Adabiya at 100: Sultan, Emir of Ilorin Rekindle Historic Bond
The Sultan’s royal visit to the Emir of Ilorin highlights historic ties between two prominent centres of Islamic scholarship as Zumratul Adabiya Kamaliya celebrates a century of religious education and learning.
By Abdullahi Yusuf
The centenary of Zumratul Adabiya Kamaliya has brought the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, and the Emir of Ilorin, Dr Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, together in a royal encounter highlighting the historic ties between two of Nigeria’s prominent centres of Islamic scholarship.
The Sultan paid a royal visit to the Emir at his ancient palace in Ilorin, Kwara State, as the Islamic institution celebrates 100 years of religious education, moral instruction and community engagement.
Founded by renowned Islamic scholar and educator Muhammad Kamal-Deen Al-Adabiyya, Zumratul Adabiya Kamaliya is marking a century of institutional history rooted in the advancement of Islamic knowledge and the preservation of religious values.
The milestone has brought renewed attention to Ilorin’s longstanding reputation as a centre of Islamic learning, where generations of scholars and religious institutions have contributed to the transmission of Islamic knowledge.
The Sultan’s visit also highlighted the historical relationship between Sokoto and Ilorin, shaped in part by the Islamic reform movement associated with Sheikh Usman ibn Fodio, whose teachings influenced the religious and political development of much of northern Nigeria.
Ilorin’s emergence as an emirate was closely connected to this wider movement, with Sheikh Abdusalam ibn Alimi recognised as its first Emir. The emirate also maintained historical connections with Gwandu through Sheikh Abdullahi ibn Fodio, brother of Usman ibn Fodio and a leading scholar of the Sokoto reform movement.
Over generations, these connections have endured through Islamic scholarship, religious gatherings and interactions among traditional rulers and Muslim communities.
The Sultan’s presence at the centenary celebration brought this historical relationship into the spotlight as Zumratul Adabiya Kamaliya commemorates the legacy of its founder and the generations of scholars, students and community leaders associated with its development.
The anniversary also celebrates the contribution of Islamic institutions to religious education and moral instruction, particularly in communities where traditional scholarship continues to shape religious and cultural life.
For Zumratul Adabiya Kamaliya, reaching the 100-year milestone marks a significant chapter in its institutional history, honouring its founding vision while recognising the generations who have sustained its educational and religious legacy.
The royal visit by the Sultan of Sokoto to the Emir of Ilorin added a significant dimension to the centenary, bringing together a landmark in Islamic education and the enduring historical connections between two of Nigeria’s historic traditional institutions.
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