No fewer than 500 horsemen to be led by the Emir of Ilọrin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, will participate in this year’s Ilọrin Grand Durbar scheduled for Thursday.
Alhaji Suleiman Alapasanpa, the Chairman of the Ilorin Emirate Durbar Committee, who disclosed this in Ilọrin during an interview with newsmen, said the event which was held a day after Eid el-Kabir would last for six days.
About 700 horses were deployed for the last durbar in the state.
But Alapansapa said the reduction in the number of horses was due to the cost of maintenance.
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He explained that, “Before, we went as far as Niger Republic to get horses when we couldn’t get expected numbers from Sokoto, Kebbi, Borno and other parts of the emirate in the Northern part of the country because it coincided with the period of their own durbar activities too.
“This year, we were only able to get 350 from those places, together with the 150 we got from here in Ilọrin; making 500.
“The Emir of Ilọrin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, has over 80 horses which have all been deployed for the event.
“He will lead the horse procession accompanied by high chiefs, members of the royal family and honourary title holders, among others.”
He added that the event for the first time would be beamed live on gigantic screens at eight strategic locations for the benefit of those who could not make it to the venue and decongest crowd at the palace.
