Ekiti State

Verified Timeline

Lore & Background

After independence in 1960, the area of now Ekiti was a part of the post-independence Western Region until 1967 when the region was split and the area became part of the Western State. In 1976, the Western State was split and the state's east became Ondo State. Twenty years later, Ondo State's northwest (then termed the Ekiti Zone) was broken off to form Ekiti State. There are two major schools of thought regarding Ekiti's history. One story ties the origin of Ekiti to Ife: the Olofin, one of the sons of Oduduwa, had 16 children, and they journeyed out of Ile-Ife through the Iwo-Eleru (Cave of Ashes) at Ijare and stopped at Igbo-Aka (forest of termites) closer to Ile-Oluji. When they got to a flat land, the Owa-Obokun and Orangun of Ila stayed in present Ijesha and Igbomina land, while the remaining 14 children settled in present-day Ekiti land. They said in their mother's language 'Ile olokiti' (land of hills), later blended to Ekiti. The second school holds that Oduduwa traveled to Ife [Ife Ooyelagbo] where he met people already settled there, including Agbonniregun [Stetillu], Obatala, Orelure, Obameri, Elesije, Obamirin, and Obalejugbe. Descendants of Agbonniregun [Baba Ifa] settled in Ekiti, examples being the Alara and Ajero who are sons of Ifa. Orunmila [Agbonniregun] himself spent a greater part of his life at Ado, leading to the saying 'Ado ni ile Ifa' [Ado is the home of Ifa].

Reader's Guide

Ekiti State is significant as a distinct political entity carved from Ondo State in 1996, representing the Ekiti people, a Yoruba subgroup. Its history includes the pre-colonial Ekiti Confederacy (Ekiti-Parapo), which from 1877 to 1893 fought the Oyo-Ibadan during the Ekiti-Parapo War (also known as Kiriji War) led by Fabunmi Okemesi-Ekiti alongside other Eastern and Western Yoruba groups; the war ended in a British-brokered stalemate before the area was colonized and incorporated into the British Southern Nigeria Protectorate, later merged into British Nigeria in 1914. The state is noted for having the highest number of professors in Nigeria and the joint-thirteenth highest Human Development Index. Economically, it is partially based on agriculture, mainly of yams, rice, cocoa, and cassava crops, with key minor industries of logging and tourism. Geographically, it is divided between Nigerian lowland forests in most of the state and the drier Guinean forest–savanna mosaic in the north, hosting wildlife such as false acraeas, mona monkey, forest buffalo, and grey parrot populations, along with one of the last remaining Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee populations with a troop of about 20 chimpanzees in the heavily threatened Ise Forest Reserve. In March 2022, Ekiti became the first state in Nigeria to adopt a state tree as one of its official symbols; on World Forest Day 2022, Governor Kayode Fayemi announced that Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon) had been chosen as State Tree. Religiously, the majority of the state's population (~90%) are Christian with smaller Muslim and traditionalist minorities at about 5% and 5%, respectively.

Did You Know?

• Ekiti State has the highest number of professors in Nigeria.
• In March 2022, Ekiti became the first state in Nigeria to adopt a state tree, the Obeche (Triplochiton scleroxylon).
• The Ekiti-Parapo War (Kiriji War) from 1877 to 1893 ended in a British-brokered stalemate.
• Ekiti is home to one of the last remaining Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee populations, with a troop of about 20 chimpanzees in the Ise Forest Reserve.
• The saying 'Ado ni ile Ifa' (Ado is the home of Ifa) comes from Orunmila spending a greater part of his life at Ado.