GEOGRAPHY:

The State is mainly an upland zone, rising over 250 meters above sea level. It lies on an area underlain by metamorphic rock. It is generally undulating country with a characteristic landscape that consists of old plains broken by step-sided out-crops that may occur singularly or in groups or ridges. Such rocks out-crops exist mainly at Aramoko, Efon-Alaaye, Ikere-Ekiti,Igbara-odo- ekiti and Okemesi-Ekiti. The State is dotted with rugged hills, notable ones being Ikere-Ekiti Hills in the south, Efon-Alaaye Hills on the western boundary and Ado-Ekiti Hills in the centre.

CLIMATE And VEGETATION:

The State enjoys tropical climate with two distinct seasons. These are the rainy season (April–October) and the dry season (November–March). Temperature ranges between 21° and 28 °C with high humidity. The south westerly wind and the northeast trade winds blow in the rainy and dry (Harmattan) seasons respectively. Tropical forest exists in the south, while savannah occupies the northern peripheries.

TOWNS And ADMINISTRATIVE DIVISIONS:

The people of Ekiti State live mainly in towns. These towns include: Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Ekiti, Nigeria
Awo-Ekiti, Igbemo-ekiti, Ayegbaju-Ekiti, Araromi Oke Ekiti, Efon-Alaiye Aramoko-Ekiti, Temidire-Ikole Local Govt, Igede Ekiti, Ijesamodu Ekiti, Are Ekiti, Ikole, Ayede, Isan, Iye Ayede Ekiti Ire-Ekiti, Ijero Ekiti, Ekiti, Nigeria Ipoti-Ekiti, Igogo, Ise, Itapa, Otun, Usi Ekiti, Ido Ekiti, Emure ekiti, Iyin Ekiti, Igede, Ekiti, Nigeria, Ilawe Ekiti, Isinbode Ekiti, Ode Ekiti, Oye Ekiti Omuo, Ilupeju, Ikoro,Iloro, Ijurin, Ikun, Iye, Ijesa-Isu, Ayedun, Aisegba, Osin, Okemesi, Iworoko, Ekiti, Nigeria, Ifaki Ekiti, Asin-Ekiti, Orin, Ilogbo Ekiti, Osi, Igbole, Ora, Aye, Ikogosi Erio, [Igbara-Odo](Ogotun), Erijiyan Ekiti Iludun, Ilemeso, Otun, Itapaji, Imojo, Ire Ekiti, Eda Oniyo, Gogo Ekiti, Odooro Ekiti, Ijan-Ekiti, Epe Ekiti, Usi Ekiti, Ijesa-Isu Ekiti Ilasa-Ekiti, Iropora-Ekiti, Osun Ekiti, Ira Ekiti, Osan Ekiti, Iro Ekiti, Aaye Ekiti, Erinmope Ekiti, Ikun Ekiti, Ipao Ekiti, Isinbode Ekiti, Isaba-Ekiti, Ijan, Ekiti, Nigeria Ayetoro Ekiti.
Agbado ekiti, Imesi Ekiti,Ekiti State,Nigeria, Iluomoba Ekiti,
LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS:

Ekiti State consists of sixteen (16) Local Government Areas. They are:

Ado-Ekiti, Ikere, Oye, Aiyekire, Gbonyin, Efon, Ekiti East, Ekiti South-West, Ekiti West, Emure,
Ido-Osi Ijero, Ikole, Ilejemeje, Irepodun/Ifelodun,
Ise, Orun, Moba.

Current list of Local Government Area Chairmen.[6]

Proposed 18 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs)in Ekiti State The Ekiti State Government is to create additional 18 Council Development Areas based on the recommendations of the White Paper Committee set up by the government.

In a press statement, the Commissioner for Information and Civic Orientation, Mr. Tayo Ekundayo, said the new council areas will be created from the existing 16 local government areas following a referendum by the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) and consideration of the outcome of the referendum by the State House of Assembly.

They will operate as Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) pending the concurrence of the National Assembly, which would accord them the status of full-fledged local government councils.

According to the commissioner, the new councils and their proposed headquarters as contained in the White Paper and approved by the State Executive Council are as follows:

i) Ado West Local Council Development Area- Okesha

ii) Ado-North LCDA--------------------------------- Oke –Ila

iii) Ado-Central LCDA-------------------------------- Ijigbo

iv) Ekiti North-East LCDA--------------------------- Ilasa -Ekiti

v) Ogotun/Igbaraodo LCDA------------------------- Oke- Agbe

vi) Osi/Isokan LCDA --------------------------------- Ifaki

vii) Eka Meta LCDA----------------------------------- Erijiyan- Ekiti

viii) Okemesi/Ido Ile LCDA--------------------------- Okemesi - Ekiti

ix) Gbonyin LCDA------------------------------------ Aisegba

x) Irewolede LCDA--------------------------------- Iloro- Ekiti

xi) Irede LCDA--------------------------------------- Ipoti-Ekiti

xii) Ikere West LCDA------------------------------- Anaye

xiii) Ajoni LCDA-------------------------------------- Aiyedun

xiv) Ifelodun LCDA----------------------------------- Igbemo –Ekiti

xv) Araromi LCDA----------------------------------- Iyin –Ekiti

xvi) Ero LCDA----------------------------------------- Igogo

xvii) Ifesowapo LCDA-------------------------------- Bamisile Land

xviii) Ifeloju LCDA------------------------------------- Ilupeju- Ekiti

DEMOGRAPHICS:

