MORO CONCERNED ELDERS MOVEMENT (MCEM) AND ILORIN EMIRATE COUNCIL: TRADITIONAL CHIEFS AND CONSTITUTIONAL STATUSES.
“Traditions are the monumental tools of reshaping awkwardness of this century but have become tools of disintegration, disunity and secession. “
“In all settlements, one tribe will have it more than others; in Ilorin Emirate, Allah destined Fulani to be ruling us with other tribes with their titles (like Yoruba and Tapa) under this ruling.”
Introduction
KWARA STATE is owned by all, should be developed by all but must not be divided by all. Ilorin Emirate is owned by all the Five Local Government Areas under it. No matter the worst, we should not sew and wear clothes of discord on our children because of selfish interests of a group which is not recognized by law. Ilorin Emirate has been existing with Five (5) Local Government Areas under it from time the Jihads of various kinds by Sheik Alimi Janta were concluded. I believe our forefathers then understood beyond us because they all formed the traditional titles the current generation is inheriting. And ever since then, Ilorin Emirate Council had headed by Alimini Dynasty, Alhaji (Dr. ) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari (CFR). However, I want to place on record that Alimi Dynasty is different from other dynasties like Saraki Dynasty, Lawal Dynasty, etc.
Ilorin Emirate Council and Local Government Areas
Ilorin Emirate Council has Five (5) Local Government Areas under her jurisdiction such as:
I. Asa – Afon;
II. Ilorin East – Oke-Oyi;
III. Ilorin South – Fufu;
IV. Ilorin West – Ilorin West; and
V. Moro – Bode Sadu.
By virtue of constitution and antecedents, all these Local Government Areas are under the aegis of Ilorin Emirate Council. It is provoking to see a Local Government Area among the above to be claiming not to belong to Emirate. It is mere a tool of disunity among us.
To set the record straight, Moro Local Government claims not to belong to Emirate because of some grievances. For this, the Local Government through Moro Concerned Elders Movement (MCEM) in August 24, 2017 in a press release signed by the president of the Movement, Alhaji Isiaka Jimoh aired by Director of Publicity, Theophilus Oyebiyi petitioned the Presidency, National Assembly, Kwara State Governor then, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed and security agencies that Moro Local Government does not belong to Ilorin Emirate led by Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari (CFR). In the press release, the Movement cited the judgement of competent court of jurisdiction delivered by Justice J. A. Ibiwoye on October 22, 1997. If this judgement is there, it forms an antecedent in law but does not supersede the Law of the State. Also, sometimes around December, 2019, Ohoro of Shao and Oba of Jebba chided State Government for demotion and non-payment of salaries and arrears of over 40 months. All these are administrative issues when it comes to governance but we are misconcepting the situation. Some in Moro Local Government believe that the situation is factored by Emir of Ilorin, therefore secession is the next step. Secession is not the best line of action to curtail the embarrassment that State Government has been levying on your traditional chiefs as claimed. State Government will solve the issues of salaries administratively through appropriate machineries of the State.
Removing Moro Local Government from Ilorin Emirate Council by State Government
Under this subheading, I want to obviously differentiate between Moro that is Local Government and Moro that is district. It is Moro that is district that is behind all these chanted and concocted issues and supported passively by Jebba and actively by Shao. Let us assume that it is the whole Moro Local Government that wants to secess from Ilorin Emirate Council, where will the State Government place her? Is it Kwara North or Kwara South she will be moved to? Will State Government create a new Local Government for her to contravene 774 Local Government Areas approved by the Federal Government of Nigeria? If Moro Local Government Area moves to either Kwara North or Kwara South, will her traditional chiefs become heads and promoted to first class? If she is moved to Kwara North, do they have any linkage in terms of culture, language and the likes? Is Kwara North ready to accept her? The last two questions go for Kwara South as well.
It is appropriate to balance the discussion by appreciating other claims of some people in Moro LGA ably and successfully imposed on other 12 districts in Moro Local Government as follows:
I. Immediate withdrawal of the district heads in Moro LGA from the Ilorin Emirate Council, citing Kwara State White paper of December 17, 1987 as a leverage;
II. Immediate return of the pre-1984 3rd class grading of both Ohoro of Shao and Oba Jebba and their immediate upliftment to first class to measure their counterparts in other parts of the State; and
III. Immediate stoppage of 5% deduction from Moro LGA to Ilorin Emirate Council and payment of this instead to Moro Local Government Council.
From the above, if 15 Moro district heads are removed from Ilorin Emirate, where will they be moved to? The Local Government has no place in other two Senatorial Districts therefore, any internal difference should be settled within. Writing the Abdulrahman-led State Government to act in line with one judgement or antecedent superseded by 1999 Constitution (as amended) may not yield division interest of some from Moro LGA and other Senatorial District of Kwara State.
Also, upliftment of Ohoro of Shao and Obba of Jebba to first class is not a problem but this can only be possible if these chiefs are on top of the criteria for uplifment to first class; I doubt if they are qualified- I am sorry to say!
Lastly, requesting State Government to stop 5% deduction to Ilorin Emirate Council may not work out because it is the only Council recognized by the State Government for all traditional chiefs inn LGAs under Ilorin Emirate. Also, Moro Local Government Council has no place in the Laws of State- this can be confirmed from Ministry of Local Governments, Chieftaincy Affairs and Community Development.
Conclusion
Our differences and grievances should not be allowed to divide us in Ilorin Emirate. All Local Government Areas under the auspices of Ilorin Emirate have no place in other Senatorial Districts both in law and politics. Power intoxication must be differentiated from Power Regression when we are analyzing. Moro Local Government should approach appropriate State machineries on the issue of salaries payment and. If promotion of the two chiefs does not meet up with the requirements stated in the Chieftaincy Affairs, the State Government may not act positively on it. We should be less concerned with the tribe that is leading the Council because some are born to rule (such as Fulani, Yoruba and Tapa in Ilorin) but be more concerned with the unity and togetherness of Ilorin Emirate Council. Some dynasties are endowed naturally such as those of Alimi, Ohoro of Shao and others, all in Ilorin Emirate but are more endowed than one another.
Thanks for reading this piece constructively.
I have written in simple words for most comprehension.
I don’t miss past tense with present tense is an idiom.
ARIKEWUYO, Akeem Kawata
Is a native of Ilorin West, an educationist and a social writer.
+2347033745111
call4akeem@gmail.com
Oluwatoyin Luqman Bolakale is a graduate of Telecommunications Science, A Certified and etch network security specialist from International cyber security institute and specialised in Network security, mobile and wireless communications, He is a community developer and An Online Media Practioner currently the CEO/Publisher of Satcom Media