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Ogun State is a
state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...
in southwestern
Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
. It is bordered to the south by
Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...
and the
Bight of Benin The Bight of Benin, or Bay of Benin, is a bight in the Gulf of Guinea area on the western African coast that derives its name from the historical Kingdom of Benin. Geography The Bight of Benin was named after the Kingdom of Benin. It extends ea ...
, to the east by
Ondo State Ondo () is a States of Nigeria, state in Points of the compass, southwestern Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State (Nigeria), Western State. Ondo borders Ekiti State to the north, Kogi State to the northeast fo ...
, and to the north by Oyo and
Osun Osun (; ), is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria; bounded to the east by Ekiti State, Ekiti and Ondo State, Ondo states for 84 km and for 78 km respectively, to the north by Kwara State for 73&nb ...
states while its western border forms part of the national border with the
Republic of Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...
. The capital and largest city is
Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State located at the south western part of Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokut ...
, and the state is divided into 20 local government areas. Of the 36 states, Ogun is the 24th largest in area but among the top fifteen most populous, with an estimated population of about 6.4 million as of 2020. Geographically, the state lies primarily in the
tropical The tropics are the regions of Earth surrounding the equator, where the sun may shine directly overhead. This contrasts with the temperate or polar regions of Earth, where the Sun can never be directly overhead. This is because of Earth's ax ...
Nigerian lowland forests
ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...
, although parts of the state's north transition into the
Guinean forest–savanna mosaic The Guinean forest-savanna, also known as the Guinean forest-savanna transition, is a distinctive ecological region located in West Africa. It stretches across several countries including Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, B ...
and some of the coastal south reach the Central African mangrove
ecoregion An ecoregion (ecological region) is an ecological and geographic area that exists on multiple different levels, defined by type, quality, and quantity of environmental resources. Ecoregions cover relatively large areas of land or water, and c ...
. The Ogun and Yewa rivers are the state’s major waterways while the Omo Forest Reserve in the southeastern part of the state is one of the most important conservation areas in the country — home to a variety of bird species along with some of Nigeria's last remaining Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee and
African forest elephant The African forest elephant (''Loxodonta cyclotis'') is one of the two living species of African elephant, along with the African bush elephant. It is native to humid tropical forests in West Africa and the Congo Basin. It is the smallest of the ...
populations. Demographically, the
Yoruba people The Yoruba people ( ; , , ) are a West African ethnic group who inhabit parts of Nigeria, Benin, and Togo, which are collectively referred to as Yorubaland. The Yoruba constitute more than 50 million people in Africa, are over a million outsid ...
are the largest ethnic group in the state — particularly the Awori, Egba, Ijebu, and Yewa subgroups. Additionally, there are ethnic minorities of non-indigene groups in urban areas and indigenous Egun people along the border with Benin. In terms of religion, the majority of the state's population are Christian with a significant Muslim minority. Historically, parts of modern Ogun State were included in several kingdoms, including the
Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...
, Ijebu, and Oyo states. In the late nineteenth century, British expeditions took control of the area and Abeokuta became a major center of missionary activity and education. During the early colonial period, the area was part of the
Southern Nigeria Protectorate Southern Nigeria was a British protectorate in the coastal areas of modern-day Nigeria formed in 1900 from the union of the Niger Coast Protectorate with territories chartered by the Royal Niger Company below Lokoja on the Niger River. The L ...
, which later merged into
colonial Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1st of October 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. Britain Lagos Treaty of Cession, annexed Lagos Colony, Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River ...
. After independence in 1960, the region was part of the Western Region until the creation of Ogun State in 1976 from the old Western State. Economically, Ogun State is a major industrial hub with a growing base of factories and companies, especially along the Lagos–Ibadan Expressway corridor. Agriculture remains vital in rural areas, with key crops including
cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
, cocoa, and
maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...
along with the indigenous
Ofada rice Ofada rice is a Yoruba people, Yoruba dish. It is the name of an Indigenous (ecology), indigenous rice from a small community called Ofada, located in the Obafemi Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State. It is not exclusively grown in the commu ...
. The state is also known for its cultural heritage, crafts, and textile traditions along with the arts. Ogun ranks in the
mid-range In statistics, the mid-range or mid-extreme is a measure of central tendency of a sample defined as the arithmetic mean of the maximum and minimum values of the data set: :M=\frac. The mid-range is closely related to the range, a measure of ...
in
Human Development Index The Human Development Index (HDI) is a statistical composite index of life expectancy, Education Index, education (mean years of schooling completed and expected years of schooling upon entering the education system), and per capita income i ...
and has the eighth highest
GDP Gross domestic product (GDP) is a monetary measure of the total market value of all the final goods and services produced and rendered in a specific time period by a country or countries. GDP is often used to measure the economic performance o ...
in the country.


