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Kwara State
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Owu Fall
Located in the Ifelodun LGA, Owu is considered one of the highest and most spectacular waterfalls in West Africa. It descends from a height of approximately 120 metres to flow into an ice-cold pool. It is surrounded by luxuriant vegetation and a beautiful hilly landscape.
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Imoleboja Rock Shelter
The Imoleboja Rock Shelter is a massive granite rock with many chambers, including a main hall that can accommodate about a hundred people. Imoleboja translates in English to ‘the spirit has built a house’. The site, which is particularly suitable for picnics, is located at Odo-Owa in the Oke-Ero LGA.
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Adin and Black Soap Industry
The local production of soaps and pomades from palm kernel ashes by women and children can be observed at this site in Odo-Owa in the Oke-Ero LGA.
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Dada Pottery
The Dada pottery workshop showcases one of the traditional occupations of women in Ilorin. It is reputed to be one of the biggest traditional pottery factories in Nigeria. Cooking, flower and frying pots, as well as water storage containers, are produced there and exported to other parts of the country and abroad. The community of potters is called Ebu Dada and it is located within the Dada Okelele quarters on the outskirts of Ilorin.
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Jebba Tourist Sites
The town of Jebba is home to a number of historical relics and tourist attractions which highlight the relationship between Nigerians and Europeans. These include the Mungo Park cenotaph (erected in memory of Mungo Park and the Landerbrothers), the wreckage the SSDAY Spring (Mungo Park’s ship, which crashed as he attempted to discover the course of the River Niger) and a cemetery in which some colonial-era figures who died in Jebba (such as the first Chief Justice of the Northern Nigeria Protectorate, Sir Alastair Davidson) are buried.
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Kainji Lake National Park
Kainji Lake National Park is the oldest national park in Nigeria and was established in 1976 when two former game reserves (Borgu and Zugurma) were combined. It is home to the Kainji Dam and the town of Old Bussa, where the famous Mungo Park came to great grief after damaging his boat in 1805, used to be located here. It serves both educational and touristic purposes.
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Ningurume Fish Pond
This mysterious fish pond in the Baruten LGA is home to special species of fish said to be adorned with earrings and beads which are only seen on special occasions. The inhabitants of the nearby village of Ningurume offer sacrifices and worship the fish on “sacred” days with pap and ram meat. The fish cannot be eaten and only calabashes can be used to fetch water from the pond.
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Ero-Omola Fall
This is a large waterfall which lies on the Ero River and offers a spectacular view of a network of nearby rock formations. Located approximately 100 kilometres from Ilorin, the waterfall is a popular spot amongst the people from neighbouring towns.
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Watana Rock
This is a peculiar rock formation whose flat top is accessible by car thanks to a shallow gradient. The site is suitable for picnics, camping and mountaineering and is located in the heart of Ilorin.
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Traditional Weaving Centres
There are a number of aso oke weaving centres within Kwara State, particularly within and around Ilorin. The art remains a very important economic activity for the state’s inhabitants.
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Esie Museum
The Esie Museum, the oldest in Nigeria, was established in 1945 by the British colonial government. It houses a large collection of stone images discovered in 1775 by the founder of the town, a hunter named Baragbon. There are fascinating stories surrounding the images, one of which is the belief that the images were actually human beings turned into stones by spells. The Esie community is located in the Irepodun LGA.
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Alfa Alimi’s Mosque and Residence
Alfa Alimi was a Fulani Muslim scholar who came from the north to preach in Ilorin. He built his mosque and residence around 1831. The mosque was the first to be built in Ilorin and is still in use today.
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Sheikh Alimi Mosque, Kuho
Sheikh Alimi was the progenitor of the Fulani dynasty in what is today known as the Ilorin Emirate (comprising the Asa, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, Ilorin West and Moro LGAs of Kwara State). It is believed he would have made Kuho his permanent base if any of the seven wells which he and his followers dug around the site had produced water. The site of the mosque has since become a centre for Islamic activities and religious tourism.
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Okuta-Ilorin
The stone called “Okuta-Ilorin” (stone for sharpening metal) is believed to be the stone with which Ojo Isekuse, one of the founders of Ilorin, used to sharpen his metal tools. In the past, the stone was deified and worshipped. The city of Ilorin derives its name from this stone.
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Olofa Palace, Offa
The palace of the Olofa of Offa, situated very close to the Oba market, features a combination of ancient and modern architectural elements. The palace is one of the oldest buildings in Offa and houses the tombs of past rulers.
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Agan Festival
The colourful Agan festival is an annual event which features dancing and the singing of spiritual songs. Prayers are offered for a successful celebration, amongst other things. It takes place in the Ekiti and Oke-Ero LGAs in the month of December.
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Moremi Festival
The Moremi or Onimoka festival features a wrestling match between the traditional ruler of Offa and his second-in-command.. Although the influence of Christianity and Islam has greatly affected the annual celebration of the festival, efforts are in place to revive it.
It takes place at Offa in the Offa LGA between July and August every year.
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Ikan Festival
The Ikan festival marks the initiation of a new group of warriors (known as ‘Odofin-Ikan’) and the retirement of an older group (‘Ikan’) who have served the community for seven years by defending it against external aggression or tribal wars. It takes place in Etan and Opin in the Ekiti LGA.
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Epa Festival
The Epa festival celebrated annually by wards in the Ekiti and Oke-Ero LGAs (although during different months). Figurines of deities are carried by men who dance in the village squares. Prayers are offered for good health and bumper harvest during the celebration.
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Awon Mass Wedding Festival
This is an occasion at which all the marriageable girls in Shao town (located in the Moro LGA) are given out in marriage at the same time. This is the only period when wedding ceremonies take place in the town. The festival is said to be named after a woman called Awon. It usually takes place around October every year.
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Patigi Regatta
The Patigi Regatta is a Nupe festival which dates back to 1953. It features fishing, swimming and canoe paddling competitions in the Patigi LGA.
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Okuta Gani Festival
This festival is held every January/February in the small town of Okuta in the Baruten LGA. Several ethnic groups from neighbouring states such as Oyo and countries such as the Republic of Benin, Mali and Togo participate in this celebration of religion, culture and dance. Other attractions aside from the performances include horse riding and souvenirs.
