Kogi is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to the southwest by Edo and Ondo states, to the southeast by the states of Anambra and Enugu, and to the east by Benue State. It is the only state in Nigeria to border ten other states. Named after the Hausa word for river (Kogi). Kogi State was formed from parts of Benue State, Niger State, and Kwara State on 27 August 1991. The state is nicknamed the "Confluence State" because the confluence of the River Niger and the River Benue occurs next to its capital, Lokoja.
Yorubaland is the homeland and cultural region of the Yoruba people in West Africa. It spans the modern-day countries of Nigeria, Togo and Benin, and covers a total land area of 142,114 km2 (54,871 sq mi). Of this land area, 106,016 km2 (74.6%) lies within Nigeria, 18.9% in Benin, and the remaining 6.5% is in Togo. Prior to European colonization, a portion of this area was known as Yoruba country. The geo-cultural space contains an estimated 55 million people, the majority of this population being ethnic Yoruba.
Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962, it acquired the territory of the British Northern Cameroons, which voted to become a province within Northern Nigeria.
Kabba is a town in Kogi State in mid west Nigeria. It lies near the Osse River, at the intersection of roads from Lokoja, Okene, Ogidi, Ado-Ekiti, and Egbe. The town is about 295 kilometers away from Abuja. It is 511 kilometers from Lagos.
Yagba East is a Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Isanlu on the A123 highway, and is populated mainly by the Okun people.
Kabba/Bunu is a Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Kabba on the A123 highway in the southwest of the area at7°49′43″N6°04′23″E.
Ìjùmú is a Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Iyara. Other towns in the local government include Ayetoro Gbede, Iyah-Gbede, Ayegunle Gbede, Araromi Gbede, Ayere, Ayeh Gbede, Okoro Gbede, Odokoro Gbede, Ekinrin-Adde, Egbeda Egga, Iyamoye, Ogidi, Ikoyi, Otungba, Oton-Ade, Origa, and others. The people of Ìjùmú speak the Okun dialect of the Yoruba language. The main occupation is farming among men, while women are engaged in trade. Education is the major industry in Ìjùmú.
David Medayese Jemibewon is a retired Nigerian Army major general who served as military governor of the now defunct Western State during the military regime of General Murtala Muhammed, governor of Oyo State after it had been created from part of the old Western State during the military regime of General Olusegun Obasanjo, and later as Minister of Police Affairs in the cabinet of President Olusegun Obasanjo after the return to democracy. He was a contender for the Kogi West Senatorial District in Kogi State.
Oworo (Aworo) is a dialect of Yoruba spoken mainly in Oworo District of Lokoja LGA, Kogi State Nigeria. It is close to the Abinu (Bunu), Ikiri, Owe, Yagba and Ijumu dialects which are together known as Okun. The Okun dialects are mutually intelligible.
The Ọwọrọ ethnic nationality represents a group of people around the Niger-Benue confluence speaking a Yoruba dialect called Oworo. They are generally classified as part of Northeast Yoruba (NEY) of the Yoruba people.
The Okun people are the Yoruba speaking people found majorly in Kogi, but with settlements in Kwara, Ekiti, and Ondo states of Nigeria. Their dialects are generally classified in the Northeast Yoruba language (NEY) grouping. They are collectively called "Okun", which in Okun dialects could mean "Sorry", "Well-done", or as an all-encompassing greeting. Similarly, this form of greeting is also found among the Ekiti, Ijesha and Igbomina groups of Yoruba people.
Ayetoro Gbede (Ayetoro-Gbede) is a town along the Ilorin – Kabba federal highway in Ijumu, a kingdom and local government area in Kogi state, Nigeria. Ayetoro Gbede is located in central Nigeria, approximately 420 kilometers northeast of Lagos, while it is 315 kilometers away from Abuja, the nation's capital. It is 21 kilometers away from Kabba Town. It is in the Kogi west senatorial district and Kabba/Ijumu federal constituency. The town was established over ninety-one years ago. The inhabitants of the town speak their local dialect of Okun and Gbede, which is a Yoruba dialect. The current traditional ruler is Oba Sunday Ehindero.
