The excluded heirs of the late 9th Emir of Ilorin, HRH Alhaji Zulkarnain Gambari Mohammed, represented by Princess Bilkisu Tinuola Gambari, today issued a public statement exposing decades of exclusion, mismanagement, and alleged misappropriation of the Emir’s estate.
For 33 years, a small circle of full siblings—sharing the same mother—has maintained exclusive control over the estate, denying dozens of children and hundreds of grandchildren their lawful inheritance under Shari’ah and Nigerian law.
The estate includes residential holdings in Lagos and Ibadan, petrol stations, prime Abuja plots, and extensive Ilorin lands, including Ile Isana (Matchco), a landmark family heritage site. Instead of equitable distribution, these assets were effectively privatized by five siblings: HRH Alhaji Ibrahim Kolapo Gambari (Current Emir), Ahmed Bolakale Gambari, Salamatu Olawepo Gobir, Muhammad Olatunji Gambari, and Asmau Funmilayo Buhari.
Key Allegations
• Zango Road Petrol Station (2022): Sold secretly for N70 million, despite local plots being valued at N25 million each. Male heirs received N1.5 million, female heirs half that. N20 million was removed as unexplained “fees.”
• Abuja Property (1,835 sqm on Jabi–Airport Road): Ahmed Bolakale Gambari set a benchmark of N850 million, while similar properties were priced at over N1.6 billion. He sold the property for N350 million without consent of all heirs, declaring only N325 million, leaving N25 million unaccounted for.
• Ile Isana Lease (2025): Two administrators leased the property to Bamtee Property Nigeria Ltd. for 10 years without majority consent. In correspondence dated 20 August 2025, the current Emir reportedly stated that he cannot allow the sharing of inheritance without his mother’s approval, which was never given before her death in 2019. Reports suggest the lease may actually be 35 years, binding future generations. Bulldozers moved in and construction began before most heirs were informed, with heirs only receiving a coercive ultimatum: join a pre-arranged company or forfeit their share.
Statement from the Heirs
“We are not outsiders or asking for charity. We are the lawful heirs of the 9th Emir, seeking only what is ours by birthright and by law. What our father entrusted to us will be restored through truth, law, and justice,” the heirs said.
They demand full forensic accounting, legal redress, and recognition of the rights of all heirs.
Signed:
Princess Bilkisu Tinuola Gambari
On behalf of the Excluded Heirs of the Late 9th Emir of Ilorin
December 5, 2025
(Documentary evidence attached)
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