Ogun State

Ogun Stake
State
Nicknames:  Gateway State
Location of Ogun State in Nigeria
Country	Nigeria
Date created	3 February 1976
Seat	Abeokuta
Government
• Governor (List)	Ibikunle Amosun ([All Progressives Congress][APC])
Area
• Total	16,980.55 km2 (6,556.23 sq mi)
• Rank	24th of 36
Population  (2006 census)
• Total	3,751,140
• Rank	16 of 36
• Density	220/km2 (570/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)
• Year	2007
• Total	$10.47 billion
• Per capita	$2,740
Time zone	UTC+01 (WAT)
ISO 3166 code	NG-OG

Ogun State is a state in western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state.

Ogun has one federal university: the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta; one state government college of education, named after the late Nigerian educationist of international repute Augustus Taiwo Solarin in 1994 as Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE),(formerly known as Ogun State ollege of Education, Ijagun, Ijebu-Ode, one state government polythechnic named after late Nigerian business mogul and political icon the acclaimed winner of June 12, 1993 election, Basorun Moshood Kasimawo Olawale Abiola as Moshood Abiola Polythechnic (MAPOLY), formerly known as Ogun State Polythechnic, Ojere, Abeokuta, and two state government universities: Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye (formerly known as Ogun State University), and the Tai Solarin University of Education (TASUED) Ijebu Ode. Ogun State has a total of nine registered universities, the highest of any state in Nigeria. It has five private universities. Amongst others are Covenant University and Babcock University in Ilisan-Remo, which was the first private university in the country. The state has two major government hospitals: the Federal Medical Center at Abeokuta, and the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital in Sagamu.

Other cities and towns in the Ogun State are Ijebu Ode, Sagamu, Ijebu Igbo, Ilaro Ayetoro and Ota.

Administrative divisions

The state contains the following twenty-one Local Government Areas:

• Abeokuta North
• Abeokuta South
• Ado-Odo/Ota
• Ewekoro
• Ifo
• Ijebu East
• Ijebu North
• Ijebu North East
• Ijebu Ode
• Ikenne
• Imeko Afon
• Ipokia
• Obafemi Owode
• Odogbolu
• Odeda
• Ogun Waterside
• Remo North
• Sagamu or Shagamu
• Yewa North formerly Egbado North
• Yewa South formerly Egbado South

The State Anthem

Ise ya Ise ya omo Ogun ise ya eledumare ise ma ya o e ise ya

Omo rere kii sa se Omo Ogun kii so le

E bere gberu o, olorun n be fun wa e tera mo se o

Ise ya Omo Ogun Ise ya.

The state's nickname is "Gateway to Nigeria". It was created in February 1976 from the former Western State. The 1991 census recorded a total population of 2,338,570 residents. The state governor is Senator Ibikunle Amosun.

Famous native sons and daughters

• Obafemi Awolowo
• MKO Abiola
• Olusegun Obasanjo
• Wole Soyinka
• Peter Akinola
• Fela Anikulapo Kuti
• Ernest Shonekan
• Oladipo Diya
• Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti
• J A Aromire
• Kuforiji Olubi
• Ola Rotimi
• Toyosi Craig
• Tunde Bakare
• Peter Olakeinde Sogbesan
• Tai Solarin
• Surv. G.A Oyeneye
• Oba Otudeko
• Tobi Olatanrinrin Sowole
• Subomi Balogun
• Bayo Kuku
• Chief Olu Oyesanya
• Ronke Sokefun
• Jubril Martins-Kuye
• Ibikunle Amosun
• Kayode adenowo
• Kamarudeen Tofunmi Rufai
• Sunday Adelaja
• Adewale Anifowose
• [Prof Olugbenga E Ogunyemi
• Prof. Adebayo Adedeji, CFR
• Prince Bolasodun Adesumbo Ajibola
• Akintola Ademola S.
• Oluwadamilare Ogunsanya Hope.
• Ojebiyi Amos Tolulope

Ikenne Remo is home to many prominent sons and daughters of Ogun State and has over the years evolved to become the political and intellectual 'mecca' of the state. With Obafemi Awolowo home and rich library resources open to the public and history researchers; (acknowledged to have groomed business, religious and political leaders) and of course the annual Ereke Day festival attracting tourists from within and without the country.

