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°05′20″N 4°47′57″E / 7.088923°N 4.7990935°E | |
| 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 |
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]
AUTHENTIC HISTORY OF ONDO History Of Ondo Kingdom
Sitting among the thickly forested planes that characterize southwestern Nigeria are the towns and communities that make up the Ondo Kingdom. Located some 300kilometres to the north-east of Lagos, Nigeria’s economic nerve centre and 45kilometres west of Akure, the Ondo State capital, the Kingdom is easily reached by road from all parts of the country. The Ondo people are one of the largest Yoruba subgroups, situated in the eastern part of the Yoruba speaking area of Nigeria. The weather elements that characterize the region are those typifying the rainforest region of Sub-Sahara Africa.
The descent of Ondo people, as well as the geography of the Kingdom does not reflect any significant deviation from those of other towns and communities peopled by the Yoruba of south-westernNigeria, who are virtually agreed on the common paternity of Oduduwa. However there exists still, as in most historical collections, about three separate accounts that explain the origin of the Ondo people. While the people of the Kingdom, almost in unison rejected a version that links its origin to the Old Benin Kingdom in present day Edo State, as being the invention of its proponents, there seems to be some level of convergence on the other two accounts which trace the origin of the people to Ife and Oyo respectively. While an outright invention of any historical account, as attributed to the BeninKingdom version, may be unlikely, the symmetry of the more widely held versions of the origin of the people are herein reflected with the major dissonance being in the origin from either Oyo or Ife. But on a broad outlook, the two accounts seem to point towards the same direction, as those in Oyo originally migrated from Ife, the ultimate source of all Yoruba.
Oduduwa, the progenitor of the Yoruba was one of the sons of Lamurudu, who was believed to have migrated from Mecca, Saudi Arabia, after some sectarian disagreement. He held the title of Olofin Adimula before he left Mecca. This perhaps explains why most Yoruba Obas are still referred to by that title to date. Oranmiyan, one of the sixteen sons of Oduduwa who left Ile-Ife, probably out of sheer ambition or mere adventure, was the first Alaafin of Oyo and the father of Oluaso, who gave birth to Pupupu, the first paramount ruler of Ondo Kingdom.
Pupupu, a female, was one of the twin children of Oba Oluaso, who was said to have reigned in Oyo in the 15th Century. The other twin, a male, was named Orere. Twin birth in those days was considered an abomination and a strange phenomenon, esemawe, as a historical source interpreted it. Conventionally, the twins and their mother were instantly put to death, to prevent the imminent bad omen which was believed to be synonymous with their arrival. But because Olu, the mother of the children was one of the favourites of the King, her life and those of the twins were spared. They were however with an entourage of slaves under the guidance of a hunter called Ija, sent out of the palace with a beaded crown and an Akoko tree, signifying their royalty. Those were to accord them the dignity and the reverence due to royalty. Again, their father against the tradition of multi tribal marks of Oyo, incised two long tribal marks, one on each side of the cheek. Oluaso was apparently conscious of the fact that he may not set his eyes on the children for a long time, hence those facial marks were incised on them, so that they would be recognizable any time they were seen or if they came back home. This explains the origin of the tribal marks of Ondo to date.
The group wandered through the forest till they got to a place called Epin, near Gbere, whose inhabitants were referred to as Ibariba. They were well received and catered for until the death of Oba Oluaso in 1497. They headed back to Oyo when the succeeding king did not treat them fairly, but Onigbogi, the reigning king had to send them back to a virgin land compassed about by Ife, Ijesa, Ekiti, Ado(Benin) and Ijebu communities. They later got to Igbo Ijamo (the forest discovered by Ija). The group apparently stayed in this place for some time. Eventually they found lgbo Ijamo unsafe and therefore continued their journey eastward, until they finally got to a place called Epe, not far from the present Ondo town.
They were in Epe for many years and as they journeyed on, they passed through a hill which is today known as Oke Agunla and one of the communities that make up the present day Ondo Kingdom. From this hill, they spotted some smoke and headed in its direction. There they met a man called Ekiri one of the original inhabitants of the area. The Ifa oracle, as was the usual practice then, was consulted on the prospects of the newly found location. The oracle instructed them to take along with them a yam stake (edo), as their walking stick. They were to poke the stick into the ground as they went along their way, and wherever the stick didn’t bond with the land, they were to settle.
The group left Epe and proceeded as instructed by the oracle until they got to a place where the yam stake did not penetrate the ground. The group chorused in surprise Edo du do, (The yam stake would not stick in). According to oral history, the word Ondo is a contraction of the sentence “Edo du do”. When the group arrived in Ondo, they met the Ifore, the Idoko and the Oka people. These indigenous inhabitants recognized the royalty of the new arrivals and readily ceded to them the authority to rule over the territory. And in due course, the original inhabitants of Ondo were assimilated into the culture of the new comers. It remains a reference point however that the Idoko and Ifore settlers still maintain a kind of separate political structure which is akin, in many respects, to that of the larger Ondo community. As time went on, the people spread to form other settlements like lgbindo, lgbado, llu-nla, Odigbo, Ajue. Igunsin, etc.
By and large, the Ondo people still regard Epe, a relatively small town, seven miles from Ondo, on the Oke-lgbo road, as their original town (Orisun), from where they migrated to their present location. Up until now, many Ondo festival and rituals have Epe as their source. Pilgrimages are sometimes made to Epe for some of the festivals. Historical account also has it that at the demise of the Osemawe, his head was usually buried in Epe while the remaining part of his body was in Ondo.
