Southwestern Nigeria
Southwestern Nigeria is a region of Nigeria comprising Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo, and Ekiti states, where Yoruba people form the majority.
Lagos State: A Nigerian state on the Gulf of Guinea, centered on the city of Lagos. Its coastal metropolis is the region’s largest city and Nigeria’s principal commercial center.
Yoruba people: A West African ethnic group concentrated in southwestern Nigeria and neighboring countries. They form the region’s majority population and provide a shared cultural foundation.
Oyo Empire: A Yoruba state that became a major West African power from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries. Its political reach shaped much of the region before colonial rule.
Lagos: Nigeria’s largest city and a major port and financial center on the Gulf of Guinea. It concentrates the region’s commerce, media, migration, and cultural production.
Northern Nigeria: The northern portion of Nigeria, commonly distinguished by geography, history, and population patterns. Its historical and cultural profile contrasts with the southwest’s Yoruba-majority states.
Ogun State: A southwestern Nigerian state bordering Lagos, Benin, and several Nigerian states. It lies directly north of Lagos and shares the region’s Yoruba-majority character.
Yoruba language: A Niger-Congo language spoken chiefly by the Yoruba people of West Africa. It is widely spoken across the region alongside English and other Nigerian languages.
Kingdom of Benin: A historical West African kingdom centered in present-day Edo State, Nigeria. Its historical interactions and eastern frontier connect it to neighboring southwestern communities.
University of Ibadan: A public research university in Ibadan, founded in 1948 as a college of the University of London. It is a major center for education and research in the region.
Southeastern Nigeria: A Nigerian region commonly associated with Igbo-majority states in the country’s southeast. Its dominant language and historical experience differ from those of southwestern Nigeria.