History

In pre-colonial times, today's Ogun western portion which is now inhabited by the Egba and Yewa people belonged to the kingdom of Oyo, which sank into
civil war A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same Sovereign state, state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies.J ...
mid 1800s. South of Ogun, on the tiny island of
Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
, the British had a naval base near which the town of the same name grew rapidly. Until the Berlin Congo Conference in 1885, Great Britain had focused on a few strategically placed bases for its merchant fleet and navy, such as Lagos and
Calabar Calabar (also referred to as Callabar, Calabari, Calbari, Cali and Kalabar) is the capital city of Cross River State, Nigeria. It was originally named Akwa Akpa, in the Efik language, as the Efik people dominate this area. The city is adjac ...
, and was not interested in the communities developing there. After the European colonial powers had staked out their spheres of interest 1885 in
Berlin Berlin ( ; ) is the Capital of Germany, capital and largest city of Germany, by both area and List of cities in Germany by population, population. With 3.7 million inhabitants, it has the List of cities in the European Union by population withi ...
(these were only valid if another power had not previously brought the area in question under its control) the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
quickly expanded thusly its territory in the assigned Niger region. Today's Ogun became part of the "Protectorate of Lagos" (as opposed to the ''Colony'' of Lagos; the border between these two is identical to the modern border between
Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...
and Ogun State - inhabitants of a colony were treated as fully entitled subjects of the British crown, those in protectorates were not) in 1893 and later of the "Protectorate of Yorubaland", in 1906 of the "Protectorate of Southern Nigeria" and in 1914 of the whole of Nigeria. In 1899 it received a railway connection to Lagos, the "Boat Express" ran through Ogun to
Apapa Apapa is a Local Government Area in Lagos, Nigeria located to the west of Lagos Island. Apapa contains a number of ports and terminals operated by the Nigerian Ports Authority (NPA), including the major port of Lagos State and Lagos Port Co ...
and thus connected the region with the wider world. In 1899, it was several years earlier in this than other regions in West and Central Africa that were not connected to the coast. In the 1930s, Ogun was a centre of the Nigerian women's movement under the leadership of
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, MON (; born Frances Abigail Olufunmilayo Olufela Folorunso Thomas; 25 October 190013 April 1978), also known as Funmilayo Aníkúlápó-Kuti, was a Nigerian educator, political campaigner, suffragist, and women ...
( Fela Kuti's mother). Democracy in colonial Nigeria after 1922 only existed in Lagos and Calabar; Nigerians could not participate politically elsewhere (see
here Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...
). During the 1940s, food was strictly rationed in Nigeria. The transport of food from the more agrarian Ogun to the hungry metropolis of Lagos was severely penalized (Pullen Scheme, see
here Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...
). In the first elections in Ogun, 1954, the semi-socialist "Action Group" (AG) under Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ became the strongest party in the Western Region, to which Ogun also belonged. After independence in 1960, the Yoruba region, and Ogun in particular, was engulfed in conflict between the Ọbáfẹ́mi Awólọ́wọ̀ and Samuel Ládòkè Akíntọ́lá fractions of the AG party ("Operation Wetie", see
here Here may refer to: Music * ''Here'' (Adrian Belew album), 1994 * ''Here'' (Alicia Keys album), 2016 * ''Here'' (Cal Tjader album), 1979 * ''Here'' (Edward Sharpe album), 2012 * ''Here'' (Idina Menzel album), 2004 * ''Here'' (Merzbow album), ...
). In July 1966, the then ruler of Nigeria, Johnson Agulyi-Ironsi, was assassinated in
Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State located at the south western part of Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokut ...
in the second coup of the year, which was the prelude to the Biafra War. The state was formed on 3 February 1976 from part of the former "Western" state.


Geography

Ogun State borders the Republic of
Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...
to the West for about 185 km,
Oyo State Oyo is a States of Nigeria, state in South West (Nigeria), southwestern Nigeria. Its capital is Ibadan, the List of Nigerian cities by population, third most populous city in the country and formerly the second most populous city in Africa. Oyo ...
and
Osun State Osun (; ), is a state in southwestern Nigeria; bounded to the east by Ekiti and Ondo states for 84 km and for 78 km respectively, to the north by Kwara State for 73 km, to the south by Ogun State for 84 km and to the wes ...
(for 84 km) to the North,
Ondo State Ondo () is a States of Nigeria, state in Points of the compass, southwestern Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State (Nigeria), Western State. Ondo borders Ekiti State to the north, Kogi State to the northeast fo ...
to the east,
Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...
to the South for about 283 km, and has 31.6 km of coastline on the Bight of Benin to the south, Araromi beach belongs to Irokun land in Ogun Waterside (Ijebu province) local government but insistently claimed by Ondo state due to the influx of Ilaje migrants from neighbouring communities and due to no attention given to this area by the Ogun state government.


