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Ado-Odo
Ado | |
|---|---|
Metropolis | |
  Ado-Odo Location in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates: 6°35′N 2°57′E / 6.583°N 2.950°E | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| State | Ogun |
| LGA(s) | Ado-Odo/Ota |
| Government | |
| • Olofin Adimula Oodua | HIM Oba Olusola Idris Osolo Adebowale Otenibotemole II |
| Time zone | WAT |
| Climate | Aw |
Ado-Odo is the metropolitan headquarters of the ancient kingdom of Ado, renowned for its Oduduwa/Obatala temple, the ancient fortress of the traditional practice of Ifá (Ado n'ile Ifa). Oodu'a is also regarded by traditionalists as the mother of all other deities. All of these made Ado an inviolate territory in western Yorubaland—the same "father-figure" status accorded to Ile-Ife. Unlike the other kingdoms, which had at one time or the other engaged in the internecine wars that ravaged Yorubaland in the nineteenth century, Ado stood out as an unconquered sanctuary city-state throughout the period.
Ado-Odo is located in modern-day Ogun State in the southwestern part of Nigeria.
Ado, as an ancient Awori town, could be described as the melting pot of the ancient Ife and Benin traditions, where the languages of these two important communities remain the lingua franca in their shrines. There are relics in the town, specifically at the Oodu'a Temple in Ilaje and its environs, that corroborate this.
In pre-colonial times, the independent state of Ado had at various times been referred to as Ado-Oodu'a, Ado-Ife, Ado-Ibini, and Ado-Awori, all pointing to its generational evolution. The advent of British rule led to the adoption of Ado-Odo as a clear-cut identity, setting the town apart from other major settlements bearing similar names in other parts of Yorubaland (such as Ado-Ekiti, Ado-Awaye and Ado-Soba).
The Ado Kingdom is currently inhabited by the Aworis and Yewas of Ishaga, Imasayi, Ibooro, and Ketu. Other groups found include Eguns (Ogu), Oyos, Ijebus, and Egbas as well as non-Yoruba elements, particularly the Hausa, Igbo, and Ijaw.
The kingdom was founded before the eleventh century, when conditions in Ile-Ife forced inhabitants to search for new, more prosperous lands.