Islamic Group to Host Special Prayers Honouring First Ilorin-Born Chief Imam of National Mosque, Sholagberu
By Damola Kadri
A renowned Islamic group under the Ilorin Emirate, Jama’at Nasril-Islam (JNI), Alanamu Constituency, has announced plans to host a special prayer session in honour of the first Ilorin-born Chief Imam of the National Mosque in Abuja, Sheikh Abdulkadir Sholagberu.
The special prayer, which will bring together scholars, traditional leaders, clerics, and members of the public, is scheduled to hold on Sunday, July 20, 2025, at the Palace of the Balogun Alanamu in Ilorin. The gathering is aimed at celebrating what the group described as a “historic and spiritual milestone” for the Ilorin Emirate and the Muslim Ummah at large.
According to a statement issued by the organizers, JNI Alanamu Constituency, comprising the Alanamu, Adewole, and Ubandawaki areas, the appointment of Sheikh Sholagberu as Malami Ubandoma and Chief Imam of the National Mosque is “a profound source of honour for every household in Ilorin.”
“This spiritual gathering – blending pride, reflection, and devout supplication – is scheduled to hold, God willing, *at the palace of Balogun Alanamu, on Sunday, July 20, 2025.* It marks a pivotal turning point in the Emirate’s modern history, where we come together to express our collective pride and gratitude, and to celebrate the fruits of knowledge and piety that Ilorin, this noble land, has cultivated through the generations.
The elevation of *Sheikh Dr. Abdulkadir Sholagberu* to this eminent national religious position is not merely a personal achievement; it is a profound source of honour for every household in Ilorin. It serves as renewed evidence of the Emirate’s rich legacy of producing scholars, reformers, and educators who have played, and continue to play, transformative roles in the service of Islam and the nation,” the statement read,” the statement read.
The statement further commended JNI Alanamu’s initiative, describing it as a “visionary and spiritually aware response to a defining moment in Ilorin’s religious and national journey.”
“We must also highly commend the visionary and spiritually aware initiative taken by *Jama’at Nasril- Islam* , Alanamu Branch. Their prompt and dignified response to this historic moment reflects deep religious insight and strong communal spirit. This initiative is more than a gesture of loyalty; it is a model of how we ought to honour defining moments in our religious and national history,” the statement added.
The group called on all well-wishers, especially the Dahiris (devout spiritual followers) of Ilorin, to attend the prayer session in large numbers and offer heartfelt supplications for the success of the newly appointed Imam.
“Therefore, we call upon all well-wishers, particularly the Dahiris of Ilorin, to come enmass and join hands in earnest supplication, praying to Allah Almighty to bless our revered Imam, grant him greater insight, steadfastness, and success in his noble mission.
“Let our presence be an expression of our pride, our prayers a symbol of unity, and our commitment, a pledge to carry the torch of guidance forward, for a more enlightened nation and a stronger Ummah,” the group urged.
