Ekiti (Yoruba: Ìpínlẹ̀ Èkìtì) is a state in southwestern Nigeria, bordered to the North by Kwara State for 61 km, to the Northeast by Kogi State for 92 km, to the South and Southeast by Ondo State, and to the West by Osun State for 84 km. Named for the Ekiti people—the Yoruba subgroup that makes up the majority of the state's population—Ekiti State was carved out from a part of Ondo State in 1996 and has its capital as the city of Ado-Ekiti.
One of the smallest and most educated states with the highest number of professors in Nigeria, Ekiti is the 31st largest in the area and 30th most populous with an estimated population of nearly 3.5 million as of 2022. Geographically, the state is divided between the Nigerian lowland forests in most of the state and the drier Guinean forest–savanna mosaic in the north. Among the state's nature are 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 State 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 owing to its local prominence and environmental, economic, and cultural significance.
Modern-day Ekiti State has been primarily inhabited for centuries by the Ekiti people, a Yoruba subgroup, with minorities of the Akoko Yoruba subgroup. Religiously, the majority of the state's population (~90%) are Christian with smaller Muslim and traditionalist minorities at about 5% and 5%, respectively.
In the pre-colonial period, the area that is now Ekiti State was at various points ruled by the Oyo Empire, Benin Empire, and finally, the Ekiti states which formed the Ekiti Confederacy in the latter half of the 1800s. From 1877 to 1893, the Confederacy fought the Kiriji War led by Fabunmi Okemesi alongside other Eastern Yoruba groups against the Ibadan Kingdom and other Western Yoruba groups; the war ended in a British-brokered stalemate before the area was colonized and incorporated into the British Southern Nigeria Protectorate which later merged into British Nigeria in 1914. 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.
Economically, Ekiti State is partially based on agriculture, mainly of yams, rice, cocoa, and cassava crops. Key minor industries are logging and tourism. Ekiti has the joint-thirteenth highest Human Development Index in the country and is considered the heart of the homeland of the Ekiti people.
Educationally, Ekiti State has the highest number of professors in Nigeria.
History
Ekiti was an independent state prior to the British conquest. It was one of the many Yoruba states in what is today Nigeria. The Ekiti people as a nation and districts of the Yoruba race trace some of her progeny to Oduduwa, the father and progenitor of the Yoruba race even though good reason appears to establish the existence of aboriginal people in Ekiti region prior to the influx of royalty from present-day Ile Ife as that kingdom grew and abound.
There are two major schools of thought regarding Ekiti's history:
Ife-linked origin: The story goes that the Olofin, one of the sons of Oduduwa had 16 children and in the means of searching for the new land to develop, they all journeyed out of Ile-Ife as they walked through the Iwo-Eleru (Cave of Ashes) at Ijare and had stopped over at a place called Igbo-Aka (forest of termites) closer to Ile-Oluji.
The Olofin, the 16 children and some other beloved people continued with their journey, but when they got to a particular lovely and flat land, the Owa-Obokun (the Monarch of Ijesha land) and Orangun of Ila decided to stay in the present Ijesha and Igbomina land in Osun state. While the remaining 14 children journeyed onwards and later settled in the present-day Ekiti land. They discovered that there were many hills in the place and they said in their mother's language that this is "Ile olokiti" the land of hills. Therefore, the Okiti was later blended to Ekiti. So Ekiti derived her name through hills.This history may describe the history of certain royalty in present-day Ekiti, but not all of Ekiti which is made up of 131 Principal towns, with their own royalty and many land-owning communities with no royalty at all. In fact, the invading royalties from the East went on to colonize and transform the aboriginals, distinguishing the Ekiti dialect upon mix-up with the Ife/Oyo tongue of the Yorubas according to Samuel Johnson.
Aboriginal and Ifa-linked history: Oduduwa, the ancestor of the Yoruba traveled to Ife where he met people who were already settled there. Among the elders he met in the town were Agbonniregun, Obatala, Orelure, Obameri, Elesije, Obamirin, Obalejugbe just to mention a few. It is known that 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, hence the saying ‘Ado ni ile Ifa’ (“Ado is the home of Ifa”).