Major rivers

* Ogun River * Yewa River * Osun River


Populated places

Ogun State consists of twenty
local government areas A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory. The ph ...
. They are: * Abeokuta North Akọmọjẹ * Abeokuta South Ake * Ado-Odo/Ota Ọ̀tà * Ewekoro Itori *
Ifo Ifo or IFO may refer to: Places * Ifo, Ogun State, a local government area in Ogun State, Nigeria * Ivano-Frankivsk International Airport in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, their IATA airport code * Ifo Refugee Camp, UNHCR refugee camp in Kenya * If ...
Ifo * Ijebu East Ọ̀gbẹ̀rẹ̀ * Ijebu North Ìjẹ̀bú Igbó * Ijebu North East Atan * Ijebu Ode Ìjẹ̀bú-Òde * Ikenne Ìkẹ́nnẹ́ *
Imeko Afon Imeko Afon is a Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area in the west of Ogun State, Nigeria bordering the Benin, Republic of Benin. Its headquarters are in the town of Imeko at coordinates . listed below are the settlements recog ...
Imẹkọ * Ipokia Ipokia * Obafemi Owode Owódé-Ẹ̀gbá * Odogbolu Odògbólú * Odeda Odẹda * Ogun Waterside Abigi (Formerly Makun) * Remo North Ode-Remo Ìṣarà-Rẹ́mọ * Sagamu
(Shagamu) Ṣàgámù * Yewa North
(formerly Egbado North) Ayetoro * Yewa South
(formerly Egbado South) Ilaro


Climate

Ogun has a Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate. The city's yearly average temperature is 29.34 °C (84.81 °F) and it is -0.12% lower than Nigeria's averages. Ogun receives about 141.58 millimeters (5.57 inches) of precipitation and has 224.18 rainy days (61.42% of the time) annually.


Economy

The state has a very high concentration of industries (the second most industrialized after
Lagos State Lagos State (, ) is a States of Nigeria, state in South West, Nigeria. Of the 36 States of Nigeria, Nigerian states, Lagos is the second List of Nigerian states by population, most populous state but the List of Nigerian states by area, smallest ...
) and has one of the lowest incidences of
extreme poverty Extreme poverty is the most severe type of poverty, defined by the United Nations (UN) as "a condition characterized by severe deprivation of basic human needs, including food, safe drinking water, sanitation facilities, health, shelter, ...
(around 5% of the population against a national average of 31%) according to
World Bank The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans and Grant (money), grants to the governments of Least developed countries, low- and Developing country, middle-income countries for the purposes of economic development ...
data from 2018. Major companies in Ogun include the Dangote Cement factory in Ibese, Nestle, Lafarge Cement factory in Ewekoro, Memmcol in Orimerunmu, Coleman Cables in Sagamu and Arepo,
Procter & Gamble The Procter & Gamble Company (P&G) is an American multinational consumer goods corporation headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. It was founded in 1837 by William Procter and James Gamble. It specializes in a wide range of personal health/con ...
in Agbara. In September 2024, The Ogun State Government announced the establishment of a $5 million battery recycling plant by a British company.


