Illorin

Ilorin
Metropolis
Ilorin Metropolis
Ahmadu Bello Way in Ilorin
Ilorin Location in Nigeria
Coordinates: 8°30′N 4°33′E / 8.500°N 4.550°E / 8.500; 4.550
Country	Nigeria
State	Kwara
LGA(s)	Ilorin East Ilorin South Ilorin West
Area
• Total	765 km2 (295 sq mi)
Population (2011)
• Total	908,490
• Rank	6th
• Density	1,188/km2 (3,080/sq mi)
Time zone	WAT (UTC+1)
Climate	Aw

Ilorin is the state capital of Kwara in Western Nigeria. As of 2006^[update] census, it had a population of 777,667, making it the 6th largest city in Nigeria by population.

Ilorin was founded by the Yoruba, one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria, in 1450. It became a provincial military headquarters of the ancient Oyo Empire, and later became a Northern Nigeria protectorate when the Shehu Alimi, a descendant of Shehu Usman Dan-Fodio, took control of the city through the spread of Islamic religion. The capital was occupied by the Royal Niger Company in 1897 and its lands were incorporated into the British colony of Northern Nigeria in 1900, although the emirate continued to perform ceremonial functions. Although the city retains a strong Islamic influence from the northern incursions, Christianity is now widely practised in the city due to the significant immigration of people from other parts of Kwara State and other parts of Nigeria into the city. Ilorin is the largest city and the official capital of Kwara State. Ilorin people has also contributed immensely to the Nigerian politics from the north central.

The legal profession is strong in Ilorin. The first lawyer to take silk in the whole of Nigeria's North is from the city: Alhaji A.G.F. Abdulrazaq (SAN). He has at least two lawyers in his family. A respected judicial officer in the Court of Appeal, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, who once headed the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), is also from Ilorin. His son is also a lawyer. The Belgore family has made notable contributions to the profession, especially with Justice Alfa Belgore (four of his five children are lawyers), former Chief Justice of the Federation and Justice M.B. Belgore, retired Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, whose two children are also lawyers, including M.D. Belgore, SAN.