Ondo Town

Ondo Town is the second largest town in Ondo State, Nigeria. Ondo Town is the trade center for the surrounding region; commercial crops such as yams, cassava, grain, tobacco and cotton are grown, the latter of which is often used to weave a culturally significant cloth known as Aso Oke fabric, which is commonly used to make clothing amongst the local population. Ondo Town is the largest producer of cocoa products in the region.^[1]

Ondo Ode Ondo
View from the peak of the Pele mountain
Nickname:  Ekimogun
Ondo Ondo shown within Nigeria
Coordinates: 7.088923°N 4.7990935°E / 7.088923; 4.7990935
Country	Nigeria
State	Ondo State
Local government	Ondo West LGA, Ondo EastLGA
Government
• Oba	Adesimbo Victor Kiladejo
Population  (2006)
• Total	258,430
• Ethnicities	Ondo
• Religions	Christianity Ìṣẹ̀ṣe Islam
National language	Yorùbá
Website	ondostate.gov.ng

The title of the king of the town, who reigns as a direct descendant of the fabled Emperor Oduduwa, is "Osemawe". Osamawe title originated from an unusual situation as reported by Nigerian Punch that when the favoured wife of the first Monarch had a set of twins, the king was embarrassed because it was then an abomination. He was so bewildered by the birth of the twins that he exclaimed, ‘Ese omo re’ (meaning these children are an abomination). It is said that this exclamation has through linguistic evolution changed into ‘Osemawe’, which is the title of the monarch of Ondo today.^[2] The present reigning monarch is Dr. Adesimbo Victor Kiladejo, who was crowned in September 2006 following the death of the former king, Dr. Festus Ibidapo Adesanoye.^[3]

A short introductory expose of Ondo town in Ondo dialect by a native speaker

Education institutions

• Ondo State University of Medical Sciences is a university of medical sciences owned by the Ondo State Government, established in 2015. It is the third specialized university in Africa, and Nigeria's first specialized medical university to be accredited by the National Universities Commission.^[4]
• National Institute for Educational Planning and Administration, NIEPA Ondo was established in 1992 by the Federal Ministry of Education, in collaboration with UNESCO/IIEP Paris, as a sub-regional staff college for West Africa. It seek to realize its mission through capacity building, continuous training , consulting, action research in educational planning, information dissemination and providing resource centre services.^[5]
• Wesley University is a private university owned by the Methodist Church of Nigeria.^[6][7]
• Adeyemi College of Education is a federal government higher education institution located in Ondo Town, Ondo State, Nigeria. It is a degree-awarding institution affiliated to Obafemi Awolowo University, and is ranked as the best college of education.^[8]
• Ondo City Polytechnic is a privately funded and managed polytechnic located in Ondo Town , Ondo state, Nigeria^{[citation needed]}.^[9]

The polytechnic was founded in 2017^{[citation needed]}

• John Bosco Institute of Technology, Ondo City
• Adeyemi College of Education, Demonstration Secondary School.
• Homaj international secondary school. Ondo Boys' High School, founded in 1919, is one of Africa's 50 oldest schools.^[10] These are a few out of over two hundred public and private schools in the Town.

