About
Osun State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria. Its capital is Osogbo. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east partly by Ekiti State and partly by Ondo State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west by Oyo State.



History
The struggle for the creation of Osun started as early as 1950. At that time, the present senatorial districts namely Osun West, Central and part of Osun East were subordinate towns under the administration of Ibadan District Native Authority but in there determination to get independence, traditional rulers and citizens of Osun Area submitted a petition to the British Colonial Administration in Nigeria demanding autonomy for Osun Division, with Osogbo proposed as the headquarters
To realise their aim, they pursued this agenda further in 1951, when a Commission Of Inquiry was set up the Colonialists, headed by H.L Butcher primarily saddled with investigating the crisis in Ibadan District Native Authority between Chief Salami Agbaje and Olubadan-in-Council. At this commission, named H.L Butcher Commission of Inquiry, a representation was made by people of Osun Area reiterating their resolve for autonomy. This demand was granted on March 17th 1951, thus recommending autonomy for Osun District Towns on April 1st 1951.
The resilience and doggedness of the founding fathers and crusaders for the creation of Osun was rewarded on August 27th 1991, when the administration of Gen Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida created nine states with Osun created out of Oyo State with Osogbo as the capital. It was a dream fulfilled and hope achieved.

People
The major ethnic group in Osun state is Yoruba with sub-ethnic groups such as Ife, Ijesha, Oyo, Ibolo and Igbomina and there are also people from other parts of Nigeria. Yoruba and English are widely spoken in the state. The people of Osun State practice Islam, Christianity and paganism.

Local Government Areas
The state consists of thirty local government namely: aiyedaade, aiyedire, atakunmosa east, atakunmosa west, boluwaduro, boripe, ede north, ede south, egbedore, ejigbo, ife central, ife east, ife north, ife south, ifedayo, ifelodun, ila, ilesa east, ilesa west, irepodun, irewole, isokan, iwo, obokun, odo otin, ola oluwa, olorunda, oriade, orolu and osogbo.



Education
The state is educationally enriched with various institutions. the state has numerous primary and secondary schools both in the public and orivate sector. The state has technical schools, schools of health technology, schools of nursing and midwifery, two government polytechnics and three privately owned, two public universities and five private ones.


 

Business Opportunities
The people of the state are mostly traders, artisans and farmers. The farmers produce food crops such as yam, maize, cassava, beans and cocoyam. The cash crops include tobacco and palm produce. The artisans make hand-woven textiles, tie and dye clothes, leather work, calabash carving and mat-weaving.

Mineral resources such as gold, clay, limestones and granite

Tourism
The state has a rich cultural heritage which shows in their music, art, dances, dresses and cultural festivals. They are well known for their talking drums and bata music. They are also known for excellent works of art. Some tourist attractions in Osun state include

The famous Ife bronze,
The Oranmiyan Staff which is believed to be the fighting stick of Oranmiyan, the son of Oduduwa who was a great warrior and
The popular Osun-Osogbo cultural festival.
The Ife Museum ,
Obafemi Awolowo University Zoological gardens, Ile-Ase.
Yeyemolu Shrines and Oduduwa groove, Ile-Ife.
Osun Osogbo Sacred Groove - venue of the internationally recognized Osun Osogbo festival and a UNESCO, world heritage site
Adunni Susan Wengers Centre,
Genesis Arts Gallery
Nike Arts Gallery,
Jalumi War Site, Inisa
The Olumirin Water-Falls, Erin-Ijesa, Igbo-Sango at Ede and the Ayikunugba Water- Falls at Oke-Ila. Schools on the Web:

Obafemi Awolowo University (www.oauife.edu.ng)

Osun State Polytechnic  (www.ospolyiree.com)

Osun State University (www.uniosun.edu.ng)

Federal Polytechnic Ede (www.federalpolyede.edu.ng)

Joseph Ayo Babalola University (www.jabu.edu.ng)

O.T.I.C