Dr Yusuf Lawal the prominent son of Ilorin wrote this to sensitize all Ilorites on our duties. This is a wake up call, endeavour to read it.



All over the world, it is a thing of pride and honour to remember and immortalise leaders who at different times have left their footprints on the sands of time. Those who are part of history for good reasons, without whom such history would be incomplete. Leadership comes in different forms but there are three basic principles from which it emerges. Traditional leadership is a product of culture and customs, which itself might have been based on some circumstances of history. Constitutional leadership emanates from sovereignty, law, constituted authority, etc which may be through election, appointment, self imposed and backed by law and other various forms of position which have the cover of the law. Charismatic leadership is usually based on personal traits and attributes of an individual. Our successive Emirs in Ilorin, first and foremost represent the face of our culture and customs which are synonymous with religious belief as Islam remains our binding wire. The stool also has the backing of the law, while the successive Emirs have been charismatic in varied degrees. It can be concluded, therefore that our Emir represents complete leadership in all ramifications. 
The present Emir is the 11th in our rich history but how have we  remembered and honoured our successive Emirs. In most cities, towns and villages of the world, particularly, those with rich and proud history, the least honour that is extended to such leader is to name road after them. Today, in Ilorin,  only three out of eleven of our revered Emirs have been so honoured with the very least of honours of road name. These are Oba Momo, Oba Abdulkadir Bawa and Oba Sulu Gambari. Ordinarily, road or street naming is a residual interest which Native Authority or Local Government should deal with. However, most of the roads in Ilorin city were constructed by the State Government and these roads have continued to be maintained by the State Government and I think this is why the Kwara State Town Planning Authority has been been involved in naming of these roads and streets. Nevertheless, it does not matter. What matter is, as a people we should do what is most appropriate.  We should honour and immortalise our Emirs, at least, first with road naming and possibly graduate it to other edifices and monuments as may be most appropriate. Such act is also part of teaching and learning of history.
Our approach on this matter should not be such that would bring about any controversy, please, no matter how insignificant. We should not agitate to change the name of streets that have already been named after other individuals, whether they are indigenes or non indigenes. They might have merited them at the time or they must have paid appropriate fees to Government without any objection from anyone at the time.
For instance, many opined that it was wrong for Lagos State Government to have changed the names of roads in Ikoyi which were originally named after British Colonialists. Colonialism remains part of our history and that cannot be erased. In our case, we should therefore look at roads which current names, if changed will not offend  sensitivities and sensibilities. 
We should honour 
1. Emir Abdulsalami Alimi
2. Emir Shitta Alimi
3. Emir Zubairu Abdulsalami 
4. Emir Aliyu Shitta
5. Emir Sulaiman Aliyu
6. Emir Shuaibu Bawa Zubairu
7. Emir Aliyu Abdulkadir 
8. Emir Ibrahim Sulu Gambari
There are some roads that can be considered for renaming for this purpose. These include but not limited to the following:
Old Yidi Road
New Yidi Road
Niger Road
Kaiama Road
Ago Road
Offa Road (from Post Office towards Herald) 
Office Road
Reservation Road
Police Road
Amilegbe/Pake/Pata Road.
GTTS Road
Sabo Line Road
The IEDPU should formally write on our behalf to the appropriate authorities requesting for the renaming of some these road in the interest of our community. Where any of our Local Government Council has residual authority on any of the roads, such Council should be approached to do the needful. 
May Allah continue to elevate our town.