The Yoruba Youth Socio-Cultural Association (YYSA), on Wednesday, faulted calls for the Federal Government to rename the University of Ilorin after Shehu Alimi, describing the proposal as an attempt to “further usurp and fulanise” Ilorin.
Media reports said the Emir of Ilorin and chairman, Kwara State Traditional Council, Alh Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, had on Monday called for the renaming of the University of Ilorin after the late Sheikh Shehu Alimi.
Reacting to the call, the group, in a statement jointly signed by its National President, Olalekan Hammed, and National Secretary, Olawale Ajao, said the demand allegedly made by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, was unacceptable and inconsistent with the history of the ancient city.
YYSA referenced historical accounts stating that Afonja, the sixth Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, hosted Islamic scholar Shehu Alimi in Ilorin but was later killed in 1824 by Alimi’s son, Abdulsalaam, who subsequently took control of Ilorin and established the Ilorin Emirate.
The group argued that Ilorin remains a Yoruba territory and faulted what it described as an attempt to “emasculate” its cultural identity through symbolic changes such as renaming a federal university.
YYSA further accused the Emir of seeking to “legitimise and strengthen” his throne through such a request, insisting that any renaming of the institution would deepen ethnic tensions.
The association urged the Federal Government to disregard the call, noting that educational institutions should not be dragged into historical or cultural disputes capable of generating unnecessary controversy.
The group said: “Calling on the Federal Government to rename University of Ilorin as Shehu Alimi University is nothing but a way to further usurp and ensure Fulanisation of Ilorin as a territory and Fulani city.
“We recalled that Afonja, the 6th Aare Onakakanfo of Yoruba land, who hosted Shehu Alimi in Ilorin, was later murdered in 1824 by Abdulsalaam, the son of Shehu Alimi.
“Abdulsalaam Alimi took over the control of Ilorin from Yoruba people, who were the rightful owners of their territory and established Ilorin Emirate.
“Moreover, it is extremely absurd for someone who arrogated a city that belongs to Yorubas to also be expecting the University of Ilorin to be renamed after someone who forcefully overthrew the leadership of a city from his host”.