tensions reportedly heightened over Senator Mustapha’s popular pavilion project, which has received support from various quarters in the Emirate. According to sources, the Governor was displeased by the Durbar Committee’s perceived neutrality toward the project, allegedly resulting in a move to assert political control through financial leverage.
The Durbar Committee, reportedly cash-strapped and desperate for funding to host the annual celebration, is said to have accepted the State Government’s support under pressure. However, critics argue that the price paid for that support was too steep: erasing the legacy of past contributors, excluding perceived political rivals from participation, and turning a once-sacred celebration into a political stage.
Former Senate President Bukola Saraki, Senator Mustapha, and other notable figures like Hon. Moshood Mustapha and Mallam Lukman Mustapha are among those reportedly blacklisted from this year’s event. The alleged interference has drawn comparisons to past administrations, particularly that of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, who—alongside Saraki—was instrumental in the Durbar’s revival in 2018.
Analysts warn that the politicization of the Durbar could have far-reaching consequences on its credibility, integrity, and continued relevance. “The Durbar belongs to the people,” Oba stressed. “It must not be held hostage by manipulation or financial coercion.”
As preparations for the 2025 Ilorin Durbar continue, all eyes remain on the Emirate’s leadership and the Committee to see whether they will reaffirm the event’s cultural sanctity or allow it to remain ensnared in political machinations.
Meanwhile, calls are growing louder for transparency, neutrality, and a return to the foundational purpose of the Durbar: a celebration of Ilorin’s heritage, unity, and pride—not its political divides.
