Ondo State - Wikiwand

Ondo (Yoruba: Ìpínlẹ̀ Oǹdó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State.^[5] Ondo borders Ekiti State to the north, Kogi State to the northeast for 45 km, Edo State to the east, Delta State to the southeast for 36 km, Ogun State to the southwest for 179 km, Osun State to the northwest for 77 km, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.^[6] The state's capital is Akure, the former capital of the ancient Akure Kingdom.^[7] The State includes mangrove-swamp forest near the Bight of Benin.^[8]

Quick Facts Country, Date created ...

Ondo
State

Flag Seal
Nicknames: Sunshine State
Location of Ondo State in Nigeria
Coordinates: 7°10′N 5°05′E
Country	Nigeria
Date created	3 February 1976
Capital	Akure
Government
• Body	Government of Ondo State
• Governor (List)	Lucky Aiyedatiwa (APC)
• Deputy Governor	Olayide Adelami
• Legislature	Ondo State House of Assembly
• Senators	C: Adeniyi Adegbonmire (APC) N: Jide Ipinsagba (APC) S: Jimoh Ibrahim (APC)
• Representatives	List
Area
• Total	15,500 km² (6,000 sq mi)
Population (2006 census)¹
• Total	3460877^[1]
• Estimate (2022)	5316600^[2]
• Rank	18th of 36
GDP (PPP)
• Year	2021
• Total	$33.00 billion^[3] 7th of 36
• Per capita	$6,077^[3] 7th of 36
Time zone	UTC+01 (WAT)
postal code	340001
ISO 3166 code	NG-ON
HDI (2022)	0.611^[4] medium · 12th of 37
^1 Preliminary results

Nicknamed the "Sunshine State", Ondo State is the 18th most populated state in the country,^[9] and the 25th-largest state by landmass.^[10] The state is predominantly Yoruba,^[11]^[12] and the Yoruba language is commonly spoken.^[13] Cocoa production, farming, asphalt mining, and activities related to the state's extensive coastline also are part of the economy.^[14] It is home to the Idanre inselberg hills, the highest geographical point in the western half of Nigeria at over 1,000 metres (3,300 ft) in elevation.

Government and society

Summarize

Perspective

Departments, Agencies and Public Bodies^[15]

Secretary to the State Government
Administrative Commissions
Ministry of Works and Infrastructure
Constitutional Commissions
Deputy Governor's Office
Governor's Office
Ministry of Agriculture
Ministry of Commerce, Industries and Cooperatives
Ministry of Culture and Tourism
Ministry of Economic Planning and Budget
Directorate of Rural and Community Development
Ministry of Education, Science and Technology
Ministry of Environment
Ministry of Finance
Ministry of Information and Orientation
Ministry of Justice
Ministry of Lands and Housing
Ministry of Natural Resources
Ministry of Physical Planning and Urban Development
Ministry of Regional Integration and Special Duties
Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development
Ministry of Youth and Sports Development

The state contains eighteen local government areas, the major ones being Akoko, Akure, Okitipupa, Ondo, Ilaje, Idanre and Owo. The majority of the state's citizens live in urban centers. The prominent government universities in Ondo State are the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State University of Science and Technology Okitipupa, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo and the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.^[16]

Local government areas

Ondo State consists of 18 local government areas,^[17] they are:

Akoko North-East (headquarters in Ikare)
Akoko North-West (headquarters in Okeagbe)
Akoko South-East (headquarters in Isua)
Akoko South-West (headquarters in Oka)
Akure North (headquarters in Iju / Itaogbolu)
Akure South (headquarters in Akure)
Ese Odo (headquarters in Igbekebo)
Idanre (headquarters in Owena)
Ifedore (headquarters in Igbara Oke)
Ilaje (headquarters in Igbokoda)
Ile Oluji/Okeigbo (headquarters in Ile Oluji)
Irele (headquarters Ode-Irele)
Odigbo (headquarters in Ore)
Okitipupa (headquarters in Okitipupa)
Ondo East (headquarters in Bolorunduro)
Ondo West (headquarters Ondo Town^[18])
Ose (headquarters in Ifon)
Owo (headquarters in Owo Town)

Governor

Lucky Aiyedatiwa is the incumbent governor of Ondo state, as at 2024.^[19] He was sworn in on 27 December 2023 as the successor of Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu^[20] who died of cancer complications earlier that day.^[21]

Politics

The State government is led by a democratically elected governor who works closely with members of the state's House of Assembly. The Capital city of the State is Akure.^[22]Mudasiru Mohammed Lawal, An investment and vibrant banker,a philanthropist,an entrepreneur and a politician.