The Ekiti, whose ancestors migrated from Ile-Ife as a people, form one of the largest ethnic groups in Yorubaland. Ekitis are culturally homogeneous and they speak a dialect of Yoruba language known as Ekiti. The homogeneous nature of Ekiti confers on the state some uniqueness among the states of the federation. Slight differences are noticeable in the Ekiti dialects of the Yoruba language spoken by the border communities to other states. For example, the people of Ado local government area do not speak exactly the same dialect with the people of Ijero Local government area, while the people of Ikole area speak something different from the people of Ikere area. The communities influenced by their locations include Otun (Moba land) that speaks a dialect close to the one spoken by the Igbominas in Kwara State. The people of Oke-Ako, Irele, Omuo speak a similar dialect to that of Ijesas of Osun State. However, part of the uniqueness of the Ekitis is that wherever is your own part of the state, you will understand well, when the other Ekiti[3] man/woman speaks, in spite of the dialectal variations. In addition, all towns in Ekiti State take a common suffix, “Ekiti,” after their names. The main staple food of the people of Ekiti is pounded yam with Isapa soup or vegetable soup.

NATURAL RESOURCES:

Ekiti land is naturally endowed with numerous natural resources. The state is potentially rich in mineral deposits. These include granite, kaolin, columbite, channockete, iron ore, baryte, aquamine, gemstone, phosphate, limestone,GOLD among others. They are largely deposited in different towns and villages of Ijero, Ekiti West, Ado - Ekiti, Ikole, Ikere, Ise-Ekiti and other Local Government Areas.

The Land is also blessed with water resources, some of its major rivers are Ero, Osun, Ose, and Ogbese. More so a variety of tourist attractions abound in the state namely, Ikogosi Warm Spring, Ipole - Iloro Water Falls, Olosunta hills, Ikere, Fajuyi Memorial Park Ado - Ekiti and so on. The Ikogosi tourist centre is the most popular and the most developed. The warm spring is a unique natural feature, and supporting facilities are developed in the centre. The spring is at present being processed and packaged into bottled water for commercial purpose by a private company - UAC Nigeria.

Moreover, the land is buoyant in agricultural resources with cocoa as its leading cash crop. It was largely known that Ekiti land constituted well over 40% of the cocoa products of the famous old Western Region. The land is also known for its forest resources, notably timber. Because of the favourable climatic conditions, the land enjoys luxuriant vegetation, thus, it has abundant resources of different species of timber. Food crops such as yam, cassava, and also grains like rice and maize are grown in large qualities. Other notable crops such as kola nut and varieties of fruits are also cultivated in commercial quantities.

SOME OF PROMINENT EKITI INDIGENES INCLUDE:

Prof. Afolabi Ojo, Prof. Akin Oyebode, Prof. Patrick Aina, Prof. I. O. Orubuloye OON. Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), H.E. Ayodele Fayose, Chief Oladeji Fasuan, Chief S.B. Falegan, Prof. Fisayo Jejelowo, Prof. Funmi Olopade, Architect Fola Alade, Dele Adesina SAN, Olu Daramola SAN, Femi Falana (SAN), Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN) Late Prophet Ayo Babalola, Afeni Ayodele Ajayi, Michael Olusegun Oluwole, Oluwole Segun Michael, Prof. Owa Afolabi, Prof. Akin Osuntokun, Late Prof. Babalola Borishade, Prof. Ekundayo Adeyinka Adeyemi, Navy Capt. Olubolade, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, Mr. Yinka Ayefele, Late Chief Elemure Ogunyemi, Chief Femi Ariyo, Mr. Victor Olaiya, Ms. Folashade Adu, Chief Bamidele Olumilua, Maj. Gen. Adebayo, Professor Oluyemi, H.E. Adeniyi Adebayo, H.E. Segun Oni, Paul Olatunde Alabi, D. A. Adeyemo, S. K. Babalola, Prof. Tunde Adeniran, Prof. Adesegun Ojo, H.E. Dr. Kayode Fayemi, Mr. Adebisi Omoyeni, Bunmi Famosaya Mni, Senator Olowoporoku, Chief Dr. Victor Olubi Fatunla, Prof. Aluko, Hon. Rufus Ayo Adakeja, Dr. Tai Sikiru Lawal, Pa. Paul Oluwole Jeje, Hon. Jeje (author Asa Ati Orisa Ile Yoruba).