Ijebu Ode

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Ijebu Ode is a city located in south-western Nigeria. With an an estimated population of 222,653 (2007) ^[1] it is the second largest city in Ogun State after Abeokuta. In pre-colonial times it was the capital of the Ijebu kingdom.

It is the largest city inhabited by the Ijebus, a sub-group of the Yoruba ethnic group who speak the Ijebu dialect of Yoruba. It is historically and culturally the headquarters of Ijebuland.

However history and legend has it that Ijebus are actually distinct from the Yorubas because they are believed to have migrated to the present Ijebuland from an acient region called Ouwodaiye or Waddai in northern Sudan, which shared common border with the ancient Abyssinia. It is also believed to be a 'Cushite' or Nubian town. The ruler of Ijebu Ode, Oba Sikiru Adetona is known as the Awujale of Ijebuland. The city is located 110 km by road north-east of Lagos; it is within 100 km of the Atlantic Ocean in the eastern part of Ogun State and possesses a warm tropical climate.

Ijebu Ode has a local television station affiliated with the government's NTA network and is the trade center of a farming region where yams, cassava, grain, tobacco and cotton are grown.

Adjacent to Ijebu Ode are several smaller towns and villages. They are mostly referred to as Egure "this way to"; some of them include Odo-Agamegi, Ogbo, Italupe (a neighbourhood within Ijebu Ode), Ososa, Imawen, Odo Ogbun, Apa(Mesan), Okelamuren, Abapawa, Erunwon, Isonyin, Oke-Eri, Imagbon, Isiwo, Odo-lewu, Odo-Arawa, Idowa, Ala and Atiba amongst others. Ijebu Ode is made up of three parts - Iwade, Ijasi and Porogun. Italupe is a ward in Iwade, NOT an Egure of Ijebu - Ode.