By Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin, FNIPR, FNGE
In the revelry marking the formal turbanning of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq of Kwara today ( Wednesday, 16th September, 2026) in Ilorin, it is apparent that the historical and traditional symbolism of this highly reverent title would be on display.
The title, Sardauna, originally borne by the charismatic Premier of Northern Nigeria, Sir Ahmadu Bello, is readily one of the most distinguished in our country’s traditional lexicons.
Like the Aare Ona Kakanfo of the ancient Yoruba kingdom, the Sardauna is a high ranking title associated with military authority, leadership, prestige and service.
Kwara is uniquely positioned at the intersection of northern and southern Nigeria, with its plurality and cosmopolitan outlook.
Imagine a governor bearing on his shoulders the great Yoruba Aare Ona Kakanfo tradition of courage, defence and mobilisation, and the northern Sardauna tradition of statesmanship, development, growth and regional leadership.
It is understandable then that the spectre of a governor of Kwara bearing the Sardauna title has become a running motif across sundry circles.
But the choice of Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrasaq as Sardaunan Ilorin is much more than the historical symbolism of the highly coveted title.
To be sure, the governor is not the Sardauna of Sokoto but the Sardaunan Ilorin, a traditional title steeped in the rich and enduring lore of Ilorin.
When he was conferred with the Sardauna title in August 2024, the second after Umaru Saro, the late business mogul, Emir Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari drew attention to Abdulrazaq’s
promotion of Ilorin culture and traditions as well as his support for the Ilorin Grand Durbar.
The honour done the governor, however, goes beyond his historical and cultural affiliation with Ilorin.
It is an affirmation of his leadership qualities rooted in clarity of vision, stoic resilience and a can-do-spirit which he seamlessly evokes.
These qualities had come to bear on the growth, development and good governance Kwara had witnessed in the last seven years of this administration.
Across diverse sectors, the remaking of a new Kwara is on, with the state becoming institutionally, economically and socially different from what was inherited in 2019.
Of course, it would be an excursion into fantasy to assume that all is well with Kwara. No.
Insecurity remains a challenge and requires constant vigilance. But Kwara now hosts a military division and five battalions. That’s a big leap to enduring security and sustainable development.
Education and healthcare require continuous investment while growth and development remain work-in-progress.
We must, however, continually look at the larger picture and appreciate the octopoidal infrastructure projects scattered across a state that has become a huge construction site.
A state once burdened by accumulated deficits has embarked on urban renewal,
and the subtle restoration of the capital city’s master plan is a worthy testament to an administration desirous of bequeathing a green legacy.
The state’s roads are being rebuilt just as schools are being reconstructed.
The healthcare system in the state is being repositioned while its economic possibilities are being widened.
Today, the administration’s relationship with development partners and the Federal Government has been leveraged for new opportunities.
For the discerning, the governor’s agenda, policies and engagements have an unmistakable populist aroma.
Instructively, Abdurasaq’s Sardauna title goes beyond the military connotation of defending Ilorin.
Rather, Abdulrasaq is leading the charge across the state as the defender of the masses while humanising governance.
Beyond his signature infrastructure projects, Abdulrasaq in words and actions has demonstrated that the youths are not just leaders of tomorrow.
They are leaders of today and prepared for the leadership of tomorrow.
With youths as the foot soldiers of his administration the governor’s template for succession and continuity in governance is quite novel in this clime, what with his political heir just 40.
Wednesday’s turbanning ceremony is therefore not just an occasion to invoke the Sardauna tradition, but one to introspect on the ideals of leadership in which authority is inseparable from responsibility in public office.
As Vice President Kashim Shettima leads dignitaries to the emir’s palace where the govenor would be turbanned, the epochal gathering will also witness his inauguration of legacy projects in the state.
The moral in all of these is that in the years to come, Kwarans may not easily remember this turbanning.
The edifices inaugurated will, however, continue to stand as enduring monuments to prosperity.
**Oloriewe Raheem Adedoyin, a former Commissioner for Information and Home Affairs, represents Nigeria and Africa on the Executive Board of the International Press Institute.
