Ondo State is a state in southwestern Nigeria. It was created on 3 February 1976 from the former Western State. Ondo borders Ekiti State to the north, Kogi State to the northeast for 45 km, Edo State to the east, Delta State to the southeast for 36 km, Ogun State to the southwest for 179 km, Osun State to the northwest for 77 km, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. The state's capital is Akure, the former capital of the ancient Akure Kingdom. The State includes mangrove-swamp forest near the Bights of Benin. Nicknamed the "Sunshine State", Ondo State is the 18th most populated state in the country, and the 25th-largest state by landmass. The state is predominantly Yoruba, and the Yoruba language is commonly spoken. Cocoa production, asphalt mining, and activities related to the state's extensive coastline also are part of the economy. It is the home to the Idanre inselberg hills, the highest geographical point in the western half of Nigeria at over 1000 m in elevation.

Government and society

Departments, Agencies and Public Bodies

The state contains eighteen local government areas, the major ones being Akoko, Akure, Okitipupa, Ondo, Ilaje, Idanre and Owo. The majority of the state's citizens live in urban centers. The prominent government universities in Ondo State are the Federal University of Technology Akure, Ondo State University of Science and Technology Okitipupa, University of Medical Sciences, Ondo and the Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba Akoko.

Local government areas

Ondo State consists of 18 local government areas, they are:

Governor

Lucky Aiyedatiwa is the incumbent governor of Ondo state, as at 2024. He was sworn in on 27 December 2023 as the successor of Oluwarotimi Odunayo Akeredolu who died of cancer complications earlier that day.

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 Akure.

Electoral system

The electoral system of each 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-thirds of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes the 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.

Ethnic groups

The ethnic composition of Ondo State consists largely of Yoruba subgroups of the Idanre, Akoko, Akure, Ikale, Ilaje, Ondo,Ese Odo and Owo peoples. Ijaw people, such as the Apoi and Arogbo populations inhabit the southeastern swamps close to the Edo state border. A small population of people speak a variant of the Yoruba language similar to the Ife dialect in Oke-Igbo town close to the Osun state border.

Religion

The vast majority of the population are Christians; minorities practice Islam and traditional Yoruba animist religion. The Anglican Province of Ondo (2002?) within the Church of Nigeria includes the Dioceses of Akoko (2008) led by Bishop Jacob O.B. Bada (2019), Akure led by Bishop Simeon Borokini (2013), also Archbishop of Ondo Province (2022), On the Coast (1995 as the Diocese of Ikale-Ilaje) led by Bishop Seyi Pirisola (2019), Idoani led by Bishop Adegoke Oludare Agara (2020), Ilaje led by Bishop Fredrick Idowu Olugbemi (2009), Ile-Oluji led by Bishop Abel Oluyemi Ajibodu (2017), Irele-Eseodo (2009) led by Bishop Joshua Sunday Oyinlola (2019), Ondo (1952) led by Bishop Stephen Adeniran Oni (2018), and Owo (1983) led Bishop Stephen Ayodeji Fagbemi (2017). 174,148 Catholics (2021) in the Diocese of Ondo (1943) a suffragan of Ibadan, with 60 parishes under Bishop Jude Ayodeji Arogundade (2010).

Climate

Ondo has a Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate. The city's yearly temperature is 28.42 °C (83.16 °F) and it is -1.04% lower than Nigeria's averages. Ondo typically receives about 182.94 millimeters (7.2 inches) of precipitation and has 266.26 rainy days (72.95% of the time) annually.

Languages

Languages of Ondo State listed by LGA:

Mineral resources in Ondo State

The following are mineral resources found in Ondo State:

Tertiary institutions

Transportation

Federal Highways are Other major roads include: Airports: Akure Airport

Demographics

Notable people

Media houses in Ondo State

Gallery