Pre-Durbar rally was, yesterday, held across major streets of Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, ahead of today’s grandeur tradition, where horses dressed in multi-coloured attire are rolled out by eminent personalities depicting the tradition of the people.
Sango, Kulende, Murtala Mohammed Road, Ahmadu Bello Way, Unity Road, Ibrahim Taiwo Road, Suru-Lere, Agaka, Emirs Road among others are the common routes the horse riders traverse.
Heavy presence of military personnel from the 32 Mechanised Division of the Nigeria Army, Sobi, was noticed yesterday, apparently to give the riders and horses adequate protection.
One of the panegyrics of the people of Ilorin is that as big as the town is, it has no masquerade but that the only replica of such a masquerade is the horse.
The event coincides with the traditional yearly homage ‘Bareke’ the Emir of Ilorin pays to the governor of the state. The programme is held 24 hours after the Sallah Day.
At yesterday’s event, the governor, AbdulRahaman AbdulRazaq, sought support for President Bola Tinubu’s administration and its economic reforms amid the current hardship in the country.
He assured Nigerians of better days ahead, noting that the ongoing reforms would refocus the economy on the path of sustainable growth.
