Visit our gallery for knowledge, Sanusi tells researchers
By Abubakar Imam
The Director of the Centre for Ilorin Studies (CILS), University of Ilorin, Prof. Issa Olanrongbe Sanusi, has, again, encouraged researchers from within and outside the University to visit the gallery of the Centre with a view to knowing more about the Ilorin Emirate and its people.
Prof. Sanusi gave this advice last Tuesday (April 27, 2026) while acknowledging the receipt of the pictures and some materials pertaining to the life and times of the first Grand Mufti of Ilorin and founder of the Ansarul Islam Society of Nigeria, Shaykh Muhammad Kamalud-Deen Al-Adabiy, in his office.
The Director, who said that the Centre had earlier received similar materials on the founder of the Arabic and Islamic Training Centre, Agege, Shaykh Adam Abdullahi Al-Ilory, and Shaykh Ahmad Rufai Abubakar (Nda Salaty), among others, explained that the gallery has continued to be stocked with relevant archival materials and said that those materials are kept for people to appreciate and learn from.
Speaking on the personality of Shaykh Kamalud-Deen, Prof. Sanusi described the late teacher as one of the most influential patriots that emerged from Ilorin Emirate, particularly in the 20th century.
He added that no study on the progress achieved by the Ilorin Emirate, particularly in the fields of education, peace building and general human development, could be completed without adequate references to the contributions of the late sage, recalling that it was in appreciation of his enormous impacts that the University of Ilorin conferred an honourary doctorate degree on him in 1998.
The Director, therefore, thanked the donor for deeming it right to provide his Centre with the picture of the late scholar who was also a founder of several Arabic and Western education schools across and beyond the Ilorin Emirate.
Prof. Sanusi, who teaches at the Department of Linguistics and Nigerian Languages, thanked those who have been assisting the Centre with funds and materials while calling on others, particularly indigenes of Ilorin at home and in the diaspora to also support the Centre.
He also urged socio-cultural organisations of the people of the Emirate such as the Ilorin Women Association(IWA), the Third Estate Group of Ilorin, the Ilorin Emirate Youth Development Association (IEYDA) and the Ilorin Emirate Staff Association, University of Ilorin, among others to support the Centre with relevant materials on their establishment, achievements, prospects and challenges in the interest of those who may want to know more about the people of the Emirate.