Primary sector

Mining and agriculture are among the most important economic sectors in Ogun.
Limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
,
chalk Chalk is a soft, white, porous, sedimentary carbonate rock. It is a form of limestone composed of the mineral calcite and originally formed deep under the sea by the compression of microscopic plankton that had settled to the sea floor. Ch ...
,
phosphate Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthop ...
and
gravel Gravel () is a loose aggregation of rock fragments. Gravel occurs naturally on Earth as a result of sedimentation, sedimentary and erosion, erosive geological processes; it is also produced in large quantities commercially as crushed stone. Gr ...
are mined and
grain A grain is a small, hard, dry fruit (caryopsis) – with or without an attached husk, hull layer – harvested for human or animal consumption. A grain crop is a grain-producing plant. The two main types of commercial grain crops are cereals and ...
,
rice Rice is a cereal grain and in its Domestication, domesticated form is the staple food of over half of the world's population, particularly in Asia and Africa. Rice is the seed of the grass species ''Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice)—or, much l ...
,
maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...
,
cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...
, yams,
banana A banana is an elongated, edible fruit – botanically a berry – produced by several kinds of large treelike herbaceous flowering plants in the genus '' Musa''. In some countries, cooking bananas are called plantains, distinguishing the ...
s, cocoa,
kola nut The kola nut ( Yoruba: ''obi'', Dagbani: ''guli'', Hausa: goro, Igbo: ''ọjị'', Sängö: ''gôro,'' Swahili: ''mukezu'') is the seed of certain species of plant of the genus ''Cola'', placed formerly in the cocoa family Sterculiaceae and ...
s,
rubber Rubber, also called India rubber, latex, Amazonian rubber, ''caucho'', or ''caoutchouc'', as initially produced, consists of polymers of the organic compound isoprene, with minor impurities of other organic compounds. Types of polyisoprene ...
,
palm oil Palm oil is an edible vegetable oil derived from the mesocarp (reddish pulp) of the fruit of oil palms. The oil is used in food manufacturing, in beauty products, and as biofuel. Palm oil accounted for about 36% of global oils produced from o ...
and
palm kernel The palm kernel is the edible seed of the oil palm fruit. The fruit yields two distinct oils: palm oil derived from the outer parts of the fruit, and palm kernel oil derived from the kernel. The pulp left after oil is rendered from the kernel ...
s are harvested. The state is the largest producer of kolanut in Nigeria.


Mineral resources in Ogun State

The following are the mineral resources in Ogun State: *
Clay Clay is a type of fine-grained natural soil material containing clay minerals (hydrous aluminium phyllosilicates, e.g. kaolinite, ). Most pure clay minerals are white or light-coloured, but natural clays show a variety of colours from impuriti ...
*
Limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...
and
Phosphate Phosphates are the naturally occurring form of the element phosphorus. In chemistry, a phosphate is an anion, salt, functional group or ester derived from a phosphoric acid. It most commonly means orthophosphate, a derivative of orthop ...
*
Bitumen Bitumen ( , ) is an immensely viscosity, viscous constituent of petroleum. Depending on its exact composition, it can be a sticky, black liquid or an apparently solid mass that behaves as a liquid over very large time scales. In American Engl ...
*
Kaolin Kaolinite ( ; also called kaolin) is a clay mineral, with the chemical composition Al2 Si2 O5( OH)4. It is a layered silicate mineral, with one tetrahedral sheet of silica () linked through oxygen atoms to one octahedral sheet of alumina (). ...
*
Gemstone A gemstone (also called a fine gem, jewel, precious stone, semiprecious stone, or simply gem) is a piece of mineral crystal which, when cut or polished, is used to make jewellery, jewelry or other adornments. Certain Rock (geology), rocks (such ...
*
Feldspar Feldspar ( ; sometimes spelled felspar) is a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the ''plagiocl ...


Secondary sector, metal processing

Ogún is also the name of the god (
Orisha Orishas (singular: orisha) are divine spirits that play a key role in the Yoruba religion of West Africa and several religions of the African diaspora that derive from it, such as Haitian Vaudou, Cuban Santería and Brazilian Candomblé. The p ...
) for metalworking in the local Yoruba nature religion, similar to the Greek
Hephaestus Hephaestus ( , ; wikt:Hephaestus#Alternative forms, eight spellings; ) is the Greek god of artisans, blacksmiths, carpenters, craftsmen, fire, metallurgy, metalworking, sculpture and volcanoes.Walter Burkert, ''Greek Religion'' 1985: III.2. ...
or the Roman god Vulcan (since the ancient world had trade relations with present-day Nigeria, this may not be entirely coincidental). The state lives up to this name by being the Nigerian centre for metalworking. Here are two examples: * Proforce manufactures armoured vehicles in Ode-Remo (25 km from Lagos), which are also sold to Europe. Since 2008, the company has expanded its product range and also produces drones for the security sector. * The wagon assembly plant in Kajola is the only plant in West Africa that manufactures, maintains and repairs railway vehicles. Ogun also produces
timber Lumber is wood that has been processed into uniform and useful sizes (dimensional lumber), including beams and planks or boards. Lumber is mainly used for construction framing, as well as finishing (floors, wall panels, window frames). ...
, ceramic products, bicycle tyres, carpets, adhesives and other products.


Tourist centers in Ogun state

* Olumo Rock * Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library * Omu Resort Abeokuta


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 Abeokuta.


Electoral system

The governor of the 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.


