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Emir of Ilorin

His Royal Highness, Alhaji (Dr.) Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, CFR, is the 11th Emir of Ilorin. He ascended the throne in 1995. Like most of his colleagues in other emirates, he held the influential title of Ciroma before he became the Emir. He is the son of the 9th Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Muhammad Zulukarnain Gambari, CFR, maternal grandson to the 8th Emir, Sheikh Abdulkadir Shuaib Bawa, CBE, and a great-grandson to the 7th Emir, Shuaib Bawa (r. 1915-1919), through the line of Zubair Ayelabowo III.

The then Prince Ibrahim was born on April 22, 1940 in Ilorin as a direct and double descendant of Sheikh Alimi. His father, HRH Alhaji (Dr.) Zulukarnain Gambari (r. 1959-1992) was a Prince and later the 9th Emir, while his mother, Alhaja Aishat Nma Bolanta Sulu-Gambari, was also a Princess, being a daughter to Emir Abdul-Kadir, the 8th Emir of Ilorin (r. 1919-1959). While providence gave untainted royal blood to Sheikh Ibrahim as a matter of birthright, his educational qualifications, no doubt, stand him out as a resourceful leader. His educational pursuit goes as follows:

Quranic education from the age of 5 at Mallam Abdulsalam Audu Imale’s Quranic School off Balogun Gambari Road, Ilorin.  

United Primary School, Ilorin, in 1947 and later at Omu-Aran Native Authority School.

Offa Grammar School, Offa, up to 1960

Completed Secondary education abroad at Oakland, Rutland, England.

He did his GCE Advanced Level at Westminster College, United Kingdom

He obtained LLB, B.L., LLM from University of London

On returning to Nigeria, he was trained between 1967 and 1968 at the Nigerian Law School, Lagos and he was called to the bar in 1968. He had his pupilage in the chambers of the legendary nationalist, Chief H. O. Davies, QC/SAN, for a year before he joined the service of the then North-Eastern State of Nigeria as a State Counsel in 1969. In January 1975, Sheikh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari became a Principal State Counsel Grade I. On March 16, 1976, he was appointed as the pioneer Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice, old Gongola State.

On January 1, 1977, he became an Ag. Judge of the High Court of Bauchi, Borno and Gongola States.

A year after he became a substantive Judge of the High Court of Borno State.

Following the competent discharge of his judicial responsibilities to the concerned authorities, Sheikh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari was in January, 1983, appointed a Justice of the Court of Appeal. He was posted to the Ibadan Division where he served for eight years. In July, 1991, he was appointed as the Presiding Judge of the Lagos Division of the Court, where he was the third in hierarchy among the Justices of the Court of Appeal of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

Sheikh Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari was turbaned the Ciroma of Ilorin on November 30, 1984. He eventually became the 11th Emir of Ilorin on August 18, 1996 while his formal installation ceremony was held on November 11, 1996. With his appointment as the Emir of Ilorin, he became the Chairman, Kwara State Council of Emirs and Obas His Royal Highness, the Emir of Ilorin was conferred with the national honour of Commander of the Order of the Federal Republic (CFR) in the year 2000. He was appointed as the Chancellor of the Nnamdi Azikwe University, Awka in July, 2001. He was conferred with the Doctorate Degree of Laws (Honoris Causa) of the same University on the 1st June, 2002 and currently the Chancellor of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi Benue State. Since installation he has worked tirelessly as:

  • A bridge builder
  • Ambassador of One and United Nigeria
  • A flag bearer of Islam A foremost Nigerian promoter of Unity, Peace & Progress
  • A custodian of culture per excellence.

  May Allah grant the Emir a long live, more peaceful and prosperous reign, Amin.

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