History has it that Olori Olu was half ibariba and half Igbo Ora indigene. Igbo-Ora has the record of having more twins than any tribes in Yoruba area. This accounted for the twins of Alaafin Oluasho. At Ile-Oluji, while Pupupu and the entourage were still looking for where Ifa Oracle told them to stick their 'EDO' stick, while Olori Olu was resting and waiting. Olori Olu met a powerful hunter from Idanre called Olofin who had a son with her. The son was the 1st JEGUN of ILE OLUJI. JEGUN meaning ( MO JE OYE YI GUN). There's Olofin festival at Ile Oluji till today to honour the father of JEGUN who they made another DEITY by the people. Ile Oluji was previously known as EKU TOWN named after a Deity.It was after the death of Olori Olu that EKU was renamed ( ILE TI OLU SUN TI KO JI )The EKU Deity is still been worshipped at Ile Oluji till date. JEGUN was the IDOWU to Pupupu/Ondo cos of same mother not same father. When Pupupu and the entourage sticked Edo stick in Ondo,She went back to collect the only crown they came with from her mother Olori Olu and used it to become the 1st LOBUN in Ondo after Which Alaafin Onigbogi to honour Alaafin Oluasho his predecessor ,who was loved very much by the Oyo and Yoruba country because of his industry and warlike natures that made Oyo and Yoruba country safe from Fulani marauders.Alaafin Onigbogi made Pupupu the 1st LOBUN and Later Osemawe and instructed Ondo people not to pay ISAKOLE to Oyo for protection. He was responsible for Osemawe Airo son of Pupupu to go to Benin for tutelage under Oba Eseghie in 1516 because of relative peace in Benin Kingdom as there were several wars in the yoruba country and the Alaafin was not always at home as the war leader who lead his people. As it was the custom then, it was the King that always leading warriors to the battle field. This was later stopped when an Alaafin died on the battlefield and Oyo-ile was dispersed after which Bashorun tittle holder was asked to be leading wars in Oyo and Yoruba country.
Education institutions edit
- 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 edit
| 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 edit
- 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[citation needed]
- Teniola Apata, musician[33]
- Niniola, musician[34]
References edit
- ^ "Encyclopædia Britannica". Retrieved 6 April 2007.
- ^ "Why Obas inherit wives of former kings – Kiladejo, Osemawe of Ondo". Punch Newspapers. 24 December 2016. Retrieved 31 August 2022.
- ^ "Ondo Kingmakers Pick Medical Doctor As Osemawe-Elect". Retrieved 6 April 2007.[dead link]
- ^ "University of Medical Sciences, Ondo". www.unimed.edu.ng. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ "NIEPA – National Institute for Educational Planning And Administration (NIEPA)". Retrieved 7 April 2022.
- ^ "Wesleyuni". www.wesleyuni.edu.ng. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
- ^ "NIEPA – National Institute for Educational Planning And Administration (NIEPA)". Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "History – Adeyemi College of Education". Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "The Federal Polytechnic, Ile-Oluji, Ondo State". Networking Academy. 12 April 2018. Retrieved 16 June 2021.
- ^ "AfricaAlmanac.com". Archived from the original on 14 January 2007. Retrieved 6 April 2007.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Ondo". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
- ^ "Death didn't stop Ojukwu, Ademulegun". Vanguard News. 22 June 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Gini Gorlinski, The 100 Most Influential Musicians of All Time ISBN 978-1-61530-006-8, Publisher: Rosen Education Service (January 2010)
- ^ "Nigeria's King Sunny Adé: 'I see myself as a freelance'". The Africa Report.com. 1 July 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje: 'I didn't want to be black. So I joined the skinheads…'". the Guardian. 12 May 2012. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Wilkins, Verna (30 January 2013). "Chinwe Chukwuogo-Roy obituary". the Guardian. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Adeyemi College of Education, P.M.B. 520 Ondo, Ondo State". nigeriaschoolinfo.com. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "GIANT IN THE TROPIC OF AFRICA: Mosunmola Abudu (Mo Abudu)". Tribune Online. 2 June 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Corliss, Richard (18 April 2013). "The 2013 Time 100: Omotola Jalade Ekeinde". TIME 100. London. Retrieved 5 June 2013.
- ^ "Omotola Jalade-Ekeinde celebrates 25 years in entertainment industry". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Frederick Isiotan Fasehun at 77". ThisDay Live. 23 September 2012. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 18 March 2015.
- ^ "OPC founder, Frederick Fasehun, dies at 83". Punch Newspapers. 1 December 2018. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "Sex is like breathing - Olu Maintain - Vanguard News". Vanguard News. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ "Save the last dance". The Punch - Nigeria's Most Widely Read Newspaper. Archived from the original on 4 July 2012. Retrieved 15 June 2015.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Godfrey Oboabona at Soccerway
- ^ "OLADAPO Olawole Ifedayo | GCI Museum". www.gcimuseum.org. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ "Synopsis Of Archbishop Timothy Omotayo Olufosoye JP, OON – Ondo Connects New Era". Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Wiltz, Teresa (21 October 2007). "The Great Rap Hope". The Washington Post. Retrieved 25 November 2009.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "Photos: Nollywood actress Bimbo Oshin clocks 49 with shining beauty". P.M. News. 24 July 2020. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Conteh, Mankaprr (23 March 2021). "Nigerian Singer Teni Wants to Take You to Her Happy Place". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Earl Nurse and Arit Okpo. "A polygamous upbringing and a tragic loss contribute to Niniola's music". CNN. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
External links edit