Governor

The current governor is Prince Dapo Abiodun, a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who heads the Executive Council of Ogun State. On Wednesday 29 May 2019, Dapo Abiodun was sworn in as the fifth Governor of the State at the MKO Abiola Stadium, Kuto, Abeokuta. He was re-elected for a second term in office by March 2023.


Local government areas

Ogun State is divided into three senatorial districts: ;*Ogun Central: Ogun Central consists mostly of the Egba that occupies six local governments: Abeokuta North (Akomoje), Abeokuta South (Ake), Ewekoro (Itori), Ifo (Ifo), Obafemi Owode (Owode ẹgba) and Odeda (Odeda). ;*Ogun East: Ogun East consists mostly of the Ijebu and the Remo that occupies 9 local governments: Ijebu East (Ogbẹrẹ), Ijebu North (Ijebu Igbo), Ijebu North East (Attan), Ijebu ode (Ijebu ode), Ikenne (Ikenne Remo), Odogbolu (Odogbolu), Ogun waterside (Abigi), Remo North (Ilisan Remo) and Sagamu (Sagamu). ;*Ogun West: Ogun West consists mostly of the Yewa that occupies 5 local governments: Ado odo Ota (Otta), Imeko Afon (Imeko), Ipokia (Ipokia), Yewa North (Ayetoro) and Yewa South (Ilaro).


Demographics

The main ethnic groups in Ogun State are the Ẹgba, Ijebu, Remo, Yewa, Awori and a minority Egun people. There are also sub groups like the Ikale, the Ketu, the Ohori and the Anago.


Religion

Mainly Muslim and Christian, some traditional Yoruba animism. The Anglican Province of Lagos within the
Church of Nigeria The Church of Nigeria is the Anglicanism, Anglican Church body, church in Nigeria. It is the second-largest Province (Anglican), province in the Anglican Communion, as measured by baptised membership (not by attendance), after the Church of Englan ...
includes the ten Dioceses of Awori led by Bishop Johnson Akin Atere (2009), Egba (1976) led by Bishop Emmanuel Adekunle (2009), Egba West (2007) led by Bishop Samuel Oludele Ogundeji (2010),
Ifo Ifo or IFO may refer to: Places * Ifo, Ogun State, a local government area in Ogun State, Nigeria * Ivano-Frankivsk International Airport in Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine, their IATA airport code * Ifo Refugee Camp, UNHCR refugee camp in Kenya * If ...
(2007) led by Bishop Nathaniel Oladejo Ogundipe (2012), Ijebu led by Bishop Peter Rotimi Oludipe (2020), Ijebu-North led by Bishop Solomon Kuponu (2005),
Remo Remo Inc. is an American musical instruments manufacturing company based in Valencia, California, and founded by Remo Belli in 1957. Products manufactured include drum kits, drumheads, drums, and drum hardware, hardware, and various percussio ...
led by Bishop Michael Fape (2004, Archbishop of Lagos 2016-21), Yewa, formerly Egbado led by Bishop Michael Adebayo Oluwarohunbi (2014), and Ijebu-South West led by Bishop Babatunde Ogunbanwo (2009). 179,014 Catholics (2020) in the Dioceses o
Abeokuta
(1997) with 60 parishes under Bishop Peter Kayode Odetoyinbo (2014) an
Ijebu-Ode
(1969) with 40 parishes under Bishop Francis Obafemi Adesina (2019), both suffragans of the Archdiocese of Lagos.


Notable religious places

* The Bilikisu Sungbo Shrine, Oke-Eiri, near Ijebu-Ode. It was declared a part of the national heritage in 1964, and is believed by the Ijebus to be the burial place of the fabled
Queen of Sheba The Queen of Sheba, also known as Bilqis in Arabic and as Makeda in Geʽez, is a figure first mentioned in the Hebrew Bible. In the original story, she brings a caravan of valuable gifts for Solomon, the fourth King of Israel and Judah. This a ...
. It serves as a place of pilgrimage for Yoruba traditionalists, Yoruba Muslims and Yoruba Christians alike. * The
Church of the Lord (Aladura) The Church of the Lord (Aladura) was established by Josiah Olunowo Ositelu founded in 1925 and inaugurated in 1930 in Ogere Remo, Ogun State, Nigeria.''Journey So Far'', ; Publication - TCLAW Publishers, 2009. "Aladura" in Yoruba means the Pray ...
,
Ogere Remo Ogere (also referred to as Ogere Remo or Ogere-Remo or Ogere - Remo), is an ancient town in the present Remo Division of Ogun State, Nigeria. The town was founded circa 1401 A.D. Ogere is part of the Ikenne Local Government Area of Ogun State. ...
* Redemption Camp (Lagos Ibadan Express Road) *
Living Faith Church Worldwide Living Faith Church Worldwide (also known as Winners' Chapel) is an international Evangelical charismatic Christian denomination. The headquarters is located in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The organization has since become a global network of chur ...
, (Canaanland, Km. 10, Idiroko Road, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria)


