Ondo State · Lablypedia

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, farming, asphalt mining, and activities related to the state's extensive coastline also are part of the economy. 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

Departments, Agencies and Public Bodies

Source:

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.

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)

13 more chapters are free with a Lably account.

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 was pronounced dead in the earlier hour of 27 December 2023 out of cancer complications.

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.

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.

Ethnic groups

The ethnic composition of Ondo State consists largely of Yoruba subgroups of the Idanre, Akoko, Akure, Ikale, Ilaje, Ondo, Ese Odo, Owo and Ose 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 1.711 millimetres (7.2 inches) of precipitation and has 266.26 rainy days (72.95% of the time) annually.

Languages

Languages of Ondo State listed by LGA:

Mineral resources in Ondo State

The following are mineral resources found in Ondo State:

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

Demographics

Notable people

Mo Abudu, media mogul
Gani Adams, activist and politician
King Sunny Adé, musician
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
Kayode Ajulo, lawyer
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, politician
Emmanuel Daraloye, Nigerian music journalist
Hosea Ehinlanwo, former senator
Omotola Jalade Ekeinde, actress and singer
Chinko Ekun, singer and rapper
Gbenga Elegbeleye, politician, former Ondo State House of Representatives member
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
Ayodele Olawande, Nigerian politician
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
Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, Nigerian politician, entrepreneur and philanthropist
Waje, musical artist
Olubukola Arowolo Verheijen, Special Adviser to the President of Nigeria on Oil and Gas.

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