Kwara’s capital, Ilorin, is situated 306km inland from the coastal town of Lagos and 500km from the federal capital, Abuja.
Ilorin
Date created 27th May 1967
Land area 36,825 km
Boundaries Kwara State shares her boundaries with the Republic of Benin at her West and the Niger River at her North.
Major Languages Yoruba, Nupe, Hausa , Bokobaru and Fufude.
Major towns include Ilorin, Offa, and Jebba, located on the Niger River. Other cities include Patigi, Erin-lIe, lIoffa, Adeleke Igbewere, Ejidongari, Osi, Lafiagi, Gure, Afon, Kaiama, Isanlu-lsin, Omu-Aran, Egbejila, lIota, Iponrin, and Igbaja.
History The history of Kwara state starts with Ilorin as a Yoruba town which was originally used as a military outpost by the Alaafin, paramount ruler of the old Oyo empire (Oyo-Ile).
At at 1750 Ilorin was administered by Afonja, the sixth Are-Ona-Kakanfo (generalissimo) of the Oyo army and successor of Are-Ona Oku of Jabata. Illorin became the capital of a kingdom that was a vassal state of the Oyo empire
In 1900 Ilorin was incorporated into the Protectorate of Northern Nigeria in the amalgamated Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria in 1914, and in the Northern region in 1954
Yakubu Gowon created Kwara state with Ilorin as capital In 1967 Kwara state was created. The then Federal Military Government of General Yakubu Gowon broke the four regions that then constituted the Federation of Nigeria into 12 states.
At its creation, the state was made up of the former Ilorin and Kabba provinces of the then Northern Region and was initially named the West Central State but later changed to “Kwara”, a local name for the River Niger.
Kwara state got rearranged In 1991, five local government areas, namely Oyi, Yagba, Okene, Okehi and Kogi were also excised to form part of the new Kogi State, while a sixth, Borgu Local Government Area, was merged with Niger State.
Local Government Areas of Kwarastate Asa Baruteen Edu Ekiti Ifelodun Ilorin East Ilorin South Ilorin West Irepodun Isin Kaiama Moro Oke-Ero Offa Oyun Patigi
