Ota, Nigeria
Encyclopedia
Ota is a town in Ogun State
, Nigeria
, and has an estimated 163,783 residents living in or around it Ota is the capital of the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area
. The traditional leader of Ota is the Olota of Ota
, Oba Alani Oyede. Historically, Ota is the capital of the Awori
Yoruba
ethnic group.
Ota has the third largest concentration of industries in Nigeria. It also possesses a large market and an important road junction, found just north of the tollgate on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. Ota is also well-known as the home of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo's farm, the Canaanland
compound of the megachurch
Winners' Chapel
, and the Africa Leadership Forum
.
Yoruba
folklore tells that Olofin's children, Osolo and Eleidi Atalabi founded Ota after migrating south from Isheri. As the town developed, it eventually came to be locally ruled by a crowned oba
, called the Olota
, whose ruling privilege came from the Yoruba traditional home of Ile-Ife. Ota soon became important in the production and sale of cocoa. In 1842, the expansion of the Egba
nation brought Ota under the control of Abeokuta
, however Ota held a semi-independent status within the Egba kingdom, and remained the capital of the Awori
people.
In the early part of the 1900s, governance and administration of justice were kept by members of the Ogboni
secret society, a traditional group that made and enforced the laws. In 1903, modern police crews were introduced, and had almost completely supplanted the traditional enforcement roles of the Ogboni by the 1950s.
In 1954, the introduction of a new Federal Government taxation system led to riots in Ota. On February 4, the new tax code
was announced. The Aiyepeju Society and the Ota Tax Payers Association began protesting almost immediately. The protests turned violent as aggressive crowds began destroying property. The riots, which came to be known as the "Ponpo Aiyepeju", were eventually put down by the Nigerian police. In the aftermath of the disturbances, Oba Timothy Fadina was sent into exile on May 11, 1954.
Ota began to grow into the industrial city it is today due to the economic development
planning and lobbying
by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Chief Bisi Onabanjo, former governor of Ogun State. This led to the official designation of Ota as an industrial town, and the state government began to encourage industries to locate in and around the city.
, and all were sponsored by various Christian
religious organizations. The Muslim
community responded by forming a school operated by the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society. State schools began to be formed in the late 1970s, and there are now several private schools in the area. Iganmode Grammar School is the oldest, founded in 1960. Other notable area schools include Bells Comprehensive Secondary School
and Faith Academy Secondary School
.
There are also two universities in Ota: Covenant University
and Bells University of Technology
.
The Nigerian Navy
's School of Music is also located in Ota.
of the Awori
dialect
group. They trace their ancestry down from Ile-Ife and consider Iganmode as their patriarch. Other Aworis are located in the neighbouring Lagos State
.
The main occupation of Ota residents is trading and farming. The town's proximity to Lagos and proximity to the border town of Idiroko have led to the creation of two large markets: Kayero Market in Sango and Oba T.T. Dada Market along Idiroko Road. These markets are each so large that they blend together and are more commonly just referred to as Sango-Ota Market.
in Awori land. The governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel
, declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew
in the Ado-Odo/Ota Ota local government area
.
Ogun State
Ogun State is a state in South-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...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
, and has an estimated 163,783 residents living in or around it Ota is the capital of the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Area
Local Government Area
A local government area is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory....
. The traditional leader of Ota is the Olota of Ota
Olota of Ota
The Olota of Ota is the traditional, yet ceremonial, sovereign of Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. He is also called an Oba.Historically, the Olota of Ota was a crowned ruler whose power came from the traditional homeland of the Yoruba, Ile-Ife...
, Oba Alani Oyede. Historically, Ota is the capital of the Awori
Awori
The Awori are a tribe of the Yoruba people speaking a distinct dialect of the Yoruba language.Traditionally, Awori are found in Ogun State and Lagos State, Nigeria. The Awori people migrated from Ile Ife and occupy present day Lagos state, with a comsiderable section of the Awori clan occupying...
Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
ethnic group.