Education

Ogun state has three federal secondary schools; Federal Government Girls' College, Sagamu and Federal Government College, Odogbolu and Federal Science and Technical College, Ijebu-Imushin. Ogun state has two Federal Universities; the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (FUNAAB) an
Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode
and one Federal college of education, FCE Osiele (both at Odeda Local government area), one state government college of education, named after the late Nigerian educationist of international repute Augustus Taiwo Solarin in 1994 as Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), (formerly known as Ogun State College of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, one Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro). One is named after late Nigerian business mogul and winner of 12 June 1993 election, Basorun Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola as Moshood Abiola Polytechnic (MAPOLY), formerly known as Ogun State Polytechnic, Ojere, Abeokuta, Another Gateway Polytechnic Saapade, Remo (GAPOSA), Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic Ijebu-Igbo (Aapoly) (formerly known as 'The Polytechnic Ijebu-Igbo) it was name after Chief Abraham Aderibigbe Adesanya who was a Nigerian politician, lawyer and activist. One state government universities: Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye (formerly known as Ogun State University). Ogun State has a total of nine registered
universities A university () is an educational institution, institution of tertiary education and research which awards academic degrees in several Discipline (academia), academic disciplines. ''University'' is derived from the Latin phrase , which roughly ...
, the highest of any state in Nigeria. It has five private universities. Amongst which are Chrisland University, Hallmark University in Ijebu-itele, Abeokuta Bells University of Technology in Ota, Covenant University and Babcock University in Ilisan-Remo, which was the first private university in the country. The state has two major government hospitals: the Federal Medical Center at Abeokuta, and the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu. The
National Youth Service Corps The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) is a mandatory, post-tertiary scheme set up by the Nigerian government during the military regime of Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, to "reconstruct, reconcile and rebuild the country after the Nigerian ...
( NYSC) Permanent Orientation Camp is located at Sagamu Local Government area of the state. Ogun state government has begun the itele road.


Tertiary institutions

* Babcock University, Ilisan Remo * Bells University of Technology, Ota * Chrisland University, Abeokuta * Christopher University, Lagos Ibadan ExpressWay Makun, Sagamu * Covenant University, Ota * Crawford University, Igbesa * Crescent University,
Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State located at the south western part of Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokut ...
* Federal Polytechnic, Ilaro * Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta * Hallmark University, Ijebu Itele * McPherson University, Seriki-Sotayo * Moshood Abiola Polytechnic, Ojere * Mountain Top University, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway *
National Open University of Nigeria The National Open University of Nigeria is a Federal government of Nigeria, federal open and distance learning (ODL) institution, the first of its kind in the West African sub-region. It is Nigeria's largest tertiary institution in terms of stu ...
, Kobape,
Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State located at the south western part of Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokut ...
* Ogun State College of Health Technology, Ilese, Ijebu Ode * Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye *
Tai Solarin University of Education Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) is a federal List of universities in Nigeria, university of education in Nigeria with the formula 1-2-8 (1st in Nigeria, 2nd Africa and 8th in the World). It was established in 2005 as a state univers ...
, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode


Think tanks

* African Centre for Development and Strategic Studies (ACDESS)


Transportation

Ogun benefits from its proximity to the metropolis of
Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...
and the new deep-sea harbour and the new Dangote refinery in Lekki (as of 2024). The planned airport Lagos-Epe will be located next to the border to the state of Ogun.


Railways


Nigerian Railway Company

Ogun benefits from the Lagos-
Abeokuta Abeokuta is the capital city of Ogun State located at the south western part of Nigeria. It is situated on the east bank of the Ogun River, near a group of rocky outcrops in a wooded savanna; north of Lagos by railway, or by water. , Abeokut ...
-
Ibadan Ibadan (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and most populous city of Oyo State, in Nigeria. It is the List of Nigerian cities by population, third-largest city by population in Nigeria after Lagos and Kano (city), Kano, with a total populatio ...
standard rail link since 2021. The planned ''Apapa-Kajola Express'' will connect the centre of the state with the Lagos port. Abeokuta also is connected with Lagos by 77 km of the Western Railway (built in 1899), which still is used for freight trains.


