Review of Oyelade’s ‘Know Oyo State’, by Michael Olatunbosun |

KontrinewsNovember 20, 20254 Mins read1

The book: “Know Oyo State,” is a unique one. It showcases the topography, geography, history and peculiarities of Oyo State. It was published in 2025 by Safari Books, and written by Prince Dotun Oyelade, the Commissioner for Information and Orientation in Oyo state.

Prince Dotun Oyelade is an award winning veteran in the Nigerian journalism space. He is a political communication strategist, and he has worked with governors in different positions, including as chief executive of the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State. He has authored 10 books on his profession, politics, and biographies.

The author sets out immediately to explain his motives. He writes in the preface that the book aims to redirect the attention of the youth to their roots, especially in a country that many decades ago removed history from its curriculum. Of course, after 30 years of misadvised removal of history, it is back in the education landscape, but the damage has been done. So to keep us apprised of our history, and especially that of Oyo State, the author pens this book to “change the narrative radically to suit the quantum of new facts as they emerged from dogged research” about the unique history of Oyo State. The author is convinced that the history of Oyo State “must be exhumed and not allowed to go into extinction as a result of flawed policies of past administrations.”

In the book, Prince Dotun Oyelade attributes the creation of Oyo State (in 1976) to the military regime of Murtala Mohammed. In the first chapter of the book, the author also traces the history to its evolution (p6) from being the Western Region (1954, by Sir Macpherson, the British Governor-General) to Western State (1967) to Old Oyo State (1976) to the present Oyo State after the creation of Osun State (1991). For those who may not be familiar with the geographical divisions of Oyo State, the author breaks it down. We have 33 local government areas spread across Ibadan Municipal, Ibadan Lesser City, Ibarapa, Ogbomoso, Oke-Ogun Zone 1, Oke-Ogun Zone 2, and Oyo.

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Interestingly, Oyo State, which this book celebrates, will mark 50 years of its creation, and the work indeed comes in handy in its exposition on the state. The author thus informs the reader about the geography and topography of the state, including its landmass, vegetation, predominant occupation of the people and so on. The author furnishes us with the political and governance trajectory of Oyo State, especially from its Western Region days, and the characters prominent on the scene then. They include Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Ladoke Akintola who were premiers.

In the second chapter of the book, Know Oyo State, Prince Dotun Oyelade takes us by the hand and guides us through a tour of some important towns in the state. In this chapter he showcases towns like Ibadan, Oyo, Ogbomoso, Saki, Iseyin, Eruwa, Igbo-Ora, Erunmu and Awe. He provides vividly their highpoints, uniqueness and significant contributions to the social, economic, cultural milieu of the state. For instance, it will fascinate some people outside of Oyo State to know that Igbo-Ora is nicknamed the “twin capital of the world” (p17) because it is the town with the most recorded twin births.

It is also instructive to note that the towns showcased in this book are not put there just to fill up the space. The unique stories behind their foundations, precolonial and ancestral information about these places are in the book, too.

The third chapter of the book sets out the administrative layout of the state. The over-riding objective is to educate the reader on the primary roles of each arm of government, comprising the executive, legislature and judiciary. The chapter also establishes, in great detail, the link among the arms of government, the agencies and parastatals through which the arms of government perform their roles for the overall development of the state. Here the author mentions by name, all government ministries (19 of them in Oyo State), all 52 departments and agencies for the enlightenment of the reader.

The book, Know Oyo State provides clues to some of the codes identifying local government areas in the state. The fourth chapter opens this matter up, including expansive information about the evolution of local government administration in the state. For those who yearn to know all the towns and villages in all the 33 local government areas in Oyo State, the author has them listed (Pp36-51) in this book. The 35 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) are also listed in this chapter.

Of course the book discusses the political divisions of Oyo State (chapter five) and the diverse sub-ethnic groups, and gives the reader a peep into the traditional institutions (chapter six) including their roots and precolonial histories.

This 11-chapter book is indeed a showcase of the grand position of Oyo State in the historical, economic and socio-cultural landscape of Nigeria. It does not only present the agricultural and ecological vastness of Oyo State, it also delightfully presents the intellectual advantage the state parades in the many premium higher educational institutions (chapter ten), and the monumental institutions (chapter eight) that dot the state. Such include the University College Hospital (UCH) Ibadan and its architectural wonder, the historic Mapo Hall, and Cocoa House. The work provides information on great tourism wonders and the rich mineral resources and under the ground in the state.

“Know Oyo State” is a gem and potent resource material for all categories of readers, lovers of history, students, and researchers.

The author has indeed painstakingly crystallised into 162 pages deeply sought-after information about Oyo State for all seasons. It is both an enlightening and eye-opening work.. Olatunbosun, a broadcast journalist, fact-checker and book reviewer, can be reached via 08023517565 (SMS and WhatsApp only) and miketunbosun74@gmail.com.