Electoral system

The electoral system of each state is selected using a modified two-round system. To be elected in the first round, a candidate must receive the plurality of the vote and over 25% of the vote in at least two-thirds of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes the threshold, a second round will be held between the top candidate and the next candidate to have received a plurality of votes in the highest number of local government Areas.^[23]

Ethnic groups

The ethnic composition of Ondo State consists largely of Yoruba subgroups of the Idanre, Akoko, Akure, Ikale, Ilaje, Ondo,Ese Odo and Owo peoples. Ijaw people, such as the Apoi and Arogbo populations inhabit the southeastern swamps close to the Edo state border. A small population of people speak a variant of the Yoruba language similar to the Ife dialect in Oke-Igbo town close to the Osun state border.^[24]

Religion

The vast majority of the population are Christians; minorities practice Islam and traditional Yoruba animist religion.^[25]^[26]

The Anglican Province of Ondo (2002?) within the Church of Nigeria includes the Dioceses of Akoko (2008) led by Bishop Jacob O.B. Bada (2019), Akure led by Bishop Simeon Borokini (2013), also Archbishop of Ondo Province (2022), On the Coast (1995 as the Diocese of Ikale-Ilaje) led by Bishop Seyi Pirisola (2019), Idoani led by Bishop Adegoke Oludare Agara (2020), Ilaje led by Bishop Fredrick Idowu Olugbemi (2009), Ile-Oluji led by Bishop Abel Oluyemi Ajibodu (2017), Irele-Eseodo (2009) led by Bishop Joshua Sunday Oyinlola (2019), Ondo (1952) led by Bishop Stephen Adeniran Oni (2018), and Owo (1983) led Bishop Stephen Ayodeji Fagbemi (2017).

174,148 Catholics (2021) in the Diocese of Ondo (1943) a suffragan of Ibadan, with 60 parishes under Bishop Jude Ayodeji Arogundade (2010).

Climate

Ondo has a Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate.^[27] The city's yearly temperature is 28.42 °C (83.16 °F) and it is -1.04% lower than Nigeria's averages. Ondo typically receives about 182.94 millimeters (7.2 inches) of precipitation and has 266.26 rainy days (72.95% of the time) annually.^[28]

Languages

Languages of Ondo State listed by LGA:^[29]

More information LGA, Languages ...

LGA	Languages
Akoko South East	Yoruba (Ao), Uhami, Ukue
Akoko South West	Yoruba (Akoko, Ekiti)
Akoko North East	Yoruba (Akoko), Arigidi, Ayere
Akoko North West	Yoruba (Akoko, Ekiti), Abesabesi, Arigidi, Ayere
Akure North	Yoruba (Ekiti)
Akure South	Yoruba (Ekiti)
Ese-Odo	Yoruba (Apoi), Izon
Idanre	Yoruba (Ondo, Ekiti)
Ifedore	Yoruba (Ekiti)
Ilaje	Yoruba (Ilaje)
Ile Oluji/Okeigbo	Yoruba (Ondo, Ife)
Irele	Yoruba (Ikale)
Odigbo	Yoruba (Ikale, Ondo)
Okitipupa	Yoruba (Ikale)
Ondo East	Yoruba (Ondo)
Ondo West	Yoruba (Ondo)
Ose	Yoruba (Ogho, Ao), Owan (Ora)
Owo	Yoruba (Ogho)

Mineral resources in Ondo State

The following are mineral resources found in Ondo State:^[30]

Tertiary institutions

Transportation

Federal Highways are

A121 (TAH8: Trans-African Highway 8 Lagos-Mombasa) east from Ogun State via Ore to Edo State at Ofosu,
A122 southeast from Osun State at Igbara Oke via Akure to Edo State.

