In this article, you’ll learn interesting facts about Osun State. Nigeria’s southwest geopolitical zone includes the inland state of Osun, whose capital city is Osogbo. When it comes to hospitality and entrepreneurialism, the people of the state are second to none.
The state of Osun is a southwestern Nigerian state surrounded by Ekiti and Ondo states to the east, Kwara State to the north, Ogun State to the south, and Oyo State to the west. You can read through our Katsina State facts to find out what’s interesting about the state.
Facts About Osun State
Osun is historically known as the Yoruba’s stronghold. Nigeria’s River Osun is a venerated natural spring that is thought to be the incarnation of the Yoruba god of the same name, and the state is named after the river.
Due to the fact that it serves both spiritual and tourist purposes, the River Osun is significant for the state. The Osun River is honored on an annual basis by devotees. It also provides irrigation water to the state, which has a thriving agricultural industry.
Who Founded Osun State?
Gen Ibrahim Babangida founded Osun State. When Gen Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida’s administration founded nine states, one of which was Osun, with Osogbo as its capital, on August 27th, 1991, the tenacity and commitment of Osun’s forefathers and crusaders were rewarded. It symbolized the accomplishment of a long-cherished goal.
In the state, there are thirty different local governments. Otunba Adeleke was the first governor of the state of Osun, and he remained in office for about 23 months.
As the first military administrator to transfer authority to a civilian government, Bamigboye was a trailblazer.
Originally from Austria, Susan Wenger relocated to Osogbo in the early 1950s and developed the Osun river groove into a world-renowned tourist destination featuring a diverse collection of works of art.
Because of her dedication to worshipping the Osun goddess, she eventually became known as the Adunni Olorisa.
Since its conception in 1950, the birth of Osun has been a source of contention. At the time, the cities of Osun West, Central, and a portion of Osun East were all subservient to the Ibadan District Native Authority, which was based in Ibadan.
Traditional leaders and citizens of the Osun Area signed a petition, which was submitted to the British Colonial Administration in Nigeria, requesting autonomy for the Osun Division, with Osogbo as its capital.
Osun is a multi-religious community, with residents practising Islam, Christianity, and traditional religion.
Cocoa and other agricultural commodities, including yam, cassava, millet, and maize, are the cornerstones of Osun’s economy, as are yam and other agricultural crops.
No doubt, the state’s abundance of food and cash crops, which draws traders and artisans, has earned it the nickname “Breadbasket of South-West Nigeria” which it arguably still holds.
Osun state’s Cottage industries offer a wide range of products, including brasswork, woven textiles, and wood carvings. In Oshogbo, the country’s capital, there is a textile mill, a food processing facility, and a steel rolling mill. Artisanal mining and livestock herding are also significant industries, particularly in urban areas.
When it comes to the Yoruba people, Aso-Oke (Cloth weaving) has been a centuries-old tradition, although it is now most notably practised by the Ede people in Osun.
The state’s mineral resources include columbite, gold, tantalite, talc, granite, and tourmaline. Additionally, natural materials such as clay balls and various-sized construction stones such as gravel are available.
There are also several types of valuable gemstones unearthed there, including zircon, ruby, emerald, sapphire and topaz.
Forged in the early eighteenth century, Ife bronze today sits amid the state’s extensive collection of natural arts, making it a popular destination for tourists from other countries. Ife’s bronzes, along with Benin’s, are among the best in the world since they were made simultaneously.
Royal antelopes, monkeys, kestrels, and purple herons may all be found in the state’s natural environments, as can residual populations of the Nigeria-Cameroon chimp and African forest elephants in the state’s highly endangered forests.
Most of the population of Osun State is made up of Yoruba people, particularly those belonging to the Ibolo, If, and Igbomina subgroups and the Ijesha and Oyo tribes.
Osun is home to many of Nigeria’s most notable monuments, including the campus of Obafemi Awolowo University, one of the country’s preeminent institutions of higher learning, Erin Ijesha Waterfall, Opa Oranmiyan, Nelson Mandela Freedom Park, and the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove.
Osogbo, the capital of the Nigerian state of Osun, is a city in which the Yoruba language is spoken. It is also known by the name Ilu-aro (City of Tie and Dye).
Muslim Sheikh Dr. Abu-Abdullah Adelabu, located in London, and Pastor (Dr.) Johnson Ade Odewale of Christ Apostolic Church (Calvary Assembly) from Odeomu, based in Boston, are both from Osun State and both are well-known religious leaders.
Pounded yam and egusi are traditional foods in Osun state. The meals Eko and Efo-Riro are also famous in Ikirun, Osun State.
The largest local government in Osun State is Gbongan.
The annual Osun-Osogbo event, held in August, draws both believers and nonbelievers. Brazilians, Cubans, Trinidadians, and Grenadanians are among the numerous tourists from the Americas who travel to learn about Yoruba culture.
Osun State is also well-known for having the country’s second-highest literacy rate, which is found in the state.
Ọsun Ọsogbo Grove, the shrine of the yearly ceremonies of the god and a significant artistic center, was named a World Heritage Site in 2005.
The state is also known for its several notable markets, including the Sekona, Owena, Ifon, Ikirun, and Odo Ori markets, which draw visitors from all over the country to the state.
The Ori Oke and Egungun festival in Iragbiji, the Olojo festival in Ife, and the Osun Osogbo festival in Osun are just a few of the state’s notable cultural festivals.
According to popular belief, the ancestry of Oba Adeyeye Enitan Ogunwusi (Ojaja II), who is now the Ooni of Ife, is that of the Yoruba nation’s founder, Oduduwa, whose ancestors are said to be from the time of Oduduwa.
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