Ayetoro Gbede (Ayetoro-Gbede) is a town along the Ilorin – Kabba federal highway in

Ijumu Ìjùmú is a Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Iyara. Other towns in the local government include Ayetoro Gbede, Iyah-Gbede, Ayegunle Gbede, Araromi Gbede, Ayere, Ayeh Gbede, Okoro Gbede, Odokor ...

, a kingdom and local government area in

Kogi state Kogi State is a States of Nigeria, state in the North Central Nigeria, North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti State, Ekiti and Kwara State, Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, Nigeria, Fe ...

Nigeria Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

. Ayetoro Gbede is located in central Nigeria, approximately 420 kilometers northeast of

Lagos Lagos ( ; ), or Lagos City, is a large metropolitan city in southwestern Nigeria. With an upper population estimated above 21 million dwellers, it is the largest city in Nigeria, the most populous urban area on the African continent, and on ...

, while it is 315 kilometers away from

Abuja Abuja (; , ) is the capital city of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, strategically situated at the geographic midpoint of the country within the Federal Capital Territory (Nigeria), Federal Capital Territory (FCT). As the seat of the Federal G ...

, the nation's capital. It is 21 kilometers away from Kabba Town. It is in the Kogi west senatorial district and Kabba/Ijumu federal constituency. The town was established over ninety-one years ago. The inhabitants of the town speak their local dialect of Okun and Gbede, which is a Yoruba dialect. The current traditional ruler is Oba Sunday Ehindero. The first house in Ayetoro Gbede was built beside the old market and was owned by the founder, Oba Ajileye Daniel Alaa Bello. Ayetoro is also blessed with cashew seed, cocoa, vegetables, palm wine, and farming influence. The first community high school in Ayetoro gbede was established in September 1979.

History

Ayetoro-Gbede was founded in 1927 by Oba Ajileye Daniel Alaa Bello who ruled as the first Oba from 1927 until his death on March 27 1964. Oba Alaa was a Christian and as such, used his influence with the missionaries to found the first church in Ayetoro-Gbede - Church Mission(ary) Society (CMS), where he was the Baba Ijo (Church Patron). Oba Alaa founded the town and persuaded many of the smaller neighboring Gbede settlements to join so they could create a bigger town with better economic opportunities and more effective protection from Slave Raiders (a practice that was prevalent at the time). The town consists of 10 communities and is believed to be the largest in the Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi State. Unlike many other Okun-Yoruba speaking communities, Ayetoro is one of the few towns with no known traditional festivities or deities being worshipped by the people. This is most likely due to the religious beliefs of its people, with Christian origins as well as the Muslim population.

Notable people

Shola Ameobi Foluwashola "Shola" Ameobi (born 12 October 1981) is a Nigerian former professional footballer who played as a striker. He spent 14 years at Newcastle United, making 397 official appearances and scoring 79 goals, and received a winner's medal ...

, an Ayetoro Gbede born English footballer, plays for

Newcastle United Newcastle United Football Club is a professional association football club based in Newcastle upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear, England. The club competes in the Premier League, the top tier of English football league system, English football. Since th ...

as a striker. *

Dino Melaye Dino Melaye (born 7 January 1974) is a Nigerian politician, a former senator and was a member of the 8th Nigeria National Assembly, representing Kogi West Senatorial district. He is from Ayetoro Gbede in Ijumu Local Government Area of Kogi St ...

, a former Senator of the Federal Republic representing Kogi west constituency. * Olushola Akanmode, former deputy Chief-of-Staff to President Olusegun Obasanjo. * Eniola Bello, Managing Director, ThisDay * John Obaro, Founder Systemspecs.

References

Towns in Nigeria {{Kogi-geo-stub