The Akoko are a large Yoruba cultural sub-group in the Northeastern part of Yorubaland. The area spans from Ondo State to Edo State in southwest Nigeria. The Akokos as a subgroup make up 20.3% of the population of Ondo State, and 5.7% of the population of Edo State. Out of the present 18 Local Government Councils it constitutes four; Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West, Akoko South-East and Akoko South-West, as well as the Akoko Edo LGA of Edo State. The Adekunle Ajasin University, a state owned university with a capacity for about 20,000 tertiary education students and more than 50 departments in seven faculties is located in Akungba-Akoko. A state specialist hospital is situated at Ikare Akoko, while community general hospitals are located in Oka-Akoko and Ipe-Akoko. Arigidi, is a dialect cluster, It is spoken in the LGAs of Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Ekiti East, and Ijumu.

Geography

Akoko comprises about 47 small towns and villages, predominantly situated in rocky outcrop areas of northern Ondo state. The rocky terrain nevertheless, may have helped the region to become a melting pot of sorts with different cultures coming from the north, eastern and southern Yoruba towns and beyond. Akoko became one of the few Yoruba clans with no distinctive local dialect. Major Akoko settlements include; Ọkà, Ikare, Oba, Ikun, Arigidi, Ugbe, Ogbagi, Okeagbe, Ikaram, Ibaram, Iyani, Akungba, Erusu, Ajowa, Akunu, Gedegede, Isua, Auga, Ikakumo, Supare, Epinmi, Ipe, Ifira, Ise, Iboropa, Irun, Iye, Afin, Igashi, Sosan, Ipesi, Etioro, Ayegunle, Eriti and Oyin. In addition to this group, there are several other autonomous communities of varying sizes. The Akokos occupy a frontier zone of Yorubaland and are bound to the north by the Owé Okun Yorubas and the Ebira people, to the west by the Ekitis, to the south by the Owos and the Owan/Ora, and to the east by the Afemai groups.

Culture and Lifestyle

The predominant traditional occupations of the community include large scale agriculture, trading and teaching. The Akoko and Ekiti Yorubas have a socio-cultural value concept known as Omoluka analogous to the general Yoruba concept of Omoluabi which summarises the ethos and virtues of the ideal Akoko man or woman a person's identity of integrity or uprightness. This concept has played a significant role in the indigenous integration, interaction and administration among the people.

Climate

The climate at Akoko, which is 97.65 metres (320.37 feet) above sea level, is classified as tropical wet and dry or savanna (Aw). The district's average annual temperature is -0.69% lower than Nigeria's averages at 28.77oC (83.79oF). 233.37 millimetres (9.19 inches) of precipitation and 267.89 wet days (73.39% of the time) are Akoko's usual yearly precipitation totals.

Towns and villages

Several mid sized towns and settlements pepper the Akoko landscape. This is a non-exhaustive list of them.

Notable people

Notable members of the Akoko clan include:

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