By Ibrahim Kaula Mohammed
The recent turbaning of Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq as the Sardauna of Ilorin brought back memories of a friendship that has lasted more than three decades.
The title was conferred on AbdulRazaq by the Emir of Ilorin, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, at a ceremony in Ilorin attended by Vice President Kashim Shettima and other dignitaries. The honor has been described by the Emirate as a recognition of AbdulRazaq’s leadership, commitment to peace, and contributions to Kwara State.
I first met AbdulRazaq in the early 1990s while working as a sports reporter with New Nigerian Newspapers and covering polo tournaments. At the time, he was a young businessman and founder of First Fuels who had emerged as a major sponsor of polo tournaments.
His sponsorship soon extended beyond Lagos and Kaduna to tournaments in Kano, Ibadan, Minna, Yola, and Port Harcourt. It was during one of those tournaments that the late Senator Kabir Jibrin formally introduced us.
That meeting marked the beginning of a friendship that has survived elections, political changes, and the demands of public office.
When AbdulRazaq contested the Kwara governorship under the Congress for Progressive Change, he asked me to serve as his press secretary. Although he lost the election, our relationship continued. Years later, when he became governor in 2019, the friendship remained as strong as ever.
One relationship that has particularly reflected AbdulRazaq’s character is his friendship with Governor Radda of Katsina State.
When Governor Radda was involved in an accident last year, AbdulRazaq repeatedly called to check on his condition. I eventually connected the two governors by phone while Governor Radda was receiving treatment in an Abuja hospital.
The following day, AbdulRazaq mobilized fellow APC governors to visit Katsina House in Abuja and congratulate Governor Radda on surviving the accident.
Their relationship was again visible in May 2026 when AbdulRazaq, in his capacity as Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, commissioned the Radda Model Secondary School in Katsina State. The school is part of Governor Radda’s investment in technology-driven education.
At the event, AbdulRazaq warmly received me and a colleague, even joking that I had been hiding in Katsina. His reaction was a reminder of the informal and personal relationships he has maintained despite the demands of public office.
From our first meeting at a polo tournament in the 1990s to his emergence as the Sardauna of Ilorin, I have watched AbdulRazaq move from business into politics and public service.
His new title was formally conferred on September 16, 2026, at the palace of the Emir of Ilorin. President Bola Tinubu congratulated AbdulRazaq, describing the honor as recognition of his leadership, public service, and contributions to Kwara State.
For me, however, the significance of the title goes beyond the ceremony. It marks another chapter in the story of a man I have known for more than 30 years, from the polo fields of the 1990s to the highest levels of public service.
I therefore join his family, friends, and associates in congratulating Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on his turbaning as the Sardauna of Ilorin.
