Oke Ero
LGA in Kwara State, Nigeria
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Oke Eroⓘ is a Local Government Area in Kwara State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Iloffa. Other Major towns in Oke Ero are Odo-Owa, Idofin, Ekan Nla, Ayedun, Erin Mope, Egosi, Imode, Idofin Odo-Ase, Kajola and Ilale. The first executive chairman of Oke-Ero is the late Otunba Moses Afolayan, while the second was Barrister Kayode Towoju.
Traditional institutions
Established traditional titles and Seats in the Local Government Area are: Alofa of Iloffa — a first-class King, Elekan of Ekan Meje, Olota of Odo-Owa, Edemonrun of Kajola(formerly part of Odo-Owa), Onidofin of Idofin Igbana, Obajisun of Ayedun, Onimode of Imode, Odokogun of Ilale, Elegosi of Egosi, Onimoji of Imoji and Onidofin of Idofin Odo-Ase.
Oke-Ero Local Government Area was carved out of the present Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. Oke-Ero has an area of 438 km² and a population of 57,619 at the 2006 census, the population has since grown.
According to official documents reported by Bamidele Ola, an ethnographer who was posted and worked as a national youth corp member in Oke Ero between 2008 and 2009, Oke Ero is administratively divided into three districts: The Iloffa/Odo Owa District at the centre, The Idofin District at the north and the Ekan Meje District in the south of the local Government area.
Iloffa/Odo-Owas District
This district comprises the Odo-Owa, Ilofa, Igbede, Kajola, Imode and Egosi Peoples. these people are made of Traditional worhipers, Christians and minority Muslims. They are predominantly indigenous Ekiti natives, with ties; with their kins in Moba Local Government area of Ekiti State. They occupy the central part of Oke-Ero and are bounded by Osi town, in Ekiti Local Government Area of Kwara State. Towards the west lies Omu-Aran in Irepodun Local Government, Imode also shares a boundary with Erimope-Ekiti town, in Ekiti state, the district is about 110km south of Ilorin, Kwara State. Tourist sites in the district include the Imole-Boja Rock Shelter; the Odo-Owa Adin Factory; The Relics of Apostle Joseph Ayodele Babalola (1904-1959), the world acclaimed “Father of Nigerian Pentecostalism,” and His Prayer Mountain;”. Historically Odo-Owa was formerly the traditional head for the towns: Odo-Owa, Ilofa, Imode, Ikotun, Egosi, Kajola, Igbede, all autonomous communities now with native ruler(Oba), while due to political influence and ties with power, the Alofa of Iloffa is the current chairman of traditional council of Oke Ero L.G.A, and a first class Oba in, Oke Ero L.G.A of kwara state. The Common festivals include the Are Festival, the New Yam Festivals, which usually occur around June and early July of every year, the Egungun Festivals, the Agan Festival, and the Eji Festival, among others.
Idofin District
This district comprises the Idofin Igbana and Idofin Odo Ashe Peoples. The latter further comprises Idofin Odo Aga, Idofin Ayekale and the Idofin Ehin Afo Peoples; these three form what is presently known as the Idofin Odo Ashe. Tourist sites in the district include the Eromola Waterfall; Relics of the Eleegbo Ogbonko; Two giant mounts: the Ore Mount and the Ojokolo Mount, among others. Common festivals here include the New Yam Festivals and the Egungun Festivals.
Ekan Meje District
This district comprises Ekan (also Known as Ekan Nla), Ayedun (Formerly Aye-Ekan), Erinmope, Ilale, Omoji and the Ajure; they are all indigenous Ekiti Natives who speak Ekiti dialect with their kins in Moba Local Government Area of Ekiti State. They occupy the southern part of Oke-Ero and are bounded by the Otun Ekiti in Moba Local Government area of Ekiti State and Ila-Orangun / Ora in Osun State. They are closely knitted with a homogenous history and rich in cultural Heritage. The name Ekan Meje can literally be translated Seven Knots of settlements, formerly made up of seven communities, Here are the six communities; listed Ekan (also Known as Ekan Nla), Ayedun (Formerly known as Aye-Ekan), Erin-mope, Ilale, Imoji and Ajure ; the last of which is the Ipetu people, who now prefer to be grouped with Igbomina natives in Irepodun Local Government Area. Tourist sites in the district include the Palace of the Elekan of Ekan Nla, (a palace with over 600 years of continual existence), the Imoji Damp, the Bead Making Industry at Ayedun, Esu Ogogo shrine and bustling natives' engagements in Ayedun Town amongst others. There are a huge number of festivals in this district such as the New Yam Festivals, the Egungun Festivals, the Olokun Festival, and the Ogun Festival, amongst others. The imperial ruler of these communities, being the Elekan of Ekan and others.
Geography and Climate
Oke Ero is located in a region with a total area of 438 square kilometers and an average temperature of 29 degrees Celsius. The Ore and Ojokolo mountains, as well as the Are hills, are among the area's many elevations. The average wind speed in Oke Aro Local Government Area is 10 km/h, and it is located in the Tropical Savannah flora.[1][2][3]
Economy
The vegetation is tropical, hence the local economy is a hub for cash crops. The main industry of the people is in the area of agriculture as her citizens are mainly farmers. With her tropical climate, cocoa, sugar cane, yam, bananas, oranges, cotton and jute (a soft, shiny vegetable fiber that can be spun into coarse, strong threads), are common cash crops. The oil palm is a tropical palm tree, and the fruit from it is used to make palm oil. Palm oil can be bought in all the Communities of the Local Government Area.
The postal code of the area is 252.[4]