The early Ekiti country is divided into 16 districts (still maintained today), each with its own Owa or King (Owa being a generic term), of which four are supreme:
- Owore of Otun
- Ajero of Ijero
- Ewi of Ado
- Elekole of Ikole
The minor kings include: Alara of Aramoko, Alaye of Efon Alaye, Ajanpanda of Akure, Ologotun of Ogotun, Olojudo of Ido, Attah of Aiyede, Oloja Oke of Igbo Odo, Oloye of Oye, Olomuwo of Omuwo, Onire of Ire, Arinjale of Ise, and Onitaji of Itaji.
Geography
The State is mainly an upland zone, rising over 250 meters above sea level. It lies on an area underlain by metamorphic rock. It is generally an undulating part of the country with a characteristic landscape that consists of old plains broken by step-sided out-crops.
Notable hills:
- Ikere-Ekiti Hills (south)
- Efon-Alaiye Hills (west)
- Ado-Ekiti Hills (centre)
Climate and Vegetation
Ekiti has a tropical climate with two seasons:
- Rainy season: April–October
- Dry season: November–March
Temperature ranges between 21° and 28 °C. Tropical forest exists in the south, while savannah occupies the northern edges.
Towns and Administrative Divisions
Ekiti State consists of sixteen Local Government Areas (LGAs):
- Ise/Orun – Hon. Olumide Falade
- Gbonyin – Hon. Sade Akinrinmola
- Emure – Hon. Oludare Paul Awopetu
- Ido-Osi – Hon. Chief Ayodeji Arogbodo
- Oye – Hon. Tayo Ogundare
- Irepodun/Ifelodun – Hon. Dapo Olagunju
- Ado-Ekiti – Hon. Deji Ogunsakin
- Ikere – Hon. Bola Alonge
- Ekiti South West – Hon. Lanrewaju Omolase
- Efon – Hon. Bolaji Jeje
- Ilejemeje – Hon. Ganiyu Bakare
- Ijero – Hon. Abiodun Dada
- Ekiti East – Hon. Samuel Adeniyi
- Ekiti West – Hon. Kolawole Omotunde
- Moba – Hon. Adeniyi Adebayo
- Ikole – Hon. Adesola Adeyanju
Demographics
Ekitis are culturally homogeneous and speak a dialect of Yoruba called Ekiti. Border towns have slight dialectal differences influenced by neighboring states.
Religion
- 85% Christian
- 10% Muslim
- 5% Traditional Yoruba beliefs
Education
Ekiti is noted for having the highest number of professors in Nigeria and is often referred to as one of the most educated states in the country.
It operates the 6-3-3-4 system of education.
Transport
Major roads link Ekiti to Osun, Kwara, Kogi, and Ondo States, including Ado Ekiti–Igede–Aramoko Road, Omuo Ekiti–Ekinrin Road, and Ikere–Ondo State routes.
Politics
The State is led by a democratically elected governor with a legislative House of Assembly.
The electoral system uses a modified two-round system.
Natural Resources
Minerals: granite, kaolinite, columbite, charnockite, iron ore, baryte, limestone, aquamarine, gemstone, phosphate, tourmaline, gold, coal (limited).
Rivers: Ero, Osun, Ose, Ogbese.
Tourist attractions: Ikogosi Warm Springs, Arinta Waterfalls, Olosunta and Orole Hills, Erin-ayonugba River, Fajuyi Memorial Park.
Notable People
- Niyi Adebayo – former governor
- Robert Adeyinka Adebayo – ex-Governor, Western Region
- Odunlade Adekola – actor
- Sade Adu – musician
- S. Banji Akintoye – historian
- Femi Falana – SAN, activist
- Falz – musician
- Kayode Fayemi – former governor
- Ayo Fayose – former governor
- Zlatan Ibile – musician
- Niyi Osundare – poet, professor
- Sola Sobowale – actress