Introduction to Ondo State

Ondo State (Yoruba: Ìpínlẹ̀ Oǹdó) is a state in southwestern Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. 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. The state’s capital is Akure, the former capital of the ancient Akure Kingdom. The State includes mangrove-swamp forest near the Bights of Benin.

Historical Background

Ondo, state, western Nigeria. It was created out of former Ondo province of former Western state in 1976. It is bounded by the states of Kwara and Kogi on the north, Edo on the east, Delta on the southeast, and Osun and Ogun on the west and by the Bight of Benin of the Atlantic Ocean on the south. Ondo state includes mangrove-swamp forest near the Bight of Benin, tropical rain forest in the centre part, and wooded savanna on the gentle slopes of the Yoruba Hills in the north.

Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, and the chief products are cotton and tobacco from the north, cacao from the central part, and rubber and timber (teak and hardwoods) from the south and east; palm oil and kernels are cultivated for export throughout the state. Ondo is Nigeria’s chief cocoa-producing state. Other crops include rice, yams, corn (maize), coffee, taro, cassava (manioc), vegetables, and fruits. Traditional industries include pottery making, cloth weaving, tailoring, carpentry, and blacksmithing. Mineral deposits include kaolin, pyrites, iron ore, petroleum, and coal. There is a textile mill located at Ado-Ekiti and a palm-oil processing plant at Okitipupa.

The state, primarily inhabited by the Yoruba, a people with a tradition of living in towns, has a high proportion of urban dwellers. Akure, the state capital, is rapidly developing into a commercial and industrial centre and is the site of a federal university of technology. The Ikogosi hot spring and the historic Idanre Hills are places of interest. The main highway from Benin City to Lagos crosses the southern part of the state. Area 5,639 square miles (14,606 square km). Pop. (2006) 3,441,024.

Creek in southern Ondo state

Nicknamed the “Sunshine State”, Ondo State is the 18th most populated state in the country, and the 25th-largest state by landmass. The state is predominantly Yoruba, and the Yoruba language is commonly spoken. Cocoa production, asphalt mining, and activities related to the state’s extensive coastline also are part of the economy. It is the home to the Idanre inselberg hills, the highest geographical point in the western half of Nigeria at over 1000 metres in elevation.

Government and society

Departments, Agencies and Public Bodies
  •  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
  • 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.

Local government areas

Ondo State consists of 18 local government areas, 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)
  •  Ose (headquarters in Ifon)
  •  Owo (headquarters in Owo Town)

Governor

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

Politics

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 -third of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes 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.
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.

Religion

The vast majority of the population are Christians; minorities practice Islam and traditional Yoruba animist religion.
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. 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.

Mineral resources in Ondo State

The following are mineral resources found in Ondo State

  • Bitumen
  • Coal
  • Oil & Gas
  • Dimension stones
  • Feldspar
  • Gemstones
  • Glass/and
  • Granite
  • Gypsum
  • Kaolin
  • Limestone

Tertiary institutions

  • Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko
  • Achievers University, Owo
  • Adeyemi College of Education
  • Elizade University, Ilara-Mokin
  • Federal College of Agriculture, Akure
  • Federal Polytechnic, Ile Oluji
  • Federal University of Technology Akure
  • National Open University of Nigeria, Akure
  • Ondo State University of Science and Technology, Okitipupa
  • Rufus Giwa Polytechnic, Owo
  • University of Medical Sciences, Ondo
  • Wesley University of Science and Technology

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

Media houses in Ondo State

  • Adaba 88.9FM
  • ALALAYE 96.5FM
  • Breeze 91.9FM
  • Crest 87.7 FM
  • Eki Radio 100.9 FM
  • EMPIRE 104.5 FM
  • FUTA Radio
  • The Hope Newspapers
  • INSIDE FUTA
  • KAFTAN TV
  • Kàkàkí Òndó FM
  • Nigerian Television Authority (NTA)
  • Orange 94.5FM
  • OSRC Television
  • Positive 102.5FM
  • Remdel Television
  • RUGIPO 103.3 FM
  • Suncity Radio 101.1FM

Notable people

  • Mo Abudu, media mogul
  • Gani Adams, activist and politician
  • Kayode Ajulo, lawyer
  • King Sunny Adé, musician
  • Michael Ade-Ojo, business magnate
  • Adebayo Adefarati, former governor of Ondo State
  • Rotimi Adelola, former Secretary to the State Government
  • Tayo Adenaike, painter
  • Ilesanmi Adesida, physicist
  • Akintunde Aduwo, former governor of Western Region/navy vice
  • Olusegun Agagu, former governor of Ondo State
  • Michael Adekunle Ajasin, politician, former governor of Ondo State
  • Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigerian politician, entrepreneur and philanthropist. He is amember of the House of Representatives (Nigeria), representing
  • Akoko North ast/Akoko North West Federal Constituency of Ondo State.
  • Jamiu Abiola Alapoowo, entrepreneur
  • Gbenga Elegbeleye, politician, former Ondo State House of Representatives member
  • Rotimi Akeredolu, former governor of Ondo State
  • Abayomi Akinruntan, politician
  • Akintunde Akinwande, engineering professor
  • Yemi Alade, musician
  • Funmi Aragbaye, gospel singer
  • Bamidele Aturu, human rights activist
  • Akinyelure Patrick Ayo, banker and politician
  • Tinuade Babalola, traditional ruler/monarch of the Iboropa-Akoko kingdom
  • Reekado Banks, singer-songwriter
  • Robert Ajayi Boroffice, politicial
  • Hosea Ehinlanwo, former senator
  • Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, actress and singer
  • Chinko Ekun, singer and rapper
  • Olu Falae, banker and politician
  • Frederick Fasehun, medical doctor, activist and politician
  • Anthonia Fatunsin, Nigerian archeologist
  • Gani Fawehinmi, author and lawyer
  • Jimoh Ibrahim, lawyer and politician
  • T. B. Joshua, pastor and philanthropist
  • Adetokunbo Kayode, lawyer and politician
  • Boluwaji Kunlere, former senator
  • Ayo Makun (AY Show), comedian and entertainer
  • Nahzeem Olufemi Mimiko, educational administrator
  • Olusegun Mimiko, former governor of Ondo State
  • Bode Olajumoke, politician
  • Chris Olukolade, army general
  • Sola Sobowale, actress and director
  • Omoyele Sowore, human rights activist
  • Adekunle Temitope (a.k.a. Small Doctor), musical artist
  • Akinloye Tofowomo, performing musician
  • Waje, musical artist

Conclusion

Ondo State, known as the “Sunshine State,” is a vital part of Nigeria’s southwestern region, rich in history, culture, and natural resources. Established in 1976, it has grown into a major economic and educational hub, with Akure as its capital. The state’s economy thrives on agriculture, particularly cocoa production, as well as mineral resources like bitumen, coal, and petroleum.

Ondo is home to diverse ethnic groups, predominantly Yoruba, and has a strong Christian presence alongside smaller Muslim and traditionalist communities. With notable landmarks like the Idanre Hills and the Ikogosi Hot Spring, as well as several higher institutions, the state plays a crucial role in Nigeria’s development. Its well-structured government, extensive transportation network, and vibrant media landscape further enhance its significance.

Overall, Ondo State stands out as a land of opportunities, combining economic potential, cultural heritage, and natural beauty to maintain its position as one of Nigeria’s most important states.