Other major roads include:

the Ondo-Ife Rd northwest from Ondo to Osun State at Okeigo,
Ipetu-Ondo Rd north from Ondo to A122 at Ikeji Oke in Osun State,
Ondo-Owena Rd east from Ondo to Akure,
Igede Ekiti Oke Rd north from A122 at Ilawe to Ekiti State at Ibuji,
Oba-Ile Rd north from Akure to the Ijare-Akure Rd via Ilere and Ijare to Ekiti State,
Akure Ado Ekiti Rd north from Akure via Ilado and Iju to Ekiti State,
Owo-Emure Ile Rd north from A122 at Emure to Ekiti State,
Owo-Obra Rd north from A122 at Owo as the Ikare-Akoko-Ipeme Rd to Kogi State as the Kabba-Arigidi Rd,
Ipele-Kabba Rd from A122 at Ipele Junction to Kogi State at Akunnu,
Akure-Ala-Ajagbusi Rd south from Akure as the Igbatoro Rd to Edo State at Ogbesse.

Airports:

Akure Airport

Demographics

More information Local government area, Male ...

Population distribution of Ondo State^[44]
Local government area	Male	Female	Total
Akoko North-West	107,076	104,791	211,867
Akoko North-East	92,456	86,636	179,092
Akoko South-East	42,175	40,268	82,433
Akoko South-West	114,733	113,650	228,383
Ose	73,119	71,020	144,139
Owo	112,056	110,206	222,262
Akure North	66,526	64,239	130,765
Akure South	178,652	181,596	360,268
Ifedore	89,574	86,796	176,370
Ile Oluji	87,104	84,772	171,876
Ondo West	141,759	147,109	288,868
Ondo East	38,851	37,241	76,092
Idanre	67,531	62,264	129,795
Odigbo	116,299	115,988	232,587
Okitipupa	117,594	116,544	234,138
Irele	72,861	71,275	144,136
Ese Odo	79,812	78,444	158,256
Ilaje	146,859	142,979	289,838
Total	1,745,057	1,715,820	3,460,877

Notable people

Mo Abudu, media mogul^[45]
Gani Adams, activist and politician^[46]
King Sunny Adé, musician^[47]
Adebayo Adefarati, former governor of Ondo State^[48]
Rotimi Adelola, former Secretary to the State Government^[49]
Tayo Adenaike, painter^[50]
Ilesanmi Adesida, physicist^[51]
Akintunde Aduwo, former governor of Western Region/navy vice^[52]
Olusegun Agagu, former governor of Ondo State^[53]
Michael Adekunle Ajasin, politician, former governor of Ondo State
Kayode Ajulo, lawyer^[54]
Rotimi Akeredolu, former governor of Ondo State^[55]
Abayomi Akinruntan, politician^{[citation needed]}
Akintunde Akinwande, engineering professor^[56]
Yemi Alade, musician^[57]
Funmi Aragbaye, gospel singer^[58]
Bamidele Aturu, human rights activist^[59]
Akinyelure Patrick Ayo, banker and politician^[60]
Tinuade Babalola, traditional ruler/monarch of the Iboropa-Akoko kingdom^[61]
Reekado Banks, singer-songwriter^[62]
Robert Ajayi Boroffice, politician^[63]
Emmanuel Daraloye, Nigerian music journalist
Hosea Ehinlanwo, former senator^[64]
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, actress and singer^[65]
Chinko Ekun, singer and rapper^[66]
Gbenga Elegbeleye, politician, former Ondo State House of Representatives member^[67]^{[citation needed]}
Olu Falae, banker and politician^[68]
Frederick Fasehun, medical doctor, activist and politician^[69]
Anthonia Fatunsin, Nigerian archeologist
Gani Fawehinmi, author and lawyer^[70]
Jimoh Ibrahim, lawyer and politician^[71]
T. B. Joshua, pastor and philanthropist^[72]
Adetokunbo Kayode, lawyer and politician^[73]
Boluwaji Kunlere, former senator^[74]
Ayo Makun (AY Show), comedian and entertainer^[75]
Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko, educational administrator^{[citation needed]}
Olusegun Mimiko, former governor of Ondo State^[76]
Bode Olajumoke, politician^[77]
Chris Olukolade, army general^[78]
Sola Sobowale, actress and director^[79]
Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist^[80]
Adekunle Temitope (a.k.a. Small Doctor), musical artist^[81]
Akinloye Tofowomo, performing musician
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigerian politician, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is a member of the House of Representatives (Nigeria), representing Akoko North East/Akoko North-West Federal Constituency of Ondo State.^[82]
Waje, musical artist^[83]