Climate

Climate data for Ondo (1991–2020)
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	38 (100)	39.1 (102.4)	39 (102)	38 (100)	35.5 (95.9)	35 (95)	36 (97)	32 (90)	33 (91)	34 (93)	35.5 (95.9)	36.5 (97.7)	39.1 (102.4)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	33.0 (91.4)	34.2 (93.6)	33.6 (92.5)	32.1 (89.8)	31.2 (88.2)	29.8 (85.6)	28.3 (82.9)	27.7 (81.9)	28.9 (84.0)	30.3 (86.5)	32.2 (90.0)	33.0 (91.4)	31.2 (88.2)
Daily mean °C (°F)	27.5 (81.5)	28.7 (83.7)	28.7 (83.7)	27.7 (81.9)	27.1 (80.8)	26.1 (79.0)	25.2 (77.4)	24.7 (76.5)	25.4 (77.7)	26.3 (79.3)	27.6 (81.7)	27.7 (81.9)	26.9 (80.4)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22.0 (71.6)	23.2 (73.8)	23.7 (74.7)	23.4 (74.1)	23.0 (73.4)	22.3 (72.1)	22.0 (71.6)	21.8 (71.2)	22.0 (71.6)	22.2 (72.0)	23.1 (73.6)	22.4 (72.3)	22.6 (72.7)
Record low °C (°F)	12 (54)	16 (61)	18 (64)	17 (63)	18 (64)	19 (66)	19 (66)	18.5 (65.3)	19 (66)	19 (66)	19 (66)	15 (59)	12.0 (53.6)
Average precipitation mm (inches)	11.2 (0.44)	38.0 (1.50)	87.8 (3.46)	147.6 (5.81)	179.3 (7.06)	268.0 (10.55)	258.0 (10.16)	188.0 (7.40)	293.0 (11.54)	183.6 (7.23)	54.9 (2.16)	8.3 (0.33)	1,717.8 (67.63)
Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm)	1.1	3.0	7.0	9.3	11.8	15.3	16.0	14.9	18.0	15.0	4.1	0.6	116.1
Average relative humidity (%)	75.9	80.7	86.8	89.9	91.2	91.9	91.5	90.7	91.5	91.2	86.8	78.8	87.2
Source: NOAA[11]

Notable people

• Brigadier Samuel Ademulegun, first Brigadier of the Nigerian Army. He was killed in the 1966 Nigerian coup d'état. His statue stands at the Ife Roundabout, overlooking Brigadier Ademulegun Road, named after him, in Ondo Town^[12]
• King Sunny Adé, also known as King of Juju music; Nigerian musician, singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and a pioneer of modern world music; been classed as one of the most influential musicians of all time^[13][14]
• Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (born 1967), British actor and former fashion model; born in Islington, London to Nigerian parents of Yoruba, Ondo Town origin; he is fluent in several languages including Yoruba, Italian, and Swahili^[15]
• Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy MBE (born 1952), royal portrait painter; born in Ondo Town; in 2001 she painted the official portrait of Queen Elizabeth II for her Golden Jubilee^[16][17]
• Mo Abudu, Nigerian media mogul, media personality, philanthropist, and former human resources management consultant.^[18]
• Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, actress, singer, philanthropist and former model of Ondo Town descent from Lagos; since her Nollywood film debut in 1995, she was honoured in Time magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in the world alongside Michelle Obama, Beyoncé and Kate Middleton^[19][20]
• Frederick Fasehun (born 1938), medical doctor, hotel owner, and leader of the Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC); born in Ondo Town^[21][22]
• Gani Fawehinmi, SAN, activist and philanthropist^[23]
• Olu Maintain, born Olumide Edwards Adegbulu; rose to prominence in 2007 with the release of the hit song "Yahooze" from his debut studio album Yahooze, the song won the Nigeria Entertainment Award in 2008 for Hottest Single of the Year;^[24] in 2008, he performed "Yahooze" at the Royal Albert Hall, London and brought on stage Colin Powell, the former United States Secretary of State^[25][26]
• Olusegun Mimiko, former Governor of Ondo State; former Nigerian minister of housing and urban development
• Godfrey Oboabona (born 1990), international footballer, as a defender; born in Ondo^[27]
• Ifedayo Oladapo, OON, NNOM (1932-2010), academic and professor of civil engineering at the University of Lagos^[28]
• Archbishop Timothy Olufosoye (c. 1907–1992) was the first African Primate of the Church of Nigeria^[29]
• Wale (born 1984), American rapper of Maybach Music Group; born Olubowale Victor Akintimehin in Northwest, Washington, D.C.;^[30] his parents are of the Yoruba Ondo Town ethnic group of south-western Nigeria and came to the US from Austria in 1979^[31]
• Bimbo Oshin, Nollywood thespian^[32]
• Yemi Blaq, Nollywood actor^{[33][citation needed]}
• Teniola Apata, musician^[34]
• Niniola, musician^[35]

