Àkókó

Rockview in Ikare Akoko
Total population
~ 815,360 (2011)
Regions with significant populations
Ondo State - 815,360  · Akoko North East: 208,080  · Akoko North West: 246,150  · Akoko South East: 95,790  · Akoko South West: 265,340
Languages
Akoko languages · Akoko dialects of the Yoruba language
Religion
Christianity · Yoruba religion · Islam

The Akoko are a large Yoruba cultural sub-group in the Northeastern part of Yorubaland.^[1] The area spans from Ondo State to Edo State in southwest Nigeria. The Akokos as a subgroup make up 20.3% of the population of Ondo State, and 5.7% of the population of Edo State. Out of the present 18 Local Government Councils it constitutes four; Akoko North-East, Akoko North-West, Akoko South-East and Akoko South-West, as well as the Akoko Edo LGA of Edo State. The Adekunle Ajasin University, a state owned university with a capacity for about 20,000 tertiary education students^[2] and more than 50 departments in seven faculties is located in Akungba-Akoko.^[3] A state specialist hospital is situated at Ikare Akoko, while community general hospitals are located in Oka-Akoko and Ipe-Akoko.

Arigidi, is a dialect cluster, It is spoken in the LGAs of Akoko North East, Akoko North West, Ekiti East, and Ijumu.

Part of a series on
Yorùbá people
Art Architecture Culture Language Music Mythology
Subgroups Ana (Ifɛ̀) Kétu Ànàgó-Kúrá Ṣábẹ̀ẹ́ Àkókó Àwórì Ẹ̀gbá Èkìtì Ìbàràpá Ìbọ̀lọ́ Ìdàáṣà (Ìdàáshà) Ìgbómìnà Ifẹ̀ Ìjẹ̀bú Ìjẹ̀ṣà Ìkálẹ̀ Ìlàjẹ Ìshà (Ìṣà) Mọkọ́lé Ọ̀họ̀rí (Ìjẹ) Okun Òǹkò (Òkè-Ògùn) Ọ̀ghọ̀ Ọ̀wọ́rọ̀ Òwu Ọ̀yọ́ Rẹ́mọ Ùdoko (Oǹdó) Usẹn Yéwa (Ẹ̀gbádò) Related Yoruboid-speaking groups Ìtsẹkírì (Ìwẹ́rẹ́) Olùkùmi Ígálà
Diaspora Okus Bahians Saros Taboms, Agudas & Amaros Afro-Cubans / Lucumis United States Afro-Dominicans Afro-Haitians Canada Ivory Coast Britain Ireland
Cultural concepts Omọlúàbí Aṣọẹbí Èsúsú Agbo ilé Alájọbí
Religion Supreme deity Olorun Olodumare Divination Ifá Opon Ifá Opele Odù Ifá Agere Ifa Awo & Ogberi Orisha, Imọlẹ̀, Ẹbọra Ọbàtálá Ọ̀sanyìn Ẹlẹ́gbà Yemọja Olókun Ṣàngó Ọyá Ògún Ọbalúayé Ọ̀ṣun Ọ̀ṣọ́ọ̀sì Ọ̀rúnmìlà Aganjú Òṣùmàrè ... Legendary creatures Ẹbọra Egbere Iwin Akudaaya Abiku & Emere Oro ... Religious concepts Àṣẹ Ìwà Orí Ìmùlẹ̀ Àkámarà Ìtàn Ẹbọ & Ètùtù
Politics / History Timeline History of the Yoruba people Palaces Àwọ̀fin, Ààfin, Àọ̀fin, Àghọ̀fẹn Rulers (Oba) Ọma-Jagun Eléko Ìchà Ọọ̀ni Alárá Alákétu Òṣemàwé Aláàfin Àkárìgbò Oníṣabẹ Ọlọ́ghọ̀ Awùjalẹ̀ Aláké Òràngún Dééjì Ọwá Ọlọ́fà ... Titles (Oyè) Olorì Òjoyè Baálẹ̀ Ọmọba Ọlọ́jà Ọwá Ìyálóde Olú-awo Olótu Ọ̀dọ̀fin Nobility (Ògbóni) Ògbóni Ìwàrẹ/Ẹ̀ghàrẹ Ọ̀yọ́mèsì Ẹdan Ilédì Military and commerce Kakaǹfò Ẹ̀ṣọ́ Parakòyí / Bàbálájé Olórogun Olúkọ̀tún Olúkòsì Ìyálọ́jà Balógun Ajagunnà Aṣípa Baṣọ̀run
Geography Yoruba country Yorubaland
Festivals / events West Africa Ọ̀ṣun-Òṣogbo Ọlọ́jọ́ Ìgògò Ẹ̀yọ̀ Festival Badagry Festival Orosun Ọdún Ògún Ojúde Ọba Orò Aké Arts & Book Festival World Sango Festival Odun Egungun Líṣàbí Ọdún Olókun Yorùbá Drum Festival New Yam- Ọdún Ìjẹṣu Diaspora Odunde Festival Yoruba Arts Festival Yemoja Festival (Brazil, Cuba, Trinidad, USA, Venezuela, Argentina)
Performing arts Contemporary Apala Fuji Were Yoruba Highlife Waka Jùjú Afrobeat Afrobeats Sakara Folk / Traditional Bolojo Obitun Bírípo Bata Olele Ijala Gẹ̀lẹ̀dẹ́ Ekun Iyawo/Rara Dadakuada Oriki Esa Alamo Ogede Gbedu Iremoje Ewì
Notable personalities List of Yoruba people
v t e

