Interesting Facts about Ekiti State
Ekiti State is situated entirely within the tropics, in the South-Western part of Nigeria. It is located between longitudes 40°51′ and 50°451′ East of the Greenwich meridian and latitudes 70°151′ and 80°51′ north of the Equator. Ekiti state was created on October 1st 1996 after it was carved out of the Ondo state territory
The state lies south of Kwara and Kogi State, East of Osun State and bounded by Ondo State in the East and in the south, with a total land Area of 5887.890sq km. Ekiti State has 16 Local Government Councils.
Ekiti State Population
By 1991 Census, the population of Ekiti State was 1,647,822 while the estimated population upon its creation on October 1st, 1996 was put at 1,750,000 with the capital located at Ado-Ekiti. The 2006 population census by the National Population Commission put the population of Ekiti State at 2,384,212 people.
Ekiti State Geography/Topology
Mainly an upland zone rising over 250 metres above sea level, Ekiti has a rhythmically undulating surface. The landscape consists of ancient plains broken by steep-sided outcropping dome rocks. These rocks may occur singularly or in groups or ridges and the most notable of these are to be found in Efon-Alaaye, Ikere-Ekiti and Okemesi-Ekiti.
An important feature of the state is a large number of hills it possesses, which are often the site of towns in which much of the population resides. In fact, the word ‘Ekiti’ was derived from the local term for hill.
Climate & Vegetation
Ekiti State enjoys a tropical climate with two distinct seasons. These are the rainy season (April – October) and the dry season (November – March). Temperature ranges between 21oC and 28oC with high humidity. The south-westerly winds and the North East Trade winds blow in the raining and dry (Harmattan) seasons respectively. Tropical Forest exists in the south, while guinea savanna predominates in the northern peripheries.
Ekiti State Language & Culture
The Ekiti is a sub-group of the Yoruba, and indeed their ancestors migrated from Ile-Ife, the spiritual home of all Yoruba. The local dialect is spoken with slight variations in the different communities, but this does not prevent Ekiti indigenes from understanding each other. Christianity, Islam and traditional religions are all practiced.
The people of Ekiti are culturally homogenous and speak a special dialect of Yoruba language known as Ekiti. The dialect, however, varies across locations, e.g. Otun people (in Moba land) speak a dialect close to that of the Igbominas in Kwara and Osun States; the Oke-Ako, Irele and Omu-Oke people speak a dialect similar to that spoken by the Ijumus in Kogi State. The people of Efon Alaaye also speak a similar dialect to that of the Ijesas of Osun State. Although slight (and in very few locations, somewhat wide) variations exist in the local dialects, the Ekiti people understand each other and communicate pretty well.
Agricultural Products & Minerals
Agriculture is the main occupation of the people of Ekiti, and it is the major source of income for many in the state. Agriculture provides income and employment for more than 75% of the population of Ekiti State.
Some of Ekiti’s agricultural produce are Cash crops such as Cocoa, Oil Palm, Kolanut, Plantain, Bananas, Cashew, Citrus and Timber; Arable /Food Crops such as Rice, Yam, Cassava, Maize and cowpea. A detailed list of agricultural produce is contained in the tables below.
Cash Crops in Ekiti State
| S/No | Crop | Locations | Uses |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cocoa | Ise, Emure, Ilawe, Ado, Igede, Igbara, Odo, Aramoko, Ikoro | Cocoa butter, Cocoa, Powder, Beverages, Cocoa Liquor and Export |
| 2 | Oil Palm | Spread across the State | Vegetable Oil, Spices, Flavoring and export |
| 3 | Kola Nut | Ikoro, Igede, Ise and generally in the forest zone | Stimulants and export |
| 4 | Plantain/Banana | Widespread across the State | Plantain Flour, Plantain Beer, Plantain Balls & Chips/Crape |
| 5 | Cashew | Northern part of the State | Oil, Nuts and for export |
| 6 | Citrus | Widespread across the State | Fruit, Juice, Fruit Wine and for export |
| 7 | Rubber | Southern part of the State | Tyre manufacturing, Crepe and for export |
| 8 | Timber | Ijero, Ise, Ikere, Aramoko, Ado | Log, Planks, Panel Furniture Ilawe and for export |
Arable/Food Crops in Ekiti State
| S/No | Crop | Highly Cultivated LGAs | Industrial Uses/Products |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice | Irepodun/Ifelodun, Ekiti West, Ekiti East, Ikole | Flour, Grits, Grains |
| 2 | Yam | Widely cultivated across the State | Yam Flour |
| 3 | Cassava | Widely cultivated across the State | Garri, Starch, Adhesive, Mosquito Expeller, Livestock Feeds, Chips, Yeast, Alcohol Products |
| 4 | Maize | Widely cultivated across the State | Maize, Grit, Corn Flour |
| 5 | Cowpea | Northern Part of the State | Grits, Flour |
| 6 | Plantain & Banana | Widely cultivated across the State | Plantain Flour, Plantain Chips/Crepe, Plantain Juice & Beer |
Mineral Resources in Ekiti State
Ekiti is rich in natural mineral resources, with several of these yet to be tapped. They include cassiterite, columbite, and tantalite which are found in Ijero-Ekiti, ceramic (ball) clays and kaolinitic clays which are available in Isan Ekiti and Oye Local Government Area. Feldspar which is used in the manufacture of glass is found in Oke Ewu in Ijero Ekiti and in Aramoko. Bauxite clay is available in Orin-Ekiti in Ido/Osi Local Government Area, while foundry quartzite can be found around Ijero and Efon Alaaye, Ekiti.
