Ahead of the forthcoming Ilorin Emirate Grand Durbar, the Ilorin Women Association (IWA) has assured that female indigenes of the community across the world would be more involved in the preparation for and staging of the community’s annual Durbar festival.
This assurance was given last Thursday by the Coordinator-General of IWA, Prof. Aishatu Ahmed Gobir, when she led a delegation of the Association on a courtesy visit to the Chairman of the Ilorin Emirate Committee, Engr. Sulaiman Yahaya Alapansanpa, FNSE, at the Committee Office in the Emir’s Palace, Ilorin.
Prof. Gobir, who was represented by the Coordinator of the Culture and Welfare Committee of the Association, Hajiya Maryam Arinola Alege, said that IWA is prepared to join hands with the Committee to ensure that this year’s Durbar turns out to be the most colourful in its history so far.
The Coordinator-General said that the Association has procured all the materials it would need to play its roles effectively and flamboyantly as she also said that members are also ready to take up every responsibility that they may be assigned by the Committee.
Responding, the Chairman of the Committee, Engr Alapansanpa welcomed the readiness of the female body to support the Ilorin Emirate Durbar festival, which he said was resuscitated by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji(Dr) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, seven years ago.
Engr Alapansanpa, who is also the Danmasani of Ilorin, commended the women for forming an umbrella body, saying that the Association is long overdue.
The Chairman explained that the emergence of the women group is another achievement of the Emir of Ilorin as he said that the royal father has always believed that formation of such bodies would enhance the unity and progress of Ilorin Emirate.
Engr. Alapansanpa, therefore, called on similar groups across the Emirate to stand up to be counted in community development initiatives like IWA.
