The Ilorin Emir, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, has praised the Ilorin Emirate Durbar Committee for making the yearly cultural carnival a worldwide display of tradition, heritage, and unity.
The accolade was conferred by the monarch when he hosted the chairman and members of the committee to his palace in Ilorin, Kwara State. The delegation visited to present the “Best Cultural Award” recently given to the Ilorin Emirate Durbar at the 2025 Akwaaba African Travel Market organised in Lagos.
In his address, the Emir dubbed the award a milestone signifying the growing importance of the Ilorin Durbar not only in Nigeria but throughout Africa and the world at large. He thanked the committee for their dedication, discipline, and sacrifice, which, according to him, have always been a source of honour to the Ilorin Emirate.
“Not only is this prize an acknowledgement of your past achievements; it is also an invitation to improve. The world is watching us, and we must continue to raise the bar in matters of cultural excellence and conservation,” said Sulu-Gambari. He challenged the committee to continue the momentum by forging good alliances with culture, tourism, and the creative industry stakeholders.
Earlier, the committee chairman Engr. Suleiman Alapansanpa had said that the award was given in recognition of the committee’s superior performance, exceptional organization, and outstanding execution of the 2025 Ilorin Emirate Grand Durbar. He added that the award has also put the Durbar on the world map as a leading cultural event with prospects to boost tourism and local economic development.
Ilorin Emirate Durbar, celebrated annually during Eid, features multicoloured horse riding parades of horsemanship, traditional dancing, music, and pageantry. It is a symbol of unity for sons and daughters of the emirate in home and abroad, as well as visitors from all over the country and the globe.
Cultural analysts note that the festival has increasingly become a huge brand name for heritage tourism in Kwara State with immense prospects for the promotion of Yoruba and Fulani traditions rooted in the history of Ilorin. The global exposure at Akwaaba, widely regarded as being Africa’s foremost travel and tourism expo, will further increase the visibility of the festival as well as attract foreign tourists.
With this new acknowledgment, the stakeholders believe that the Ilorin Emirate Durbar is set to become Nigeria’s pride cultural export, joining other world-acclaimed festivals that unite history, tradition, and community spirit.
