10 interesting facts about Kwara state

Kwara is a state in western Nigeria. it was created on 27 May 1967, when the federal military government of General Yakubu Gowon broke the federation of Nigeria into 12 states.

Ilorin is the capital of Kwara State, the state has 16 local government area and a population of 3,192,893 according to the 2016 projected populations published by the National Bureau of Statistics.

Here are ten interesting facts about Kwara State

1. The name “Kwara” is derived from the Nupe word for the “River Niger”. However, the River Niger flows through Kwara state passing Jebba, Edu, Patigi Local Government Area to Kogi state.
2. The State Capital “Ilorin” derived its name from a stone used to sharpen metal tools (okuta ilo irin) by Ojo Isekuse, the founding father of the city.
3. Ojo Isekuse was a Yoruba hunter who history claimed was the first person to settle in Ilorin. His settling down there attracted other groups of people who also came down to Ilorin to settle down.
4. There is no place in Kwara without a central mosque. There is a wide claim that Kwara state is predominantly a Muslim state with a pocket full of Christians but religion is a peaceful affair in Kwara state. Islamic religion was spread throughout Kwara state when Shehu Alimi, the descendant of Shehu Usman Dan Fodio took over the control of Ilorin.
5. Although Kwara state is a Muslim dominated state and also categorized as a northern state geopolitically there is no presence of sharia law
6. Mungo park, a Scottish explorer who discovered River Niger was believed to be buried in Jebba Kwara state. The remains of his wrecked boat are there on display, and a cenotaph was built in remembrance of the shipwreck he had there when he was trying to trace the source of the Niger.
7. Kwara State has produced a lot of notable people in various fields example are Major Murtala Muhammed; a former military head of state, 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,  David Oyedepo; the founder of Faith Terbanacle AKA winner chapel,  etc.
8. Kwara state produced the first lawyer in northern Nigeria in the person of Abdulganiyu Folorunsho AbdulRazaq.
9. Kwara state has important tourist attractions such as Esie Museum, Owu waterfalls, Imoleboja Rock Shelter, Ogunjokoro, Kainji Lake National Parks and Agbonna Hill Awon Mass Wedding in Shao.
10. Kwara State’s  has a peaceful population, abundant natural resources, well-developed infrastructure

Sources:

• www.wikipedia.com
• www.britannica.com
• www.kwarastate.gov.ng
• www.nigeriagalleria.com