By Abubakar Imam
“Whoever does good,
it is to their own benefit.
And whoever does evil,
it is their own loss.
Your Lord is never
unjust to His creation.”
Quran 41 vs 46
In the piece titled “Dan Amanan’s Day of Glory”, which was published on various social media platforms last week, I predicted that the turbaning of a topnotch of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company PLC, Dr Abdulkadir Tunji Nagode, as the pioneer Dan Amanan Gari of Ilorin Emirate, scheduled for Friday, January 24, 2025, would be a grand and colourful event. Alhamudilahi! It turned out to be more colourful than predicted!!
As a reporter and well-wisher, I remain delighted that I attended each of the five events that were put together to mark the official transformation of Dr Nagode from being just a son of Ilorin to one of its title holders.
I was at the ancient and beautiful palace of the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, where Dr Nagode was formally turbaned. I was also a member of the entourage that accompanied him from the palace to his ancestral home at Edun through his maternal home at Ile Belgore in the Isale Ajanaku axis of the city. I also participated in the special Juma’at service held to mark the turbaning. I equally found time to attend the reception held at his GRA, Ilorin residence. All these happened on the same date.
The thanksgiving visit paid to the Emir by Dr Nagode and his well-wishers also took me to the palace a day after the turbaning.This was on Saturday, January 25, 2025.
I can confirm to you that all the events were splendid. They were peaceful. They were exciting as they were historic.
Before being accused of “ganusi”, I must say that I was personally invited to the ceremonies by Dr Nagode himself. The Dan Amanan Gari of Ilorin Emirate has taken me as his younger brother since we met about two years ago and would always invite me to every event he is involved in, in Ilorin. His brother, Alhaji Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, who was my Oga patapata at the defunct Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN), also extended an invitation to me just like the Chairman of the Planning Committee of the Turbaning Ceremonies, Engr Bolakale Yusuf, who also invited me. This is coupled with the desire to always feed our compatriots from all over the world with what is happening back home.
So, my attendance of the event became a case of “bi a ba tori epo je isu, atori isu je epo”. This means “if one does not do something for a reason, one would do so for another reason”.
The first event, which was the actual turbaning at the main chambers of the Emir’s Palace, was a recall of history and a spectacle of personalities. It was my first time of witnessing that kind of event in that segment of the palace.
The conferment of the honourary chieftaincy title on Dr Nagode was like a payback time. It reminded me that “Eni ba da’mi si’waju a te’le tutu” (One good turn deserves another). This is because the Emir, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, used the occasion to recall the tremendous parental fraternity and support he enjoyed from the beloved late parents of Dr Nagode.
The monarch said that he was not surprised by the path being taken by Dr Nagode. He explained that the father of the Dan Amana, was a father to all during his lifetime. The distinguished monarch added that Dr Nagode’s mother also made his sojourn in Omu-Aran, the headquarters of the present-day Irepodun Local Government Area of Kwara State, as a primary school pupil, more pleasant. He recalled that he often goes to the late Alhaja Hanatu Nagode, who was then living in Iloffa, the headquarters of the present-day Oke-Ero Local Government Area of Kwara State, to eat and receive motherly care anytime he had the opportunity of leaving the school.
The other aspect of the first day was the roll call of high calibre dignitaries who converged on the palace to witness the turbaning. The event recorded the presence of so many dignitaries that it would be difficult for a single reporter to put down all their names.
Apart from the Baloguns and the Principal Imams of the Emirate who were seated throughout, dignitaries who witnessed the turbaning included the Ciroma of Ilorin, Alhaji Abubakar Bature Sulu-Gambari, SAN, who graciously entered the chambers with Dr Nagode; the Talba of Ilorin, Prof. Shuaibu Oba AbdulRaheem, OFR, NPOM; the Zanna of Ilorin, Engr Yusuf Olanrewaju Sagaya, OFR and the Jarma of Ilorin, Alhaji Aliyu Kola Belgore, OFR; the Danmasani of Ilorin and Chairman, Ilorin Emirate Durbar Committee, Engr Sulaiman Yahaya Alapansanpa, FNSE; and the Gaskiya of Ilorin, Dr AbdulGaniyu Cook Saka-Olododo as well as Engr Sa’ad Belgore.
Others who were there included a former Chief Judge of Kwara State, Justice Sulyman Durosilorun Kawu, OFR; a former Chief of Staff, Government House, Ilorin and brother-in-law to the Nagodes, Barrister Lanre Daibu; the Dan Iya of Ilorin, Engr. Suleiman Kale Kawu; the Wakili of Ilorin, Alhaji Mashood Usman Mustapha; and the Sarauniya of Ilorin, Hajiya Muinat Bola Shagaya, MON; as well as the former Nigerian Ambassador to Netherlands, Dr Nimata Nihilola Akanbi, OON.
The list also include the National President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU), Alhaji Abdulmumini Ayo Abdulmalik, who was represented by his Deputy, Alhaji AbdulRauf Babatunde Issa; the Kuliya of Ilorin, Prof. Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN; a prominent Ilorin-based legal practitioner, Alhaji Adebayo Adelodun, SAN; and two Abuja-based senior lawyers, Alhaji Mumini Hanafi, SAN and the Emirate’s youngest Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Alhaji Yunus Abdulsalam.
The event also recorded the presence of Alhaji Mohammed Dele Belgore, SAN; Alhaji AbdulRauf Baba AbdulRazaq and Dr Salaudeen Funsho AbdulRazaq; who are younger siblings of the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON; the Chairman of Sobi FM, Ilorin, Mallam Lukman Olayiwola Mustapha; as well as the immediate past Deputy Vice Chancellor (Management Services), University of Ilorin, Prof. Suleiman Funsho Ambali.
