This is one of the 36 States in Nigeria and is located in the southwestern part of the country. Nicknamed the “Pace Setter State” and created on the 3rd of February 1976, the State is usually referred to as Oyo State to distinguish it from the city of Oyo.
Oyo State has its capital at Ibadan and is close to the likes of Kwara State (to the north), Osun State (to the east), Ogun State (to the South) and then Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin (west). According to the 2006 census conducted in the country, there are 5,580,894 residents in Oyo State.
Date of creation: February 3, 1976
Geopolitical zone: South West
Oyo State Slogan: Pace Setter State
The current Governor of Oyo State is Abiola Ajimobi of the All Progressives Congress, alongside his Deputy Moses Alake Adeyemo.
History
Oyo State was carved out of the Western State in 1976. Although the State is home to various ethnic groups, it is predominantly filled with the Yoruba.
The indigenes mainly comprise the Oyos, the Oke-Oguns, the Ibadans and the Ibarapas, all belonging to the Yoruba family and indigenous city in Africa.
The capital of the State had been the centre of administration of the old Western Region, Nigeria since the days of British colonial rule.
Records and Landmarks
The State can boast of the first university in the country – the University of Ibadan. The institution was established as a college of the University of London when it was established in 1948 before it was converted into an autonomous university in 1962.
Oyo State also has the first teaching hospital in Nigeria – the University College Hospital, as well and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (lITA).
Additionally, the popular Cocoa House in the State was the first skyscraper built in Africa.
It is necessary to add that the first television station in Africa – NTA Ibadan – is located in Oyo State.
Tourist Centers
There are various exciting places to visit and explore in the State, including:
- Agodi Botanical Garden
- Ado-Awaye Suspended lake
- Mapo Hall
- University of lbadan Zoological Garden
- Ido Cenotaph
- Trans-Wonderland Amusement Park
- Old Oyo National Park located in the historical site of the ancient capital of the famous old Oyo Empire
Education
Oyo State is a hub of educational institutions. Currently, the State can boast of 2,004 public schools, 971 private nursery/primary schools, 969 public secondary schools including 7 schools of Science and 57 private secondary schools.
Historically prominent secondary schools in Oyo State include
- St Anne’s School Ibadan (1896)
- Wesley College (1905)
- Ibadan Grammar School (1913)
- Government College Ibadan (1927)
- St Theresa’s College Ibadan (1932)
- Ibadan Boys’ High School (1938)
- Olivet Heights Oyo (1945)
- Queens School Ibadan (1952)
- Loyola College Ibadan (1954)
- St. Bernadine’s Oyo (1957)
- St Patrick’s Grammar School Ibadan (1962)
List of Universities In Oyo State
- University of Ibadan, Ibadan
- Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso
- Lead City University, Ibadan
- Dominican University, Ibadan
- Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo
- KolaDaisi Univerisy, Ibadan-Oyo Road
- Oyo State Technical University, Ibadan
- Atiba University, Oyo
List of polytechnics in Oyo State
- The Polytechnic, Ibadan
- The Ibarapa polytechnic
- The oke-ogun polytechnic
- The Kings Poly, Saki
- City Polytechnic, Ibadan
- Tower Polytechnic, Ibadan
- Bolmor Polytechnic, Ibadan
Agriculture
Agriculture is the mainstream of Oyo State’s economy. A large number of the residents are farmers and they cultivate crops such as maize, yam, cassava, millet, rice, plantains, cocoa, palm produce, cashew and so on, as a result of the favourable climate of the State.
There are various government farm settlements in places like Ipapo, Ilora, Eruwa, Ogbomosho, Iresaadu, Ijaiye, Akufo and Lalupon, as well as various vast cattle ranches at places like Saki, Fasola and Ibadan.
