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Osun | |
|---|---|
 Seal | |
| Nicknames: | |
 Location of Osun State in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates:07°30′N4°30′E / 7.500°N 4.500°E /7.500; 4.500 | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| Geopolitical Zone | South West |
| Date created | 27 August 1991 |
| Capital | Osogbo |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Osun State |
| • Governor | Ademola Adeleke (PDP) |
| • Deputy Governor | Kola Adewusi |
| • Legislature | Osun State House of Assembly |
| • Senators | C:Olubiyi Fadeyi (PDP) E:Francis Adenigba Fadahunsi (PDP) W:Kamorudeen Olalere Oyewumi (PDP) |
| • Representatives | List |
| Area | |
• Total | 9,251 km2 (3,572 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 28th of 36 |
| Population (2006 census)[2] | |
• Total | 3,416,959[1] |
• Estimate (2022) | 4435800 |
| • Rank | 17th of 36 |
| • Density | 369.4/km2 (956.6/sq mi) |
| Demonym | Osunian |
| GDP (PPP) | |
| • Year | 2021 |
| • Total | $14.86 billion[3] |
| • Per capita | $2,691[3] |
| Time zone | UTC+01 (WAT) |
| postal code | 230001 |
| ISO 3166 code | NG-OS |
| HDI (2022) | 0.607[4] medium ·13th of 37 |
| Website | www |
Osun (/ˈoʊʃuːn/OH-shoon;Yoruba:Ìpínlẹ̀ Ọ̀ṣun[ìk͡pĩ́lɛ̀ɔ̀ʃũ̄]), is astate insouthwesternNigeria; bounded to the east byEkiti andOndo states for 84 km and for 78 km respectively, to the north byKwara State for 73 km, to the south byOgun State for 84 km and to the west byOyo State, mostly across the River Osun. Named for theRiver Osun—a vital river which flows through the state—the state was formed from the southeast of Oyo State on 27 August 1991 and has its capital as the city ofOsogbo.[5][6]
Of the 36states of Nigeria, Osun is theninth smallest in area and25th most populous state with an estimated population of about 4.7 million as of 2016.[7][8] Geographically, the state is divided between theNigerian lowland forests in most of the state and the drierGuinean forest–savanna mosaic in the north. The major geographical features are rivers including the state's namesake, the River Osun which bisects the state's interior before forming much of the state's southwestern border withOyo State and flowing south. Other important rivers are theErinle andOba rivers, both Osuntributaries which flow from the north before meeting the Osun along thesouthwestern border. Among the state's fauna aremona monkey,common kestrel,purple heron, androyal antelope, along with some of Nigeria's last remainingNigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee andAfrican forest elephant which inhabit the heavily threatened forests along the southern borders withOndo andOgun states.[9][10][11]
Osun State is primarily inhabited by theYoruba people, mainly of the Ibolo,Ifẹ,Igbomina,Ijesha, and Oyo subgroups.
In the pre-colonial period, the area that is now Osun State was split up between various Western Yoruba states with some states being town-based as others were part of larger empires like theOyo Empire. From 1877 to 1893, Western Yoruba states fought theKiriji War alongside other Eastern Yoruba groups against Eastern Yoruba groups; thewar ended in a British-brokered stalemate before the area was colonized and incorporated into the BritishSouthern Nigeria Protectorate which later merged intoBritish Nigeria in 1914. After independence in 1960, the area of now-Osun was a part of the post-independenceWestern Region until 1967 when the region was split and the area became part of theWestern State. In 1976, the Western State was split and the state's west becameOyo State. Fifteen years later,Oyo State's east was broken off to form Osun State.
Economically, Osun State is largely based around agriculture, mainly ofcocoa,cassava,millet,maize,potato andyam crops. Other key industries are services, especially in urban areas, along withartisanal mining and livestock herding. Osun is home to several of Nigeria's most famous landmarks, including the campus ofObafemi Awolowo University, one of Nigeria's pre-eminent institutions of higher learning. The university is located in the ancient town ofIle-Ifẹ, an important early center of political and religious development for Yoruba culture. Other important cities and towns include the ancient kingdom-capitals ofIla Orangun,Iragbiji,Ada,Ikirun,Oke-Ila Orangun,Ipetu-Ijesha,Ijebu-Jesa, Erin Oke,Ipetumodu,Ede,Iwo,Ejigbo,Ibokun,Ode-Omu,Otan Ayegbaju, Ifetedo,Esa-Oke,Ilesa,Okuku, Otan-Ile andIgbajo. Osun State is additionally noted for having the second highest literacy rate in the country.[12]
The modern State of Osun was created on 27 August 1991 from part of the oldOyo State. The state's name is derived from theRiver Osun, the venerated natural spring that is the manifestation of the Yoruba goddess of the same name.[13]
The former GovernorOlagunsoye Oyinlola launched and laid the foundation for the groundbreaking ofOsun State University with six campuses (Osogbo,Okuku, Ikire, Ejigbo, Ifetedo, and Ipetu-Ijesha) strategically located across the state.Important cultural events in the state include the Ori Oke[14] and Egungun festival (masquerade festival)[15] inIragbiji,[16] Olojo in Ife, Iwude Ijesha in Ilesha, Agbeleku Festival in Erin Oke, and the Osun Osogbo festival.[17]
Every year, adherents and non-adherents ofOsun, one of theOrisa (the traditional deities of theYoruba people), travel from all over the world to attend the annualOsun-Osogbo festival in August. Visitors include nationals ofBrazil,Cuba,Trinidad,Grenada, and other nations in the Americas with a significant Yoruba cultural heritage. Annual traditional festivities and invocations of the Osun goddess are held along the banks of the river bearing her name into which – according to Yoruba Oratory traditions – she transformed.[18]
Ọsun-Ọsogbo Grove, the shrine of the annual rites of the deity and an important artistic center, was declared a World Heritage Site in 2005.[19]
The former semi-officialflag andseal of the state, adopted in 2012, depicted the OriOlokun.[20] However, the flag and seal were officially relinquished in 2023 by act of the Osun State House of Assembly following a 21 January 2017 ruling by the Osun State High Court that the legislation adopting it had been unconstitutional.[21]
The major sub-ethnic groups in Ọsun State are Ife, Ijesha, Oyo, Ibolo and Igbomina of theYoruba people, although there are also people from other parts of Nigeria.Yoruba andEnglish are the official languages. People of Osun State practice Christianity, Islam and the traditional faith.[22]
The climate of Osun istropical savanna usually warm, with a wet and dry season. It has a yearly average temperature of 64 °F and receives approximately 596 inches of rainfall. It is dry for 59 days throughout the year, with an average moisture in the air of 77% and a UV index of 7.[23] Located at anelevation of 266.33 meters (873.79 feet) above sea level, Osun has aTropical wet and dry or savanna climate (Classification: Aw). The city's yearlytemperature is 28.35 °C (83.03 °F) and it is -1.11% lower than Nigeria's averages. Osun typically receives about 127.75 millimeters (5.03 inches) ofprecipitation and has 237.62 rainy days (65.1% of the time) annually. It is located at 4.5199593longitude and 7.5628964latitude.[24]
The State of Osun is home to a lot of tourist attractions based on its rich history and the cultural base of the Yoruba.
