La moral y los valores vistos por los niños y adolescentes

relations amongst the allying forces on the one hand, and inter-group relations within and outside Ilorin Community, on the other. Despite the fact that the Northern Peoples’ Congress (NPC) regained the control of the Council of Ilorin Native Authority in the elections of 1959, the party was still not comfortable with the presence and operations of the Ilorin Talaka Parapo. The party was determined to wipe out all forms of opposition to the NPC in Ilorin Emirate and in the province as a whole.

A number of strategies were mapped out by the new Emir and his allies to achieve the set goal. The first among these strategies was to effectively use the authority, at both local and regional levels, to intimidate, coerce and use other forms of force to bring the opposition group to submission1. The other schemes included to incarcerate the opposition by incriminating its members and summarily sentencing them to terms of imprisonment, and to persuade those that could be persuaded to withdraw from active participation in the activities of the Talaka Parapo, even after Nigerian independence2. Also members of the ITP were to be forced to migrate from the Community, if they remained unyielding to drop the hard line position on the course of liberation reforms of Ilorin community3. To achieve these goals N PC and its allies were fully prepared. It ensured that the candidate chosen to fill the vacant stool of Emir in 1959 had western education and was bold enough to undertake the assignment of reclaiming Ilorin from the opposition groups.

Because of the fact that Sulu Karnam Gambari, the chosen Emir for Ilorin in 1959 was among those humiliated NPC candidates at the 1956/57 council election to the Native Authority, he needed no education to be able to handle the NPC agenda to terminate the local oppositions. I he new Emir, an experienced court registrar, was also seen by the NPC, to have good advantage to regain Ilorin back to the

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3€0 The Dynamics of Inter-group Relations in Nigeria Since 1960

1 Ora] evidence obtained from Alh. Oba Oronbo, a retired N. A. Staff, aged 82 years.

2 Ora] evidence obtained from Alh. Oba Oronbo, a retired N. A. Staff, aged 82 years.

3 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Oba Oronbo.

T h e A f t e r m a t h o f Ilo rin T a la k a P a ra p o , I 9(i0 I 96 / 'HI

fold of the party and the Northern Region1 5. The 1961 general elections were indeed crucial to the interest of the NPC because Ilorin was considered very important to the interest of the caliphate on the basis of religion and historical existence as an Emirate.

Between 1960 and 1961 when the general elections were held in Nigeria, the new Emir in Ilorin had successfully accomplished the scheme against opposition to NPC. Almost all the leaders of the Ilorin Talaka Parapo who were not ready to change position by returning to the NPC fold, were in one way or the other incriminated. Each of them were accused of different criminal trumped-up offences, charged to Sharia or the Emir's Court and without going through the normal court proceedings, sentenced to various terms of imprisonment . Prominent among the leaders of the opposition that suffered being sentenced to prison were Alhaji Sulyman Mainto, the Chairman of the Ilorin Talaka Parapo, Alhaji Adebimpe Oniyeye, Alhaji Delodun Alanamu and Chief J. S. Olawoyin from Offa6.

Even though the activities of the opposition group in Ilorin Emirate had reduced and a number of its leaders were operating from the background, it was not to say that they were totally out of existence.

For instance, by the time of 1961 Regional elections, the ITP/AG group was still able to secure the only seat of Ilorin South Constituency at the polls.7 This situation explains the extent to which force and intimidation could go to change the peoples’ will.

Judged by the manner the opposition in Ilorin were treated, the determination of the ruling elite in Horn and the NPC to exterminate all forms of opposition, was somehow achieved. The outright manner of brutality adopted by the executors of the persecution scheme also illustrates the extreme dimension power contest could go. This situa­

tion, naturally, dictated the subsequent relations between individuals and groups of people within Ilorin community.

4 AbdulFatai Bello, Politics of Protest: A Study of Ilorin Talaka Parapo (ITP) 1954-1966 M. A. Project, University of Ilorin 1986, pp. 125-148.

