Date Created: February 3, 1976

Capital: Akure

Main Towns: Owo, Akure, Ore, Oka-Akoko and Ondo.

Ondo State was carved out of the old Western State as one of the seven states created on February 3, 1976. It is bounded by Kogi, Edo, Ogun, Osun and Ekiti States, the last of which was carved out of Ondo state on the 1st of October, 1996.

Ondo State is a multi-ethnic state with the majority being Yorubas while there are also Arogbos and Akpois who are Ijaw extraction and are mostly located in the riverine areas of the state.

Agriculture (including fishing) constitute the main occupation of the people of the state. Indeed, Ondo state is the leading cocoa producing state in Nigeria. Other agricultural products include yams, cassava and palm produce.

Education is accorded high priority by the state government with the state reputed as the education factory of Nigeria as a result of emphasis in this sector over the years with thousands of primary schools and hundreds of secondary schools.There are also tertiary institutions in the state. These include the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Ondo State Polytechnic, Owo, Federal College of Agriculture, Akure and Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo.

Major industries in Ondo State include Nigeria/Romania Wood Industries in Ondo, the Okitipupa Oil Palm Mill, Alpha Industries, Arigidi-Akoko, Cocoa Processing factory, Ile-Oluji, Oluwa Glass Company, Igbokoda and the Premier Metal Industry, Ondo.

Places of attraction in the state include the Ipole-Iloro Water falls, the Oke Maria at Oka-Akoko and the Aiyetoro Community Island.

The local governments that constitute Ondo state are Ondo, Odigbo, Okitipupa, Ilaje, Irele, Akure, Idanre, Ile-Oluji/ Oke-Igbo, Ose, Akoko North-West, Ifedore, Owo, Akure North, Ilaje West, Ondo East and Akoko South East.

Sourece: Nigeriadirect.gov.ng