By Abubakar Imam
All roads will, tomorrow, Friday (April 18, 2025), lead to the ancient palace of the Emir of Ilorin and Chairman, Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, for the formal turbaning of a one-time Secretary to the Kwara State Government, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Saka Cook Olododo, as the first Gaskiyan Ilorin.
Alhaji Olododo was conferred with the prestigious title last year and on the same date and time the appointment of Kuliyan Ilorin, Prof. Yusuf Olaolu Ali, SAN, was made by the respected monarch.
Tomorrow’s event promises to be colourful and exciting as Alhaji Olododo and the Planning Committee for the event have left no stone unturned towards ensuring the success of the event. They have been working tirelessly to put up a series of colourful of events that would announce the transition of Alhaji Olododo into a special class of indigenes of Ilorin Emirate.
The turbaning ceremony of Alhaji Olododo would be significant for a number of reasons. It is the first time someone would bag the title in the annals of Ilorin Emirate. It is also the first time an indigene of Ibagun Ward in the Ilorin East Local Government Area would also be turbaned as an honourary title holder by the Emir of Ilorin. It will also be significant as it is going to be the last of such cultural assignment the Emir would perform prior to the celebration of his anticipated 85th birthday. The commemoration of the Emir’s birthday comes up on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.
The title of Gasikya itself needs some elucidation. This is because it is quite new in the traditional political lexicon of Ilorin. It is, however, not hereditary. It is simply honourary like Waziri, Wali, Tafida, Sarduana, Talba, Shettima, Turaki, Sarkin Malamai, Malami Ubandoma, Grand Mufti, Danmadami, Dan Iya, Danmasani, Madawaki and Dan Amanan Gari, among others.
Before I proceed, one must thank His Royal Highesss, the Emir of Ilorin for creating more honourary traditional titles. This gives him and the community the opportunity to reward industry, integrity and patriotism.
Gaskiya is an Hausa word which means truth. So, the title depicts a citizen of a given community who has been singled out for his loyalty and truthfulness.
The conferment of the title on Alhaji Olododo is, therefore, a testament to his personal qualities of honesty, which he has been exhibiting over the years and particularly in all the public offices he held.
Alhaji Olododo is a man who deserves the honour going by the trajectory of his contributions to the development of Ilorin Emirate and Kwara State over the years. He has done this in private and public spheres.
He is a successful businessman, accomplished politician and tested community leader who needs no introduction to the people of Ilorin Emirate. He is equally well-known among the people of Kwara State. His services as a member of the National Assembly also makes him a national figure.
The Gaskiyan Ilorin started his political career as the Executive Chairman of the Ilorin East Local Government Council. He also served as the Secretary to the Kwara State Government.
He was also the Chief of Staff, Government House, Ilorin and Honourable Commissioner for Water Resources, Kwara State. He was also a member of the 9th House of Representatives between 2019 and 2023.
While he was in the Green Chambers, Alhaji Olododo served as the Chairman of the House Committee on National Planning. He also served on a number of other committees of the House of Representatives.
Alhaji Olododo is well known for his courage. He is equally respected for always upholding service delivery and for being a leader who listens. He has never been too busy to pick up telephone calls even from hitherto unknown persons. He is also so responsible and responsive that he always finds time to reply to text messages and chats forwarded to him.
The first Gaskiyan Ilorin hails from Ile Amode in the famous Okelele Quarters of Ilorin. He is one of the several outstanding personalities from Okelele, which has equally produced very many phenomenal figures. Among the surviving outstanding patriots from that segment of Ilorin are Ambassador Muhammad Saleh AbdulWahab, mni, a remarkable Islamic scholar and outstanding diplomat; Ambassador Sheikh Usman AbdulAzeez,fwc, a retired superlative intelligence technocrat and former National President of Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union (IEDPU); and Alhaji AbdulRauf Ajao, who is a retired high-ranking technocrat.
The list also includes Alhaji Saadu Salaudeen, fnipr, a veteran journalist and Counsellor and Special Adviser to Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON; Shaykh AbdulRazaq Aduagba, a renowned cleric and crowd-pulling preacher; and Alhaji Abdullahi Olesin, a veteran journalist and Regional Editor of Leadership Newspaper; to mention just a few.
Okelele equally boasts of remarkable women such as Hajiya Nimota Ibrahim, a former Commissioner for Education in Kwara State and Hajiya Sarat Adebayo, who served as Chairman of the Kwara State Local Government Service Commission under former Governor Abdulfatai Ahmed, among several others.
With the conferment of the prestigious title on this great son of Okelele, Alhaji Olododo is expected to up the scale. He would need to do more to justify the confidence reposed in him by the Emir and the good people of Ilorin Emirate who embraced and welcomed the appointment.
As he has become a close adviser to the Emir, the people of the Emirate expect him to always avail His Royal Highesss candid advice on how the community would become more peaceful, progressive and prosperous. He needs to also work with other eminent citizens of the southernmost Emirate to advance its corporate interests.
I trust Alhaji Olododo’s capacity to discharge these patriotic services and many others, which situations would impose on him as time progresses.
Having been granted the prestigious title and with his impending turbaning, Alhaji Olododo is no longer an ordinary citizen of the nation’s most unique traditional state. He is now an important figure, an ambassador and a celebrated statesman who deserves all the honours and respect reserved for those granted the “paraphernalia” of the House of Alimi. I trust that he would not misuse the privilege.
As Alhaji Olododo is turbaned as Gaskiyan Ilorin, I wish him long life, sound health and more opportunities to enable him serve Allah, Ilorin Emirate community and humanity more than ever before.
Imam is National Secretary, Ilorin Emirate Descendants Progressive Union.