This place is considered as an heritage site. It is located along the Osun river and it is home to the goddess of fertility, Yemoja.[25]
Erin-Ijesha Waterfalls is located in Erin-Ijesha. It is a tourist attraction located in Oriade local. The fall features seven floors.[26]
The following are the mineral resources in Osun State[27]
Osun State was created from the old Oyo State in August 1991, has a large population of both Muslims and Christians.[28] Among the famous religious leaders from Osun State is the London-based Muslim clericSheikh Dr. Abu-Abdullah Adelabu, who hails from the state's capital city,Osogbo and Pastor (Dr.) Johnson Ade Odewale of Christ Apostolic Church, from Odeomu but based in Boston, USA. The popular PastorE.A. Adeboye hails from Ifewara in Osun state. Also PastorW. F. Kumuyi among others. The Osun State government claims to offer services to both Muslims and Christians in the state, especially through Pilgrims Welfare Boards.[29]
The major traditional rulers in Osun State acclaim either the Faith of Islam or Christianity. While, for instance,Ooni of Ife Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II) andOwa Obokun Adimula of Ijesaland Oba Gabriel Adekunle (Aromolaran II),Oba Samuel Oyebode Oluronke II (Olokuku of Okuku), and Oba Sunday Olatokun (Olotan of Otan Ile) ascribe to Christianity,Orangun of (Ile) Ila-Orangun Oba Wahab Kayode Adedeji Oyedotun (Arutu-Oluokun Bibiire I),Ataoja of Osogbo Oba Jimoh Olaonipekun Oyetunji (Larooye II),Timi of Ede Oba Munirudeen Adesola Lawal (Laminisa I),Aragbiji of iragbiji (Oba Abdulrasheed Ayotunde Olabomi),[30] Owa ofOtan Ayegbaju Oba Lukman Ojo Fadipe (Olatanka III) andOluwo of Iwo Oba Abdul Rasheed Adewale Akanbi (Ilufemiloye Telu I) practiced Islam. The dominant religions in Osun State are Islam and Christianity although a certain amount of traditional religion is still practiced.[31]
2.2% Catholic in theDiocese of Osogbo (1995) with 74,440 followers in 56 parishes under BishopJohn Akinkunmi Oyejola (2016), a suffragan of theArchdiocese of Ibadan.
TheAnglican Province of Ibadan within theChurch of Nigeria includes the Dioceses ofOke-Osun (1993) led by BishopOluwagbemiro Fabuluje (2021),Osun (1987) led by BishopFoluso Olugbenga Babatunji (2019),Osun North led by BishopAbiodun Olaoye,Osun North East (2009) led by BishopEbenezer Akorede Okuyelu (2019),Ife led by BishopOlubunmi Akinlade,Ife East (2008) led by BishopOluseyi Oyelade (2010),Ijesa North East (2009) led by BishopJoseph Olusola (2009),Ijesha North Missionary Diocese led by BishopIsaac Oluyamo (2015),Ilesa led by BishopSamuel Olubayu Sowale (2000), andIlesa South West led by BishopSamuel Egbebunmi (2009).
A list of tertiary institutions in Osun state includes:
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The state isone of the richer and more developed ones in Nigeria and has a low incidence ofextreme poverty (around 4% of the population against a national average of 31%) according toWorld Bank data from 2018.[36]
Federal Highway:
Other major roads include:
During GovernorAregbesola’s term 2010-18 his administration completed 368 km of state roads and built five bridges where none existed before, and 216 km of local council roads.
Railways:
Osogbo is on the 1067 mm Cape Gaugethe Western Line north from Lagos to Kano.
Osun State is divided into three federal senatorial districts, each of which is composed of two administrative zones. The state consists of thirtyLocal Government Areas and Area offices, the primary (third-tier) unit of government in Nigeria.
Osun State's 30 Local Government Area headquarters:
List of current Local Government Area Chairmen.[37]
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 isOsogbo.[63]
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 -third of the State local government Areas. If no candidate passes 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.[64]
State capital:Osogbo | ||
| Local government areas |  | |
| National | |
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| Geographic | |
| Other | |
