Nine Interesting Facts About Kwara State

Nine Interesting Facts About Kwara State

Kwara, a state in the western part of Nigeria, was formed on the 27^th of May 1967, when General Yakubu Gowon created twelve states out of the four regions that existed. Currently governed by AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, Kwara State has 16 Local Government Areas (LGAs), and a population of about 3,192,893 people.

Here are nine interesting things we know about Kwara State.

“Kwara” is derived from the Nupe word for the “River Niger”. The River Niger flows through Kwara State, passing through Jebba, Edu, and Patigi Local Government Areas to Kogi state.

Mineral resources in the state include Petroleum, Gold, limestone, marble, feldspar, clay, kaolin, quartz, and granite rocks.

Read Also: Three things that remind us of how culturally rich we are as Nigerians

Kwara State Capital, “Ilorin” got its name from a stone used to sharpen metal tools (okuta ilo irin), by Ojo Isekuse, the founding father of the city.

In 1943, Ilorin Emirate became the first community in Northern Nigeria to establish and own a community primary school – the United Primary School located at Taiwo road, Ilorin, Kwara State.

In 1947, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq from Ilorin became the first Nigerian from the North to qualify as a lawyer. Ilorin was later named the community with the highest number of lawyers. It has since produced the chief justice of Nigeria as well as the president of the federal court of appeal.

Professor Saka Nuru, also from Ilorin became the first professor of Veterinary Medicine in West Africa in the late 80s. Ilorin became the only community with the highest number of professors.

During Nigeria’s independence in 1960, Ilorin Emirate was an Economic force in Nigeria, a fact buttressed by the remarkable number of markets in the Emirate including Alapa, Ballah, Otte, Abotto, Afon, Laduba, Elemere, Malete, Ipaiye, Meigida, Yowere, Lanwa, Ejidongari, Okuta ala, Bode Saadu, Oke Oyi, Iponri, Oja Oba amongst others.

There is no place in Kwara without a central mosque.

Kwara State has produced notable individuals in various fields including Olusola Abubakar Saraki; a Senator of the Nigerian Second Republic, Bukola Saraki; the former Senate President of Nigeria, Bola Shagaya; the second richest woman in Africa, Lai Mohammed; the present Minister of Information and Culture, and Pastor David Oyedepo; the founder of Faith Tabernacle (Winners Chapel).

We hope you found this refreshing. Tell us what else you know about Kwara State.