Chief Obafemi Awolowo is revered as one of the founding fathers of Nigeria, alongside Chief Nnamdi Azikiwe and Alhaji Sir Ahmadu Bello, the late Sardauna of Sokoto. He was Prime Minister of the Western Region from 1954 - 1959 after which he became the opposition leader in the Federal House of Representatives. He built the educational,political and business infrastructure upon which the Western States have built and thrived.

Ogun State, today, has emerged as one of the fastest growing business destinations in Nigeria, with several local and international businesses and factories strategically sited within the 2 km government acquisition area of the Lagos - Sagamu expressway. With Dangote's cement factory in Ibese, Nestle, DHL, Big Treat, Coleman Cables and several others, Ogun State may as well be the investor's haven in the Sub Region.

Senator Ibikunle Amosun is the current governor of Ogun State.

Universities in Ogun state

• University of Agriculture, Abeokuta
• Covenant University, Ota [1]
• Bells University of Technology, Ota
• Olabisi Onabanjo University, Ago Iwoye
• Tai Solarin College of Education (TASCE), Ijagun, Ijebu Ode
• Moshood Abiola Polythechnic (MAPOLY) Abeokuta
• Redeemer's University (RUN), Redemption Camp of The Redeemed Christian Church of God, Mowe
• Babcock University, Ilisan Remo
• Tai Solarin University of Education, Ijebu Ode
• Crawford University, Igbesa
• Adetokunbo University, Sagamu
• Crescent University, Abeokuta
• Mountain Top University, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Nigeria

Notable religious places in Ogun state

• Ijebu-Ode Central Mosque, Ijebu-Ode
• Celestial Church of Christ (CCC) World-wide Camp, Imeko
• Diadem Christian Church International, Ijebu Ode
• The Redemption Camp of the Redeemed Christian Church of God, along Lagos-Ibadan Exp. Way, Mowe
• Faith Tabernacle aka Winners Chapel, Canaanland, Ota
• Prayer City of Mountain of Fire & Miracle Ministry, along Lagos-Ibadan Exp. Way
• Deeper Life Congress Center (DLCC), along Lagos-Ibadan Exp. Way
• Faith City (Apostolic Faith Church) along Atan-Agbara road, Igbesa, Ogun State
• Chief Oyeneye Olusesan House in Oluwo Onikolobo, Abeokuta
• Bilikisu Sungbo Shrine, Oke-Eiri, near Ijebu-Ode, declared a national Heritage since 1964,was the burial place of the acclaimed (Sungbo Eredo and Its Ecotourism Values: Sonubi O K (2009)Queen Sheba, a gathering of faithfuls during major muslim and christian festivals.
• ST JOHN"S Afican church Arigbajo

Think Tanks

• African Centre for Development and Strategic Studies (ACDESS)

See also

• List of Ogun State local government areas by population
• List of Tourism attractions in the state: Olumo Rock in Abeokuta, Bilikisu Sungbo Shrine in Oke-Eri, Yemoji Natural Swimming Pool at Ijebu-Ode, Oyan Dam in Abeokuta North, Iwopin Boat Regatta and Ebute-Oni in Ogun Waterside. Other sites are: Madam Tinubu Shrine, Abeokuta; Oronna Shrine, Ilaro; Area J4 Forest Reserve (Omo Biosphere Reserve); Tongeji Island, Ipokia; Old Manse at Ogbe, Abeokuta; St James Anglican School, Ota and Ijamido River Shrine, Ota. There is also the June 12 Cultural Centre Park and Museum at Abeokuta(source:Ogun State Diary, 2013). Ojude-Oba festival, Ijebu-Ode and Agemo festival in Ijebu.University of Agriculture Zoological Garden, Abeokuta, Sungbo Eredo-the largest single ancient monument in Africa in Ijebu(Darling,1999).

<Ogun State Diary, 2013>

External links

• Ogun State Government Homepage
• Portal of Educational Institutions in Ogun State
• Federal Government College, Odogbolu