Akoko comprises about 47 small towns and villages, predominantly situated in rocky outcrop areas of northern Ondo state.^[4] The rocky terrain nevertheless, may have helped the region to become a melting pot of sorts with different cultures coming from the north, eastern and southern Yoruba towns and beyond. Akoko became one of the few Yoruba clans with no distinctive local dialect. Major Akoko settlements include; Ọkà, Ikare, Oba, Ikun, Arigidi, Ugbe, Ogbagi, Okeagbe, Ikaram, Ibaram, Iyani, Akungba, Erusu, Ajowa, Akunu, Gedegede, Isua, Auga, Ikakumo, Supare, Epinmi, Ipe, Ifira, Ise, Iboropa, Irun, Iye, Afin, Igashi, Sosan, Ipesi, Etioro, Ayegunle, Eriti and Oyin. In addition to this group, there are several other autonomous communities of varying sizes.^[5]

The Akokos occupy a frontier zone of Yorubaland and are bound to the north by the Owé Okun Yorubas and the Ebira people, to the west by the Ekitis, to the south by the Owos and the Owan/Ora, and to the east by the Afemai groups.

• Ikare Akoko is the biggest city in the Akoko area with around 150,000 inhabitants as at 2008.^[6] It has an I.C.T resource centre where its people have the opportunity to connect to and communicate with other individuals across the country and around the world.
• Oka Akoko is the second largest city in Akokoland, with a population of 132,800. It is made up of 5 distinct settlements of Ayegunle-Oka, Oke-Oka, Iwaro-Oka, Okia-Oka and Isimerin-Oka. It is notable for the Oke-Maria Catholic Grotto, a popular tourist site.
• Oba Akoko is another town in Akoko South West Local Government. Oba is the gateway to Akokoland as it is the first settlement encountered in a northward direction from the Owo community into the Akoko community.

The predominant traditional occupations of the community include large scale agriculture, trading and teaching. The Akoko and Ekiti Yorubas have a socio-cultural value concept known as Omoluka analogous to the general Yoruba concept of Omoluabi which summarises the ethos and virtues of the ideal Akoko man or woman a person's identity of integrity or uprightness. This concept has played a significant role in the indigenous integration, interaction and administration among the people.^[7]

The climate at Akoko, which is 97.65 metres (320.37 feet) above sea level, is classified as tropical wet and dry or savanna (Aw). The district's average annual temperature is -0.69% lower than Nigeria's averages at 28.77oC (83.79oF). 233.37 millimetres (9.19 inches) of precipitation and 267.89 wet days (73.39% of the time) are Akoko's usual yearly precipitation totals.^[8][9]

Several mid sized towns and settlements pepper the Akoko landscape. This is a non-exhaustive list of them.^[10][11]

Notable members of the Akoko clan include:

• Segun Abraham is a Nigerian politician and businessman.
• Adebayo Adefarati, 1931–2007, former governor of Ondo State^[12][13]
• Adejoro Adeogun, b. 1967 Member of the House of Representatives of Nigeria
• Olu Ajayi, a Nigerian professional artist, painter, cartoonist, and art reviewer, with over 40 years experience in studio practice and Art Administration
• Kayode Ajulo, politician, lawyer and civil rights activist^[14]
• Taiwo Akerele, a Nigerian policy economist, author, and politician
• Jones Oladehinde Arogbofa, b. 1952 former Chief of Staff to President Goodluck Jonathan, retired Nigerian Army Brigadier General.
• Bamidele Aturu, 1964–2014, a prominent lawyer and human right activist^[15]
• Prof Robert Ajayi Boroffice, Nigerian politician, scientist, and academic scholar, who served under former Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo. Made an Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON) in 2011.
• Bisayo Busari-Akinnadeju lawyer, politician and humanitarian ^{[citation needed]}
• Roy Chicago, d 1989, a highlife musician^[16]
• Sunday Ehindero, Inspector General of Police in Ondo State 2005-2007^[17]
• Omobayo Godwins, a Nigerian politician and deputy governor of Edo State in 2024
• TB Joshua, 1963–2021, of The Synagogue, Church of All Nations^[18]
• Adetokunbo Kayode, former Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Chairman Gemstones Miners and Marketers Association of Nigeria^[19]
• Olugbenga Omole, Member of Ondo State House of Assembly^[20]
• Joseph Oladele Sanusi, former governor, Central Bank of Nigeria^[21]
• Moses Orimolade Tunolase, Founder of the first African initiated church, the Eternal Sacred Order of the Cherubim and Seraphim^[22]