Ilorin:
It’s a city, traditional emirate, and capital of Kwara State, western Nigeria, on the Awun River, a minor tributary of the Niger. Founded in the late 18th century by Yoruba people, it became the capital of a kingdom that was a vassal state of the Oyo Empire.
Modern Ilorin is mainly inhabited by Muslim Yoruba people, although its traditional ruler is a Yoruba-speaking Fulani emir. It is the headquarters of the Ilorin Local Government Council. Surrounding the historic central district with its traditional single-story red-mud houses with thatched straw roofs and numerous mosques, all protected by a mud wall, the modern city is an industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is a major market for locally raised crops (yams, cassava, corn, sorghum, millet, rice, peppers, peanuts, shea nuts, kola nuts, cotton) and cattle, hides, and poultry.
Local handicrafts include pottery making, wood carving, leather working, cloth weaving, and mat and basket weaving. The growing industrial sector now includes sugar refining, food processing, soft-drink bottling, match and soap manufacturing, and iron-working. There are several banks and insurance companies that serve the city and state.
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