Lagos Mass Transit (Lamata)

The terminus of the "Red Line" of the Lagos suburban railway is located in Agbado, which is part of the Lagos agglomeration but belongs to the state of Ogun in administrative terms. This is why the trains and carriages of Lagos State will be parked, cleaned and maintained in Ogun.


Roads

Federal Highways are: * A1 north from Lagos as part of the African Unity Road TAH2 Trans-African Highway 2, * E1 Lagos-Ibadan Expressway north to Oyo State, * A5 north from Lagos via Abeokuta and east to Oyo State at Omin Adio, * A121 east from A1 in Sagamu as the Benin-Sagamu Expressway via Ijebu-Ode to Ondo State at Kajola as part of the Trans-African 8 (TAH 8) Lagos-Mombasa Highway. Three roads to the Republic of
Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...
: * the Sango Ota-Idi-Iroko Rd at Idiroko as part of the Lagos-
Badagry Badagry, also spelled Badagri, (Gun language, Gun: Gbagli) is a coastal town and Local Government Areas of Nigeria, Local Government Area (LGA) in Lagos State, Nigeria. It is quite close to the city of Lagos, and located on the north bank of Po ...
- Porto Novo highway west to RNIE 1, * the Oja-Odan Road from Ilaro at Obelle to RN3 in Pobè, * F102 west from Sagamu via Abeokuta to Meko at Idofa to RNIE 4 to Kétou. Other major roads include: * the Epe-Ijebu-Ode Rd south from Sagamu to Lagos State at Agboju, * the Iken-Sekungba Rd south from the Awa-Itokin Rd from Egbe to Lagos State at Omu, * the Agbara-Atan Rd south from Atan to Lagos State at Morogbo, * the Abeokuta-Igboora-Iseyin Rd north from the Ayetoro Rd at Rounda Roundabout to Oyo State as the Ibara-Orile-Ijeun Rd, * the Ibadan-Eruwa Rd west from A5 at Ilugun to Oyo State at Olokemeji, * the Ibadan-Ijebu-Ode Rd north from Ilaporu to Oyo State at Mamu, * the Ibadan-Ijebu-Igbo Rd northeast from Ilaporu to Oyo State at Olugbuyi.


