Osu is a town in

Osun State Osun State (; yo, Ìpínlẹ̀ Ọ̀ṣun), occasionally known as the State of Osun by the state government, is a state in southwestern Nigeria; bounded to the east by Ekiti and Ondo states, to the north by Kwara State, to the south by Ogun S ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

Location

Osu is located in Atakunmosa West (Osun State) in Nigeria, about 356Km South West of Abuja, the country's capital city.

Economy

Osun State is a flourishing and growing area of Nigeria thanks to the cocoa industry. Many migrant farmers from other parts of Nigeria have settled there. Osu is also one of the centres of cocoa production in the country. Osu is also known for Akara Osu, a variation of the local delicacy,

Akara Àkàrà (Yoruba)(English: Bean cake Hausa: kosai, Portuguese: Acarajé () is a type of fritter made from cowpeas or beans (black eye peas). It is found throughout West African, Caribbean, and Brazilian cuisines. The dish is traditionally encount ...

. Akara Osu has a unique golden-brown exterior with a white interior. The process of making Akara Osu was a multi-generational business for women in Osu. The women involved in the enterprise became very wealthy. Many mothers built their own houses and contributed to the academic progress of their dependents. The construction of the express road, which passed through the town and opened up Osu to heavy traffic, contributed immensely in giving these women visibility. Travelers going to Ekiti, Ondo, both Northern and Eastern parts of Nigeria, now pass through Osu, Gold from

Ilesha Ilesa () is an ancient town located in the Osun State, southwest Nigeria; it is also the name of a historic kingdom (also known as Ijesha) centred on that village. The state is ruled by a monarch bearing the title of the Owa Obokun Adimula of Ij ...

is mined around the area of Osu.

History

Osu people originate from the

Yoruba The Yoruba people (, , ) are a West African ethnic group that mainly inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo. The areas of these countries primarily inhabited by Yoruba are often collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute ...

ethnic group, who have Ile Ife as their origin. They are all considered descendants of

Oduduwa Oduduwa was a Yoruba divine king. According to tradition, he was the holder of the title of the ''Olofin'' of Ile-Ife, the Yoruba holy city. He ruled briefly in Ife, and also served as the progenitor of a number of independent royal dynasties ...

, the progenitor of the Yoruba race. The inhabitants of the town speak a unique dialect of

People

Majek Fashek Majekodunmi Fasheke, popularly known as Majek Fashek (March 1963 – 1 June 2020) was a Nigerian singer-songwriter and guitarist. His 1988 album ''Prisoner of Conscience'' included the single "Send Down the Rain", which won six PMAN Music Awards ...

(real name Majekodunmi Fasheke), reggae musician

References

{{coord missing, Nigeria Populated places in Osun State Towns in Yorubaland