Iffe-Ijumu is a town in the Ijumu local government area, located in Kogi State in midwest Nigeria. It lies between Ekinrin-Adde and Ikoyi-Ijumu, along the Lokoja to Ado-Ekiti Highway. The town is near Kabba.Iffe, the people call themselves Ufe and speak the distinctive Ufe dialect of okun language. The town is surrounded by Rocky hills and mountains. Prominent among these hills and mountains are Ogidi, Agere, Ogbogba, Okekafe and Orokeotun. These hills are mountains served social, cultural, political, economic and security purposes in the past. These hills were places where the various lineages constituting the present community once lived.
Iyara is the headquarters of Ijumu local government area in Kogi State, Nigeria. The zip code for Iyara is 261103. The Iyara people are part of the Okun, which is a Yoruba sub group.
Chief S. A. Ajayi was a Nigerian statesman who played an active role in the negotiations that led to Nigeria's independence. He was a pioneer politician of Okun land in the old Kabba province, who represented the people of Kabba Division in the Northern region house of Assembly. Chief Ajayi was passionate about educating his people therefore, He played a key role in the establishment of Kabba College of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Colleges, The University of Northern Nigeria, the firm establishment of Kabba Teachers College now Federal Government Girls College Kabba but for the historic efforts of Chief Ajayi, the Northern Region Government had slated Kabba Teachers college for relocation to Kano, Chief Ajayi fought relentlessly to retain this citadel in Kabba division. The creation of Ijumu Division as an administrative headquarters. was a burning desire for chief Ajayi, a move he started from 1960, unable to achieve this while in Government due to the unfortunate coup of 1966, Chief Ajayi pursued this vision with equally passionate illustrious sons of Ijumu until the Local Government was created.
Odo Ere, popularly called Ere Gajo, is the headquarters of Yagba West Local Government Area, Kogi State, Nigeria. The town is located in the old Kabba Province about 140 kilometres southeast of Ilorin. The people of Odo Ere share a common ancestry with the Yoruba people in South-West Nigeria and they are often referred to as Okun Yoruba people. The town is situated on a well-watered savannah plain consisting of dotted hills, forest and grassland. The topography earned the town the sobriquet: Ere Ọmọ Onilẹ Dun Rin, meaning "Odo Ere town with a beautiful flat terrain that enhances ease of movement".
Iyáh-Gbẹdẹ, commonly known as Iyáh, is a town located 20 km off of the Kabba-Ilorin federal highway, along the Ayegunle-Abuji Road. It is in Ijumu, a local government area of Kogi State, located in Nigeria.
Ekinrin-Adde is a town located in Ijumu L.G.A. of Kogi State, in the Western Senatorial District of Nigeria on latitude 7° 50’N and longitude 5° 50’E at an altitude of 523 metres above sea level. The town is a conglomerate of contiguous villages that amalgamated into one. The people trace their ancestry to Ile-Ife, the cradle of Yoruba civilization. The people are a sub-ethnic group within the Yoruba nationality, who speak a dialect generally referred to as Okun, widely spoken by the five local Government that make up the Kogi West Senatorial District although with slight variation from community to community. The Okun dialect is a sub-dialect of the Yoruba language.
The 2023 Kogi State gubernatorial election was held on 11 November 2023 to elect the Governor of Kogi State. Incumbent APC Governor Yahaya Bello was term-limited and could not seek re-election to a third term in office. Ahmed Usman Ododo — a former state Auditor-General for Local Government — retained the office for the APC by a margin of 24% over first runner-up and SDP nominee Murtala Ajaka.
Yam is a staple food in West Africa and other regions classified as a tuber crop and it is an annual or perennial crop. The New Yam festival is celebrated by almost every ethnic group in Nigeria and is observed annually at the end of June.