5 AbdulFatai Bello, Politics of Protest... pp. 125-148.

6 AbdulFatai Bello, Politics of Protest... pp. 125-148.

7 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Dauda Aluko an Islami Cleric, Aged 72 years.

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382 The Dynamics o f Inter-group Relations in Nigeria Since I960

The new phase of Opposition in Ilorin after Talaka Parapo Emir Sulu Karnani Gambari’s successful handling of the NPC scheme to silence oppositions in Ilorin actually endeared him to the Northern Regional government and the indigenous elite class, who sponsored him to be the Emir. Both the Regional government and his elite friends and associates treated him with respect. For the E m irs dedication and loyalty to the NPC, he was selected to represent the Northern House of Chiefs in the Regional administration* On the part of the Emir, he was determined to do more things to impress the Regional government that he had fully subjugated oppositions. The Balogun and the other Chiefs at this time, were in full alliance with the Emir. They both saw the attempts of the opposition to the NPC as against their respective and collective powers, influence and relevance. Hence, they cooperated fully with the Emir on all the steps he took against the opposition.

In the course of the Emir's suppression of oppositions, he extended his vendetta to individuals and groups that opposed his candidature as the Emir. Various punishments ranging from deposition of those who were holding indigenous titles, to transfer of Native Authority staff from the township to the rural areas were adopted9. It was after all these that the Emir believed he had overcome his personal enemies and those opposed to the N PC government. As a representative of the Regional House of Chiefs in the Regional administration, the Emir believed and behaved as the most important individual in Ilorin Emirate10 He also saw himself as an absolute ruler whose authority should not be challenged by any individual or group.11

It was this concept of the Emir as an absolute ruler that actually made him to undermine the interest and influence of his old friends, some of who directly participated in his nomination and confirmation as the Emir. The first among these personalities was Alhaji Buhari

* Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Dauda Aluko an Islamic Cleric, Aged 72 years.

9 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Dauda Aluko.

10 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Dauda Aluko.

11 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Dauda Aluko.

The Aftermath o f Ilorin Talaka Parapo, 1960-1967 383

Edun.12 He was the provincial chairman of the N PC 13, the ruling party in the Northern Region. He became the supervisory councilor for judiciary, after 1959 council elections, when N PC regained the control of the council of Ilorin Native Authority.14 It was Alhaji Buhari Edun’s added position as portfolio councillor that brought him into conflict with Emir Sulu Karnani Gambari.15

According to the colonial organization of the judicial system, the Emir operated a Grade ‘A’ court.16 The court was superior court to the other Sharia courts in the Emirate. These other Sharia courts were either graded B or C.17 It was in the Emir's court that most of the judgments that suppressed the oppositions to the N PC and those of the Emir's personal enemies were given.18 The Emir actually used the court as an instrument of exercising his absolute power in the Emirate.

Alhaji Buhari Edun, as the N PC Provincial Chairman, and popular among his followers, could certainly not close his eyes to the oppressive judgments emanating from the Emir's court, more so when he became the supervisory councilor for judiciary in the Native Authority. He tried to question the basis on which some of the judgments were reached in the Emir's court. The Emir saw the interference of Alhaji Buhari Edun in some of the cases before his court as unnecessary and calculated insult to his authority.19 This situation graduated to personality clash that eventually became open to the public. Both personalities naturally attracted followers, who were fully ready to support their respective positions. The supporters saw the supremacy of their respective mentor as their on victory. Therefore the conflict, which began as personal between the two leaders, degenerated to infect the entire Ilorin community.

u Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Mohammed Ojagboro, a retired Teacher, aged 75 years.

15 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Mohammed Ojagboro.

14 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Mohammed Ojagboro.

15 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Mohammed Ojagboro.

16 Northern Region Native Authority Law 1954, Government Printer, 1954 pp. 7-15.

17 Northern Region Native Authority Law 1954, pp. 7-15.

11 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Oba Oronbo.

19 Oral evidence obtained from Alh. Oba Oronbo.

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