Notable people

*
Abraham Adesanya Chieftain, Chief Abraham Aderibigbe Adesanya (24 July 1922 – 27 April 2008) was a Nigerian politician, lawyer, activist, welfarist, and liberal progressive. He was a member of the Action Group (Nigeria), Action Group, on whose platform h ...
(1922–2008), politician *
Adebayo Adedeji Adebayo Adedeji (21 December 1930 – 25 April 2018) was a Nigerian economist and academic. A full-fledged Professor at the age of 36 years, he was Nigeria's Federal Commissioner for Economic Development & Reconstruction from 1971 to 1975. He was ...
(1930–2018), economist * Adebayo Ogunlesi (b. 1953), lawyer, investment banker * Adegboyega Dosunmu Amororo II, film producer, Olowu of Owu kingdom * Adewale Oke Adekola * Afolabi Olabimtan *
Anthony Joshua Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua (born 15 October 1989) is a British professional boxer. He held the unified champion, unified world heavyweight championship twice between 2016 and 2021. At regional level, he held the British Boxing Board of C ...
*
Aṣa Bukola Elemide (born 17 September 1982),"There's 'Fi ...
, singer *
Babafemi Ogundipe Babafemi Olatunde Ogundipe (6 September 1924 – 20 November 1971) was the ''de facto'' Vice President of Nigeria, second-in-command and first Supreme Military Council of Nigeria (1966–1979), Chief of Staff, Supreme Headquarters from 1966 Nige ...
* Babatunde Osotimehin * Bisi Onasanya *
Bola Ajibola Prince Bolasodun Adesumbo "Bola" Ajibola, SAN, KBE, CFR (22 March 1934 – 8 April 2023) was a Nigerian jurist, who was the Attorney General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria from 1985 to 1991 and a judge of the International Court of Justice ...
* Bola Kuforiji Olubi * Bosun Tijani (b. 1977), Entrepreneur * Cornelius Taiwo * Dapo Abiodun * David Alaba, son of George Alaba, a prince of Ogere Remo * Dimeji Bankole * Ebenezer Obey, jùjú musician * Ernest Shonekan *
Fela Kuti Fela Aníkúlápó Kútì (born Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti; 15 October 1938 – 2 August 1997) was a Nigerians, Nigerian musician and political activist. He is regarded as the principal innovator of Afrobeat, a Nigerian music genre t ...
(1938–1997), multi-instrumentalist, bandleader, composer, political activist, Pan-Africanist * Fireboy DML, singer * Femi Okurounmu, politician * Fola Adeola, businessman, politician *
Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti Chief Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti, MON (; born Frances Abigail Olufunmilayo Olufela Folorunso Thomas; 25 October 190013 April 1978), also known as Funmilayo Aníkúlápó-Kuti, was a Nigerian educator, political campaigner, suffragist, and women ...
(1900–1978), educator, women's rights activist * Funke Akindele (b. 1977), Actress * Gbenga Daniel (b. 1956), politician * Hannah Idowu Dideolu Awolowo (1915–2015), businesswoman and politician * Hubert Ogunde (1916–1990), actor, playwright, theatre manager and musician * Ibikunle Amosun (b. 1958), politician, senator, Governor of Ogun State in 2011–2019 * Idowu Sofola (1934–1982), jurist, President of the Nigerian Bar Association in 1980–1982 * Joseph Adenuga (b. 1982), aka Skepta, British musician and record producer *Prof. Lateef Akinola Salako CON, professor emeritus of pharmacology and therapeutics * Jubril Martins-Kuye (b. 1942), politician * K1 De Ultimate (b. 1957), Fuji musician * Kehinde Sofola (1924–2007), jurist * Kemi Adeosun (b. 1967), former Finance Minister of Nigeria * Kizz Daniel, singer *
Kunle Soname Kunle Soname is a Nigerian entrepreneur, sport enthusiast and the chairman of Bet9ja, a betting website he founded in 2013. He is also the first Nigerian to acquire a European club C.D. Feirense which he bought in 2015. He is the Founder of the pri ...
, Entrepreneur, Politician * Laycon (b. 1993), professional name of Olamilekan Moshood Agbeleshe, reality TV personality, rapper, singer and songwriter * Lukmon Atobatele, legislator * Mike Adenuga * Moshood Abiola * Mr Macaroni, content creator, actor *
Oba Otudeko Oba Otudeko Commander of the Federal Republic, CFR (born 18 August 1943) is a Nigerian Businessperson, businessman who serves as the founder and chairman of the Honeywell Group. He was a former chairman of FBN Holdings and founder of the Oba Otud ...
(b. 1943), businessman * Obafemi Awolowo (1909–1987) *
Ola Rotimi Olawale Gladstone Emmanuel Rotimi, best known as Ola Rotimi (13 April 1938 – 18 August 2000), was one of Nigeria's leading playwrights and theatre directors. He has been called "a complete man of the theatre – an actor, director, choreograp ...
* Olabisi Onabanjo * Oladipo Diya *
Olamide Olamide Gbenga Adedeji (born 15 March 1989) is a Nigerian rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He is regarded as one of the most influential artists in Nigeria and Africa and has been crucial to the creative and commercial succe ...
* Olawunmi Banjo * Olu Oyesanya *
Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo (; ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian former army general, politician and statesman who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its president from 1999 to 200 ...
* Olusegun Osoba * Paul Adefarasin * Peter Akinola * Salawa Abeni * Sarah Forbes Bonetta * Tai Solarin (1922–1994), educator, author, civil rights activist * Thomas Adeoye Lambo (1923–2004), scholar, administrator, psychiatrist, Deputy Director General of the World Health Organization * Tomi Favored, gospel artiste * Tunde Kelani, entrepreneur, film producer * Tunde Bakare (b. 1954), Prophetic-Apostolic pastor, politician * Tunji Olurin (b. 1944), retired general *
Wizkid Ayodeji Ibrahim Balogun (born 16 July 1990), better known as Wizkid, is a Nigerian singer and songwriter. Born in the Ojuelegba suburb of Surulere, Lagos, Wizkid is a voice in the emerging Afrobeats movement. His music is a blend of Afrobea ...
, singer *
Wole Soyinka Wole Soyinka , (born 13 July 1934) is a Nigerian author, best known as a playwright and poet. He has written three novels, ten collections of short stories, seven poetry collections, twenty five plays and five memoirs. He also wrote two transla ...
(b. 1934), 1986 The Nobel Prize for Literature laureate * Yemi Osinbajo (b. 1957), politician, lawyer


References


External links

* * *Abraham Adesanya Polytechnic, Ijebu-Igbo,https://aapoly.edu.ng/
Mercyland International Schools Homepage
*Gateway Polytechnic, Saapade, Remo https://gaposa.edu.ng *List of NBTE approved State government owned Polytechnics in Nigeri

{{Portal bar, Nigeria Ogun State, States in Yorubaland States of Nigeria States and territories established in 1976 1976 establishments in Nigeria