Ota has the third largest concentration of industries in Nigeria. It also possesses a large market and an important road junction, found just north of the tollgate on the Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway. Ota is also well-known as the home of former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo's farm, the Canaanland
Canaanland
Canaanland is the name of the campus of Winners' Chapel , an Evangelical megachurch in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria.The facility opened in 1999, and has since expanded to almost...
compound of the megachurch
Megachurch
A megachurch is a church having 2,000 or more in average weekend attendance. The Hartford Institute's database lists more than 1,300 such Protestant churches in the United States. According to that data, approximately 50 churches on the list have attendance ranging from 10,000 to 47,000...
Winners' Chapel
Winners' Chapel
Winners' Chapel is a megachurch founded by Bishop David Oyedepo in 1981.On May 1 and 2 !981, in a long drawn out 18 hour vision in a certain 'International Hotel' in Ilesa, Old Oyo State, Brother David Oyedepo, a native of Omu-Aran in Kwara State,Nigeria received a mandate that "The hour has come...
, and the Africa Leadership Forum
Africa Leadership Forum
The Africa Leadership Forum is a not-for-profit organization founded in Nigeria in 1988 by Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo.The primary focus of ALF is to help improve the current quality of leadership in Africa while at the same time helping to train the next generation of leaders for the...
.
History
Traditional AworiAwori
The Awori are a tribe of the Yoruba people speaking a distinct dialect of the Yoruba language.Traditionally, Awori are found in Ogun State and Lagos State, Nigeria. The Awori people migrated from Ile Ife and occupy present day Lagos state, with a comsiderable section of the Awori clan occupying...
Yoruba
Yoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
folklore tells that Olofin's children, Osolo and Eleidi Atalabi founded Ota after migrating south from Isheri. As the town developed, it eventually came to be locally ruled by a crowned oba
OBA
Oba or OBA may refer to:* Oba , an African ruler or king* Oba , in Yoruba mythology* Oba, an island in the North Maluku province of Indonesia* Oba-Igbomina, a town in Nigeria...
, called the Olota
Olota of Ota
The Olota of Ota is the traditional, yet ceremonial, sovereign of Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. He is also called an Oba.Historically, the Olota of Ota was a crowned ruler whose power came from the traditional homeland of the Yoruba, Ile-Ife...
, whose ruling privilege came from the Yoruba traditional home of Ile-Ife. Ota soon became important in the production and sale of cocoa. In 1842, the expansion of the Egba
Egba
The Egba are a clan of the Yoruba people who live in western Nigeria. Many Egba live in the city of Abeokuta, capital of Ogun State.- History :...
nation brought Ota under the control of Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
, however Ota held a semi-independent status within the Egba kingdom, and remained the capital of the Awori
Awori
The Awori are a tribe of the Yoruba people speaking a distinct dialect of the Yoruba language.Traditionally, Awori are found in Ogun State and Lagos State, Nigeria. The Awori people migrated from Ile Ife and occupy present day Lagos state, with a comsiderable section of the Awori clan occupying...
people.
In the early part of the 1900s, governance and administration of justice were kept by members of the Ogboni
Ogboni
Ogboni is a fraternal institution indigenous to the Yoruba language-speaking polities of Nigeria, Republic of Bénin and Togo...
secret society, a traditional group that made and enforced the laws. In 1903, modern police crews were introduced, and had almost completely supplanted the traditional enforcement roles of the Ogboni by the 1950s.
In 1954, the introduction of a new Federal Government taxation system led to riots in Ota. On February 4, the new tax code
Tax code
In the UK, every person paid under the PAYE scheme is allocated a tax code by HM Revenue and Customs. This is usually in the form of a number followed by a letter suffix, though other 'non-standard' codes are also used. This code describes to employers how much tax to deduct from an employee. The...
was announced. The Aiyepeju Society and the Ota Tax Payers Association began protesting almost immediately. The protests turned violent as aggressive crowds began destroying property. The riots, which came to be known as the "Ponpo Aiyepeju", were eventually put down by the Nigerian police. In the aftermath of the disturbances, Oba Timothy Fadina was sent into exile on May 11, 1954.
Ota began to grow into the industrial city it is today due to the economic development
Economic development
Economic development generally refers to the sustained, concerted actions of policymakers and communities that promote the standard of living and economic health of a specific area...
planning and lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
by the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Chief Bisi Onabanjo, former governor of Ogun State. This led to the official designation of Ota as an industrial town, and the state government began to encourage industries to locate in and around the city.