Local Government Areas
There are 33 Local Government Areas in Oyo State. They are:
- Afijio Jobele
- Akinyele Moniya
- Egbeda Egbeda
- Ibadan North Agodi Gate
- Ibadan North-East Iwo Road
- Ibadan North-West
- Ibadan South-West Ring Road
- Ibadan South-East Mapo
- Ibarapa Central
- Ibarapa East Eruwa
- Ido
- Irepo
- Iseyin Iseyin
- Kajola
- Lagelu
- Ogbomosho North
- Ogbomosho South
- Oyo West Ojongbodu
- Atiba Ofa Meta
- Atisbo Tede
- Saki West
- Saki East
- Itesiwaju Otu
- Iwajowa
- Ibarapa North
- Olorunsogo
- Oluyole
- Ogo Oluwa
- Surulere
- Orelope
- Ori Ire
- Oyo East
- Ona Ara
Notable Oyo State People
There are some important Nigerians that are from the state. Some of them are:
- Oba Lamidi Adeyemi III, Alaafin of Oyo
- Oba Olasunkanmi Abioye Opeola, Kurunloju I, Oniroko of Iroko
- Lam Adesina.
- Senator Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja.
- Otunba (Dr) Christopher Adebayo Alao Akala.
- Lamidi Ariyibi Akanbi Adedibu
- Senator (Rt. Hon.) Monsurat Sunmonu. The first female Speaker OYHA and first female Senator from Oyo state
- Chief Akinpelu Obisesan, Diarist, and founder of Cooperative Bank
- Tunji Olaopa. The founder and executive vice chairman, ISGPP
- Sikiru Ayinde Barrister. A Musician
- 9ice (born Alexander Abolore Adegbola Adigun Alapomeji Ajifolajifaola, on 17 January 1980), A musician
List of Past Governors Of Oyo State
Past governors of Oyo State (both military and civilian) are
- Col. David Jemibewon: He is the first military governor of the states (March 1976 to July 1978)
- Col. Paul Tarfa: He succeeded Jemibewon as the State’s military administrator (July 1978 to October 1979)
- Chief Bola Ige: Bola Ige was the first civilian governor of Oyo State (1 October 1979 to 1 October 1983)
- Dr. Victor Omololu Olunloyo: He succeeded Ige. He told over on the 1st of October 1983 and was toppled on the 31rd of December 1983.
- Lt. Col. Oladayo Popoola: A military administrator (1984 to 1985)
- Col. Adetunji Idowu Olurin: He took over from Poppins from September 1985 to July 1988
- Col. Sasaenia Oresanya: He served as a military administrator of Oyo State from 27 July 1988 to August 1990
- Col. Abdulkareem Adisa: Oyo State Military Administrator from 3 September 1990 to January 1992.
- Chief Kolapo Olawuyi Ishola: A civilian Governor who came into power on the 2nd of January 1992 and left on the 17th of November 1993.
- Navy Capt. Adetoye Oyetola: Military Sole Administrator (9 December 1993 to 14 September 1994)
- Col. Chinyere Ike Nwosu: Military Administrator (14 Sep 1994 to 22 Aug 1996)
- Col. Ahmed Usman: Sole Administrator (22 August 1996 to August 1998)
- Comm. Pol. Amen Edore Oyakhire: Military Administrator (16 August 1998 to 28 May 1999)
- Dr. Lam Adesina: An elected civilian Governor (29 May 1999 to 28 May 2003)
- Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja: He succeeded Adeshina on the 29th of May 2003 and left on the 28th of May 2007. Impeached in January 2006, reinstated in December 2006
- Christopher Alao-Akala: Governor (de facto). 12 January 2006 to 7 December 2006. He was appointed when Rasheed Ladoja was impeached until the impeachment was overturned.
- Christopher Alao-Akala: Governor (29 May 2007 to May 2011)
- Abiola Ajimobi: From May 29, 211 till May 29, 2019
- Engr. Seyi Makinde: He is the current governor of Oyo State.
Ajimobi assumed office on May 29 2011, he will be leaving office by May 29, 2019, having spent two-term. He became the first executive governor of Oyo State to win reelection in the history of the state.