By Folayimika Akanbi
The Emir of Ilorin and Chairman, Kwara State Council of Chiefs, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, is to officially turban Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as Sardauna of Ilorin on September 15th, 2026.
The turbaning ceremony will hold at the Shehu Abdulkadir Hall, within the Emir’s Palace, Ilorin, beginning from 10am.
AbdulRazaq will be the first person to be turbaned since the existence of the title.
In a statement issued in Ilorin on Thursday, the Personal Assistant to the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Abdulraheem Muritala, recalled that the late business mogul, Alhaji Umar Saro, was first appointed as Sardauna of Ilorin but was not formally turbaned.
The statement titled “Gov AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON to be turbaned as Sardauna of Ilorin Emirate,” said the traditional title translates to “Defence Minister” in the emirate’s traditional hierarchy.
It said the Emir of Ilorin would preside over the turbaning ceremony at his palace.
The statement reads, “In a ceremony of immense historical and cultural significance, the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji (Dr) Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, CFR, will formally confer the prestigious traditional title of Sardauna—which translates to “Defence Minister” in the emirate’s traditional hierarchy—upon the Executive Governor of Kwara State, Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, CON.
“The Emir, who serves as the Chairman of the Kwara State Traditional Rulers Council and holds the distinguished position of Chancellor at both Bayero University, Kano, and Muhammad Kamaldeen University, Ilorin, will preside over the landmark turbaning ceremony.
“The event is scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 15th September 2026, at the Shehu Abdulkadir Hall, within the Emir’s Palace in Ilorin. Proceedings will commence promptly at 10:00 am.
“While the title of Sardauna has existed within the emirate—with Alhaji Umar Saro being the first to hold it—he was never formally turbaned.
“This makes Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq the first individual in the history of the Ilorin Emirate to undergo the official turbaning ceremony for the Sardauna title, a singular honour that cements his legacy as the emirate’s foremost traditional defence chief and marks a new chapter in its royal traditions.”
Wind Gate News reports that the Emir of Ilorin had earlier named Governor AbdulRazaq Sardauna of Ilorin in recognition of his services to the Ilorin Emirate and the state in general.
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