Education
Traditionally, Ota only had a few schoolsPrivate school
Private schools, also known as independent schools or nonstate schools, are not administered by local, state or national governments; thus, they retain the right to select their students and are funded in whole or in part by charging their students' tuition, rather than relying on mandatory...
, and all were sponsored by various Christian
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
religious organizations. The Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
community responded by forming a school operated by the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society. State schools began to be formed in the late 1970s, and there are now several private schools in the area. Iganmode Grammar School is the oldest, founded in 1960. Other notable area schools include Bells Comprehensive Secondary School
Bells Comprehensive Secondary School
The Bells Comprehensive Secondary School for Boys and Girls is a secondary school located in Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. The school educates about 550 students.- External links :*...
and Faith Academy Secondary School
Faith Academy Secondary School
Faith Academy is a Christian Secondary School located in Canaanland, Ota which is in the outskirts of Lagos, Nigeria. Faith Academy was established in 1999 by the Winners' Chapel Church and presently has nearly 2,000 students and all reside in the school premises as boarders.The school has students...
.
There are also two universities in Ota: Covenant University
Covenant University
Covenant University is a private university in Canaanland, Ota, Ogun State, Nigeria. It was founded in 2002 by the Winners' Chapel , and the chancellor, David Oyedepo, is also the President and founding Bishop of the Winners' Chapel. It is a Christian institution and it strictly governed by the...
and Bells University of Technology
Bells University of Technology
Bells University of Technology is the first private university of technology established in Nigeria. It was established in 2004, and began admitting students from the 2005/2006 academic session.-History:...
.
The Nigerian Navy
Nigerian Navy
The Nigerian Navy is a branch of the Nigerian Armed Forces. The Nigerian Navy is among the largest Navies on the African continent, consisting of about 15,000 personnel, including those of the Coast Guard.-Brief History:...
's School of Music is also located in Ota.
Demographics
The indigines are predominantly YorubaYoruba people
The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...
of the Awori
Awori
The Awori are a tribe of the Yoruba people speaking a distinct dialect of the Yoruba language.Traditionally, Awori are found in Ogun State and Lagos State, Nigeria. The Awori people migrated from Ile Ife and occupy present day Lagos state, with a comsiderable section of the Awori clan occupying...
dialect
Dialect
The term dialect is used in two distinct ways, even by linguists. One usage refers to a variety of a language that is a characteristic of a particular group of the language's speakers. The term is applied most often to regional speech patterns, but a dialect may also be defined by other factors,...
group. They trace their ancestry down from Ile-Ife and consider Iganmode as their patriarch. Other Aworis are located in the neighbouring Lagos State
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
.
The main occupation of Ota residents is trading and farming. The town's proximity to Lagos and proximity to the border town of Idiroko have led to the creation of two large markets: Kayero Market in Sango and Oba T.T. Dada Market along Idiroko Road. These markets are each so large that they blend together and are more commonly just referred to as Sango-Ota Market.
Conflict between Awori and Owu residents
There have been several confrontations between Owu and Awori residents of the area. In April, 2008, violent clashes left at least six people dead when Awori and Owu fought over the Olowu of Owu's installation of an ObaOba (ruler)
Oba is a West African synonym for monarch, one that is usually applied to the Yoruba and Edo rulers of the region. It is also often used by their traditional subjects to refer to other kings and queens, such as Elizabeth I of England, in their native languages.-Edo account of the word's origin:The...
in Awori land. The governor of Ogun State, Gbenga Daniel
Gbenga Daniel
Gbenga Daniel is a Nigerian politician,and Governor of Ogun State of Nigeria since 29 May 2003. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party and the owner of the Nigerian Compass, a daily newspaper.-Background:...
, declared a dusk-to-dawn curfew
Curfew
A curfew is an order specifying a time after which certain regulations apply. Examples:# An order by a government for certain persons to return home daily before a certain time...
in the Ado-Odo/Ota Ota local government area
Local Government Area
A local government area is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a state, province, division, or territory....
.