There were several other men at the event. The women were also not left out. They came in their numbers and were elaborately dressed in Aso-Ebi, which was made of Ankara fabric. We called such dresses “Anko” , rooted in the English expression, “and co.,” in Ilorin.
The Emir, who was visibly happy with the large presence of very important personalities from all walks of life, used the opportunity of the event to encourage unity and love among the good people of the community. He described Dr Nagode as a crowd-puller and unifier and asked him to sustain his philanthropic gestures.
After the formal turbaning, Dr Nagode was ushered-out of the palace in a more superlative manner having been officially garlanded as a chief of the southernmost Emirate and under the watchful eyes of His Royal Highesss. He and a few of his friends and relations, thereafter, mounted well-decorated horses that were waiting for them to form a colourful procession.
The procession from the palace was hectic. It was colourful. It reminded me of the exciting annual Durbar festival of the Emirate. It was a delight seeing Dr Nagode on horseback. I also saw some of his brothers such as Alhaji Suleiman Baba Nagode, Alhaji Ahmed Bolaji Nagode, Alhaji Bayo Nagode and Alhaji Ibrahim Gboyega Nagode on horseback as well. His friends such as the Dan Iya of Ilorin, Engr. Kawu and Engr. Bolakale Yusuf, were not left out. They all rode well-decorated horses to the warm applause of Dr Nagode’s maternal family in Ile Belgore and his paternal family at Ile Ajia-Ijesha where they all disembarked. This aspect was brought to an end around 2:00pm.
After a resting period of about 20 minutes, Dr Nagode and his relations, friends and well-wishers left Edun for the Ilorin Central Juma’at Mosque, which is situated directly opposite the palace. The Chief Imam of Ilorin, Shaykh (Dr) Muhammad Bashir Saliu, OON, led the Juma’at prayers.
The Juma’at service was preceded by the usual weekly lecture by the 90 years old Sarkin Malamai of Ilorin, Shaykh Yacqoob Muhammad Bushary Aliagan; and the Khutba by the Chief Imam himself. The Emir and his Baloguns as well as other traditional title holders were also part of the prayer session.
The final event of the day was the grand reception that was held at the palatial GRA Ilorin Residence of the Dan Amanan Gari of Ilorin Emirate. The reception was attended by “Who is Who” from all over Ilorin and beyond. The event was kept joyous by the exciting performance of Ijo Olomo-Oba Dance Troupe. The Dance and the music are peculiar to only the Ilorin Royal Dynasty.
Dr Nagode, who occupied the elevated platform at the event with the Maigirima Ciroma of Ilorin, repeatedly received “Ranka Dede Dan Sarkin” salutations from guests along with the respected legal luminary. Members of Ilorin Royal Dynasty led by Engr Ahmed Kola Ibrahim, used the privilege of the occasion to present a fascinating gift to Dr Nagode.
The event was not just marked by singing and dancing alone. There were also assorted meals and drinks for all to eat and drink to their satisfaction as the beautiful wife of the celebrant, Hajiya Hafsat Nagode, and her friends and siblings as well as those of Dr Nagode were fully on ground to ensure that everyone was happily attended to. The event, I was later told, continued after my departure from the venue at 6:30pm.
Prior to my departure from the venue of the reception, I met a few old and new friends including a University mate and in-law of Dr Nagode, Mallam Mustapha Hanafi-Idiaro, who is now a Deputy Registrar at the Federal University, Lafia; and Alhaji Abubakar Abiodun Abdullahi, who was my Oga at the old Ilorin District of the defunct PHCN. I also met Hajiya Mopelola Nagode-Oyebamiji, a younger sister of the Dan Amanan Gari of Ilorin Emirate and senior management staff of the National Industrial Court of Nigeria, with whom I have been in touch since I published an article to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of their father, Alhaji Saliu Alabi Nagode, about two years ago. She coincidentally marked her birthday anniversary on the same date. I also met the newly-promoted Prof. Nusirat Elelu, the patriotic Executive Secretary of the Kwara State Primary Healthcare Development Agency, among several others.
The concluding aspect of the ceremony was the thanksgiving visit to the Maimaritaba, the Emir of Ilorin. It was “unusually” done the next day. I learnt that the Emir accepted to play host to Dr Nagode on a day after the turbaning because of the love he has for Dr Nagode and the families he hails from.
Since any moment spent with an “agbalagba”, more especially with a custodian of heritage, culture and traditions, is always a history class, the Emir also recalled the good deeds of the parents of the new traditional title holder and those of Dr Nagode, which informed the conferment of the prestigious title.
Like all the previous ones, the thanksgiving visit was also a memorable and well attended event. It was made more memorable by the Emir himself and the fascinating intellectual exploration of a Senior Lecturer at the Department of Arabic, University of Ilorin, Dr Hussain Musa Arikewusola. The renowned Arabist, who is also the National Missioner of Sheikh Alimi Foundation for Peace and Development, dazzled the Emir and his guests with his moving power of oration and perfect recall of dates, events and personalities that was mingled and mixed with the Ilorin Waka heritage.
The whole thing went well. Each of the events turned out to be more colourful than expected. The joy of the success of the ceremonies deeply reflects in the message of appreciation sent to all those who graced the events by the Dan Amanan Gari of Ilorin Emirate and his family.
I can only pray that Allah should grant Dr Nagode a long life, sound health and greater prosperity to enable him serve Allah, his community and humanity at large for more decades far beyond his expectations.
Imam is National Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.
