The descendants of the Magaji Aliagan family in Ilorin have issued a detailed rejoinder to a recent write-up by Professor Abubakar Imam Ali-Agan on the history and genealogy of the Aliagan dynasty, describing several of his claims as misleading and historically inaccurate.
In the rejoinder titled “Between Historical Facts and Fallacies,” the family commended Professor Abubakar’s effort in documenting the biography of his father, Shaykh Imam Ya’qub Ali-Agan, the current Sarkin Malamai of Ilorin and Imam of Aliagan Mosque, but faulted his narration of the family’s origin, structure, and authority.
According to the signatories — Professor Taiye Shehu Aliagan, Alhaji Danialu Tunde Olokoba Aliagan, Mallam Uthman Taiye Kawu, Imam Muhammad La’aro Yakub Aliagan, and Professor Isiaka Zubair Aliagan — the professor’s assertion that the Aliagan dynasty was founded by “two jolly friends” who later became “political” and “spiritual” heads of the family was untrue and contrary to established historical records.
“The claim that the Aliagan dynasty was founded by two jolly friends is not supported by any credible historical source,” the family stated. “The Magaji Aliagan dynasty has always been one united family tracing its origin to Mallam Aliyu, a warrior-scholar from Oyo-Ile who established the Aliagan Quarters before inviting his friends and followers to settle around him.”
The rejoinder also dismissed the idea of a “dual authority” within the dynasty — with a political arm headed by the Magaji and a spiritual arm led by the Imam — describing it as “a recent fabrication unknown to Ilorin’s traditional system.”
“It is misleading to create a division between political and spiritual leadership in the Aliagan dynasty,” the family maintained. “There has always been one Magaji Aliagan family, and the appointment of the Imam of Aliagan Mosque has historically remained under the authority of the reigning Magaji.”
Clarifying the history of the Aliagan Mosque, the rejoinder noted that it was originally established by Mallam Aliyu when he became too old to attend prayers at the Agbaji Mosque. The mosque, it explained, was later expanded under Magaji Aliagan Danialu, who invited 13 families to join the congregation and appointed his learned brother, Mallam Uthman, as the first Imam of the enlarged mosque.
On the etymology of the name “Aliagan,” the family acknowledged multiple traditions but affirmed that the name derived from the experiences and exploits of Mallam Aliyu himself. “The different postulations about the origin of the name have been documented, but what is clear is that it connects directly to Mallam Aliyu, the progenitor of the dynasty — not to any ‘Magaji Abdulganiyu’ as claimed by Professor Abubakar,” the statement explained.
They also clarified that the name “Ode Nla” mentioned by Professor Abubakar was never the original name of the compound. “The correct historical name has always been Ile Aliagan, while the adjoining compounds collectively form Ode Aliagan. The term ‘Ode Nla’ was only a descriptive reference to the size and prestige of the Magaji’s residence,” they stated.
The rejoinder further addressed references to other historical figures and families, including the Akaaba lineage, insisting that the professor’s narrative confused timelines and personalities. “Aliagan and Akaaba indeed served as warlords under the early Balogun Ajikobi, but Abdulganiyu — mentioned by the professor — was not the progenitor of the dynasty,” it added.
In conclusion, the descendants said their response was necessary to correct historical distortions and preserve the integrity of Ilorin’s traditional institutions. “Our intention is not to discredit the professor’s effort in celebrating his father but to ensure that historical facts are not replaced by conjecture,” they noted.
“The real story of the Aliagan dynasty is one of a warrior-scholar who combined political and religious leadership, earned the Emirate’s recognition through service, and whose descendants have preserved that legacy for generations,” the family emphasized.
They encouraged interested readers to consult the book Breakers of the Ilorin City Wall: A Socio-Economic and Political History of the Aliagans and Their Neighbours for a more comprehensive account of the family’s history.
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