Oyo the indigenous part of south west Nigeria. It is formerly the capital of the old Oyo kingdom. It is now known as Oyo Atiba; the old Oyo –Ile is said to have been deserted long time ago because of rumors of war. The ancient town is less than an hour drive from the closest Airport at Ibadan. The town is further north of the Ibadan metropolis. The closest garage to the town is at Ojoo, where buses and danfos (small buses) convey passengers to their various destinations in the town. The town has Awe as its closest neighbor; another historical place.
The ancient town has three Local Government Areas under it. They are; Atiba Local Government Area which has its headquarters at Offa-Meta; Oyo East Local Government Area, headquarters at Kosobo; and Oyo West Local Government Area, headquarters at Ojongbodu. The town is ruled by the Imperial Majesty, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi; the Alaafin of Oyo. Alaafin is one of the top ranked kings in Yoruba land with the Ooni of Ife and Alake of Egbaland. The town ruled by the paramount ruler is also called ‘Oyo Alaafin’.
Oyo town has many educational institutions where you could study. There are the famous Olivet Baptist High School, Federal Government Girls College, Alaafin High School and a few tertiary institutions such as Federal College of Education (special), Federal School of Survey, Emmanuel Alayande College of Education and a private owned university by the Anglican Communion of Nigeria, Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo (ACU). The town has a large number of religious institutions such as mosques and churches. The indigenes are predominantly Muslims even though there are Christians and Traditionalists.
One of the most popular places to visit here is the popular Akeesan market which lies close to the Alaafin’s palace. It is also called Oja-Oba (King’s market). Unlike the other markets that open every five days, Akeesan market opens daily. Foodstuffs are relatively cheap in this ancient market as the goods are been brought from the northern part of the country. People from neighboring towns like Awe and Ogbomoso also visits the market.
Another interesting place to tour is the forests of the Old Oyo National Park which has its fascinating wildlife museum at Akoto. It is a place where you could go fishing, bird watching, mountaineering and relaxation. Just like the Yoruba adage ‘You can’t pass the King’s palacewithout paying homage’, you can’t visit the ancient town without seeing the great Oyo’s palace. The historical palace of the Alaafin is one of the most significant buildings in Yoruba land. The people of Oyo are friendly and hospitable. Don’t feel out of place when you see the indigenes with facial tribal marks. It is one of the old customs and traditions in the town. Visit Oyo town today, seeing is believing.