Dimension stones like granites, charconites and banded gneisses exist extensively in Ikere-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Oye-Ekiti, Ewu and Otun-Ekiti. Mica/Moscovite is found in most parts of the state, while Tantalum is also available in Ijero.
A comprehensive list of natural resources in Ekiti state can be found in the table below.
| S/No | Types of Mineral | Town | LGA | Industrial Uses/Product |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clay Kaolin | Isan-Ekiti | Oye | Chemicals, Industrials abrasive, Ceramics wares, Pharmaceuticals, Fertilizers. White tiles, Insulator wares, Pencils. |
| 2 | Cassiterite and Tin Ore | Ijero-Ekiti | Ijero | Tin Planting, Tin Can, Alloys Printings and Dying. |
| 3 | Columbite | Ijero-Ekiti | Ijero | Special Steel, Electronic Tube, Filaments in Rackets and Air Craft Manufacture |
| 4 | Bauxite (Aluminum Ore) | Orin-Ekiti | Ido Osi | Aluminum Productsproduction |
| 5 | Foundry Sand | Ijero-Ekiti | Ijero | Foundry Ceramics Manufacture of Glass Wares |
| 6 | Charnochite Granite | Ikere-Ekiti, Ado-Ekiti, Emure-Ekiti, Aramoko | Ikere, Ado, Emure, Ekiti West | Stone Cutting and Polishing, Road Aggregate |
Geo-Political Arrangement in Ekiti State
Ekiti State has 16 local governments; with five under the Ekiti Central Senatorial District; another five under the Ekiti North Senatorial District and the other six under the Ekiti South Senatorial District.
| S/No | LG Name | HQ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ado-Ekiti | Ado-Ekiti |
| 2 | Efon-Alaaye | Efon-Alaaye |
| 3 | Ekiti East | Omuo-Ekiti |
| 4 | Ekiti South West | Ilawe-Ekiti |
| 5 | Ekiti West | Aramoko |
| 6 | Emure | Emure-Ekiti |
| 7 | Gbonyin (Aiyekire) | Ode-Ekiti |
| 8 | Ise/Orun | Ise-Ekiti |
| 9 | Ido-Osi | Ido-Ekiti |
| 10 | Ijero | Ijero-Ekiti |
| 11 | Ikere | Ikere-Ekiti |
| 12 | Ikole | Ikole-Ekiti |
| 13 | Ilejemeje | Iye-Ekiti |
| 14 | Irepodun/Ifelodun | Igede-Ekiti |
| 15 | Moba | Otun-Ekiti |
| 16 | Oye | Oye-Ekiti |
Ekiti Central Senatorial District
- Ado Local Government Area
- Efon Local Government Area
- Ekiti West Local Government Area
- Ijero Local Government Area
- Irepodun/Ifelodun Local Government Area
Ekiti North Senatorial District
- Ido/Osi Local Government Area
- Ikole Local Government Area
- Ilejemeje Local Government Area
- Moba Local Government Area
- Oye Local Government Area
Ekiti South Senatorial District
- Ekiti East Local Government Area
- Ekiti South West Local Government Area
- Emure Local Government Area
- Gbonyin Local Government Area
- Ikere Local Government Area
- Ise/Orun Local Government Area
Federal Constituencies in Ekiti
- Ekiti Central I – Ado/Irepodun/Ifelodun
- Ekiti Central II – Ijero/Efon/Ekiti West
- Ekiti North I – Ikole/Oye
- Ekiti North II – Ido-Osi/Ilejemeje/Moba
- Ekiti South I – Ekiti South West/Ikere/Ise-Orun
- Ekiti South II – Ekiti East/Emure/Gbonyin
Ekiti State Past Governors
Below is the list of administrators and governors of Ekiti State, which was created on October 1, 1996, carved out of the territory of Ondo State.
| Name | Title | Tenure | Party | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lt. Col. Mohammed Bawa | Administrator | 7 October 1996 – August 1998 | Under Military rule | First administrator after State creation |
| Navy Captain Atanda Yusuf | Administrator | August 1998 – 29 May 1999 | Under Military rule | |
| Otunba Niyi Adebayo | Executive Governor | 29 May 1999 – 29 May 2003 | Alliance for Democracy (AD) | First elected Civilian Governor of the State |
| Mr. Ayo Fayose | Governor | 29 May 2003 – 19 October 2006 | Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) | Second elected Civilian Governor of the State. Fayose’s impeachment on October 16 by the State Assembly (and brief replacement by Speaker Aderemi) was declared illegal by Federal Government. |
| General Tunji Olurin (Rtd) | Administrator | 19 October 2006 – 27 April 2007 | Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) | Appointed Administrator after the declaration of a state of emergency in the State. |
| Chief Tope Ademiluyi | Acting Governor | 27 April 2007 – 29 May 2007 | Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) | |
| Engr Segun Oni | Governor | 29 May 2007-17 Feb 2009 | Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) | Oni was removed by Appeal Court (based on illegal returns of April 2007 elections), and a partial re-run was ordered. |
| Rt. Hon. Tunji Odeyemi | Acting Governor | 17 February 2009 – 6 May 2009 | Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) | He became Acting Governor when the Appeal Court, sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State nullified Segun Oni’s election and ordered a rerun poll in 10 out of the 16 Local Councils in the State. |
| Dr. John Kayode Fayemi | Governor | 16 Oct 2010 – 16 Oct 2014 | All Progressive Congress (APC) | |
| Mr. Ayodele Fayose | Governor | 16 Oct 2014 – 16 Oct 2018 | Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) | |
| Dr. John Kayode Fayemi | Governor | 16 Oct 2018 – | All Progressive Congress (APC) | He was returned as Governor after resigning as the Minister of Solid Minerals Development on May 30, 2018. |