18 FAMOUSFAMILIES The Alimis: A royal lineage
The fame of Sheikh Alimi, the premier Emir of Ilorin, continues to ring a bell despite the fact that it has been years since he passed on. His first abode in the Ilorin area has become a sacred place, and receives pilgrims every day.
Sheik Alimi was said to have migrated from Gwandu to Ilorin in search of a place that can accommodate him as well as the mission he was set to accomplish. It was learnt that the great sheik traversed through many towns and villages before he discovered Ilorin to be the suitable place.
The story of Sheik Alimi is that of a man of peace, harmony, tranquility and a uniting factor among the people around him.
Kuwo and Kajola are villages in Asa Local Government Area of Kwara State, where the Sheik first settled. The place according to the chief imam was closer to Kuwo in the past than Kajola. But it is now located inside Kajola village because of the relocation of Kuwo people as a result of an inferno that destroyed the village years back. History holds that Sheik Alimi went to several places in Yorubaland before he finally settled at Kuwo.
He discovered Ilorin from Kajola where he prayed to God for a suitable place to settle down finally. After Sheik Alimi discovered Ilorin, he never returned to Gwandu but instead brought his family over, and they have been the rulers of the ancient town.
The Magaji Nda of Ilorin (The custodian of Sheik Alimi culture, tradition and heritage) Alhaji Salihu Woru Muhammed, described Sheik Alimi as an intellectual who passed the same virtue to all his children.
“We had three Sheiks in northern Nigeria - Sheu Alimi, Sheu Usman Danfodio and Sheu of Borno. Three of them worked together to promote Islam. None of them was a student of the other. They worked together for the common purpose of spreading Islam, intellectualism and furthering Islamic knowledge.
“Sheik Alimi left Gwandu to spread Islam to other parts of the country and he came to Ilorin where he met few people without a leader. He gradually and steadily introduced the town to knowledge. Ilorin before the coming of Sheik Alimi was like sheep without shepherd; he organized them, educated them and saved Afonja who was said to be harassed by the then Alaafin of Oyo,” Muhammed said.
“In Ilorin today, many of the Islamic scholars we are proud of are all products of Sheik Alimi’s effort. The Sheik Alimi School is inside the palace. Because of his intelligence, patience, peaceful nature and cool headedness, the people asked him to become their king. He declined, saying accepting rulership of the town will not allow him to face his Jihad of spreading Islam. They then asked him to bring his son because of his huge contribution of educating them. They believed he must have passed quality virtues to his children. He agreed and brought Emir Abdulsalam, his first son, who became the first Emir of Ilorin.”
Alimi settled in the main palace where the emir lives now, while Abdulsalam settled in another side of the palace from where he reigned. The Magaji Nda of Ilorin is now occupying that side. Sheik Abdulsalam stayed at the place until the demise of his father before he moved to the main palace. Sheik Abdulsalam continued with where his father stopped in uniting the people. Many families in Ilorin then were divided but Abdulsalam succeeded in uniting all of them.
After Sheik Abdulsalam, Emir Shitta took over, followed by Emir Zubairu. So far, in Ilorin, children of Sheik Alimi have been the ones ruling Ilorin. Emir Bawa, who was the first descendant of Sheik Alimi born in Ilorin, took over from Zubairu. Bawa was succeeded by Emir Abdulkadir, Ayelabowo, Zulu Gambari, Sheik Aliyu and the present emir.
“Whenever a new emir is chosen, he will come and sojourn here at the Abdulsalam palace before moving back to the main palace. In those days, I learnt it used to be three months but now they spend only two weeks,” said Magaji Nda.
Sheik Alimi was a great man, so also were his children and a lot of development were achieved during their times. Many of the descendants of Sheik Alimi have made tremendous achievements in life. Many are lawyers, directors of companies, ministers, while a whole lot are making landmark achievements in their chosen careers and various areas of specialization.
Being the progenitor of the ancient town of Ilorin, many believe that his achievement in the areas of peace and harmony is where Kwara State got its peaceful and harmonious nature.
It was gathered that Sheik Alimi dug seven wells when he first settled in Kuwo village. One of those wells in still in use today. It has been upgraded to a modern well by the Kwara State government while the road that leads to the village was repaired as people come from outside Nigeria to visit the place.
Alfa Muhammad, the chief Imam of the mosque, also said that the present emir visited the place with Oba Sholagberu after which they brought some foreigners who will develop the place and turn it to a centre where people would visit for prayers.
The mosque in Kuwo is viewed with awe because of an incident that happened many years ago. When a fire incident engulfed the town, people around testified that the spot where the mosque is located was the only place that was not affected during the fire incident.
Hajia Asmau Abebi, a resident of Kuwo, said, “The whole town was engulfed by fire, it was only Sheik Alimi’s Mosque that was not affected by the inferno. Since then, people have seen the relevance of a sacred place like Sheik Alimi’s mosque.”
Although there is another Sheik Alimi’s Mosque and residence inside Ilorin town (built in 1831) but the circumstances surrounding the first abode of Sheik Alimi and what he did at the spot has made it more respected than any other place he stayed after the village.
One of the emirs (Sheik Alimi’s descendant) initiated the construction of the Ilorin Central Mosque, which was built after a mosque in Makkah in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The University of Ilorin was also brought to Ilorin with the help of Sheik Zulu Gambari, the father of the present emir, while the first indigenous vice chancellor of the university was also appointed during the time of the present emir.
Developmentally, the present emir is said to have been instrumental to the achievement of projects such as the Aviation College, Kwara State University, Alhikmah University etc.
Professor Ibrahim Gambari is one of the descendants of Sheik Alimi who made a landmark achievement in his chosen career. A scholar and diplomat, he was minister of external affairs. He served as Ambassador of Nigeria to many countries and the United Nations. He was honoured by Rwanda for contributing greatly to restoration of peace in the country.
Magaji Nda, the custodian of Alimi culture and heritage and the armoured carrier of the Alimis, says his job is to attack anybody who wants to attack the Alimis, “I attack such person first. I preserve the culture, tradition and heritage of the Alimi, which is what made Ilorin what it is today.