References

1. "Encyclopædia Britannica". Retrieved 6 April 2007.
2. "Why Obas inherit wives of former kings – Kiladejo, Osemawe of Ondo". Punch Newspapers. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
3. "Ondo Kingmakers Pick Medical Doctor As Osemawe-Elect". Retrieved 6 April 2007.^{[dead link]}
4. "University of Medical Sciences, Ondo". www.unimed.edu.ng. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
5. "NIEPA – National Institute for Educational Planning And Administration (NIEPA)". Retrieved 7 April 2022.
6. "Wesleyuni". www.wesleyuni.edu.ng. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
7. "NIEPA – National Institute for Educational Planning And Administration (NIEPA)". Retrieved 16 June 2021.
8. "History – Adeyemi College of Education". Retrieved 16 June 2021.
9. "The Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State". Networking Academy. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
10. "AfricaAlmanac.com". Archived from the original on 14 January 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
11. "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Ondo". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
12. "Death didn't stop Ojukwu, Ademulegun". Vanguard News. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
13. Gini Gorlinski, The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time ISBN 978-1-61530-006-8, Publisher: Rosen Education Service (January 2010)
14. "Nigeria's King Sunny Adé: 'I see myself as a freelance'". The Africa Report.com. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
15. "Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje: 'I didn't want to be black. So I joined the skinheads…'". the Guardian. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
16. Wilkins, Verna (30 January 2013). "Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy obituary". the Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
17. "Adeyemi College of Education, P.M.B. 520 Ondo, Ondo State". nigeriaschoolinfo.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
18. "GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA: Mosunmola Abudu (Mo Abudu)". Tribune Online. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
19. Corliss, Richard (18 April 2013). "The 2013 Time 100: Omotola Jalade Ekeinde". TIME 100. London. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
20. "Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde celebrates 25 years in entertainment industry". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
21. "Frederick Isiotan Fasehun at 77". ThisDay Live. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
22. "OPC founder, Frederick Fasehun, dies at 83". Punch Newspapers. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
23. "Gani Fawehinmi: Lawyer and activist who fought for human rights in". The Independent. 22 October 2011. Archived from the original on 24 May 2022. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
24. "Sex is like breathing - Olu Maintain - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
25. "Save the last dance". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
26. NellyBillz (6 March 2019). "'We've become older, we've truly become big boys' – Olu Maintain responds after Eldee called him a 'shameless nigga'". AkPraise. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
27. Godfrey Oboabona at Soccerway
28. "OLADAPO Olawole Ifedayo | GCI Museum". www.gcimuseum.org. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
29. "Synopsis Of Archbishop Timothy Omotayo Olufosoye JP, OON – Ondo Connects New Era". Retrieved 30 June 2021.
30. Wiltz, Teresa (21 October 2007). "The Great Rap Hope". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
31. Omotayo, Joseph (10 September 2019). "9 things to know about American-Nigerian Wale, 'world's greatest rapper'". Legit.ng - Nigeria news. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
32. "Photos: Nollywood actress Bimbo Oshin clocks 49 with shining beauty". P.M. News. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
33. "Mimiko unveils Sunny Ade, Yemi Blaq, others as Ondo's cultural ambassadors". Vanguard Nigeria. 20 January 2016. Retrieved 1 July 2024.
34. Conteh, Mankaprr (23 March 2021). "Nigerian Singer Teni Wants to Take You to Her Happy Place". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
35. Earl Nurse and Arit Okpo. "A polygamous upbringing and a tragic loss contribute to Niniola's music". CNN. Retrieved 30 June 2021.

External links

• ondocityvision2015.org
• ekimogundescendant.org
• monarch-osemawe44th.org