Author(s):
Uthman Mohammed Mustapha Kannike, mustapha.kannike@arts.fulafia.edu.ng,
Yakub Olanrewaju Ayinla, yakub.ayinla@arts.fulafia.edu.ng,
Abstract:
The Emirate of Ilorin, which has its affiliation to the Gwandu axis of the Sokoto Caliphate, was not created till around 1829 CE. Activities of the Muslim scholars, simply referred to as the 'Ulama', that existed in different parts of the town long before this period influenced the Emirate's creation, though years after some of them had died. In this research, whose objective was to establish the impact of the 'Ulama' on national development by analyzing the political and religious roles they played in creation and sustenance of Ilorin Emirate, it is found that Shaykh Salih Alimi was the most prominent among the pre-Emirate 'Ulama' whose contributions were remarkable in the eventual creation of the Emirate. The paper identified certain other'Ulama' such as those in Alimi's group in Oke-Sunnah, Shaykh Ahmad Bi Sani, Shaykh Garba al-Malli and Shaykh Abdul-Mumin Dogo, whose efforts were notable at the point of the Emirate creation. The paper revealed that the surviving ones among these 'Ulama' were joined by the subsequent immigrants to ensure that the created Emirate survived. About twenty-eight immigrants were named in this work as the 'Ulama' who bequeathed their descendants and disciples the struggles towards sustenance of the Ilorin Emirate. The elements of their struggles included teachings, preaching, spiritual healing, establishment of ideal governance and resistance to oppressive persons, authorities or systems, that fought against wellbeing of the Emirate, Islam and humanity. Narrative and analytical methods were selected for these findings, which recommends, among other things, that stakeholders in Nigerian national development should borrow a leaf from the approach of the Ilorin past 'Ulama'. The present generation of 'Ulama' should live in replica of the past, where applicable, in the contemporary terrain for an accomplished national development.
IWF