Ondo

Ondo is a city in the southwest of Nigeria. It is the largest city of the state of Ondo, located in the tropical lowlands of Nigeria. The city is situated in the Nigerian rainforest belt. Ondo has a population of around half a million people; 165,400 to be more precise. The city of Ondo is a division of the Yoruba cultural area.

Location of Ondo

Although Ondo is located amidst the Nigerian rainforest, it is well connected to the coast. Due to this, the city has been a major transit point to the northeast of Yoruba, especially during the time of Yoruba civil war. The strategic location of Ondo has directed it towards rapidly becoming a passage route for merchandise from Lagos into Yoruba. This had subsequently drawn missionaries to this area and led to the establishment of the first mission church in the city in 1875. Ondo is located at a short distance from the Oshosha Game Reserve, making it an attractive stopover for tourists as well.

History of Ondo

The traditional monarch of Ondo, the Osemawe, is a successor of Oodua, who was the originator of the Yoruba Kingdoms. The present Osemawe is Oba (Dr.) Victor A. Kiladejo, the forty-fourth King and also a doctor before he succeeded Oba (Dr.) Festus I.A Adesanoye as a king.

The city of Ondo used to be on a key business route throughout the nineteenth century. Formerly, the city was a capital of an early Yoruba kingdom. Ondo was taken over by the British in 1893. The city holds on to the vestiges of the antique earthen fortifications that once enclosed it, as was customary in the traditional towns of Yoruba.

Economy of Ondo

Ondo is known for its agricultural products, such as cocoa, palm oil, rubber, cotton, and cassava. The chief industry of the city is saw milling. Some factories have been set up in Ondo of late, for the production of furniture and other wood products. The economy of Ondo chiefly depends on agriculture and the trade of some indigenous products. However, the city is now also growing as an industrial area.

The city of Ondo has a few commercial banks, both national and local. The core of the city consists of four hotels and a huge market area. The city also has a teacher training college. The growth of education in Ondo is a result of the encouraging and favorable effects of the presence of Christian missionaries in Ondo.