South-west Geo-political Zone People (Ancient & Modern) – Basic 3 History Lesson Note (First Term)

What We Will Learn Today

• The states in the South-West zone
• The main people who live there
• Ancient kingdoms and rulers
• Modern important people from the South-West

The South-West Zone

The Six States:

• Lagos State
• Ogun State
• Oyo State
• Osun State
• Ondo State
• Ekiti State

Main People:

• The Yoruba people are the main ethnic group
• They speak Yoruba language
• They have rich culture and traditions

Ancient South-West People

Great Ancient Kingdoms:

1. Old Oyo Empire

• Location: Around present-day Oyo State
• Famous Ruler: Shango (became a god in Yoruba religion)
• Known for: Strong army with horses and powerful warriors

2. Ife Kingdom

• Location: In present-day Osun State
• Famous Ruler: Ooni (still exists today)
• Known for: Beautiful bronze and brass artwork
• Special: Called the “cradle of Yoruba civilization”

3. Benin Kingdom (Part of it in South-West)

• Location: Edo State (borders South-West)
• Famous Ruler: Oba of Benin
• Known for: Amazing bronze plaques and sculptures

Ancient Heroes:

• Oduduwa: First king of Ife, father of all Yoruba people
• Shango: King of Oyo who became god of thunder
• Moremi: Brave Ife queen who saved her people
• Lisabi: Hero who fought for freedom

Modern South-West People

Great Leaders:

• Chief Obafemi Awolowo: First Premier of Western Region, loved education
• Chief MKO Abiola: Businessman and politician, won 1993 election
• Alhaji Lateef Jakande: Former Lagos State Governor, built many schools

Famous Artists and Writers:

• Wole Soyinka: First African to win Nobel Prize for Literature

• Fela Kuti: Creator of Afrobeat music, world-famous musician

• King Sunny Ade: Juju music king known worldwide

Successful Business People:

• Aliko Dangote: Richest man in Africa (from Kano but works in Lagos)

• Folorunsho Alakija: One of richest women in Africa

• Tony Elumelu: Big banker and businessman

Sports Heroes:

• Jay-Jay Okocha: Famous footballer (though Igbo, lived in Lagos)
• Rashidi Yekini: Greatest Nigerian footballer ever
• Sunday Oliseh: Former Super Eagles captain

South-West Culture

Traditional Things:

• Languages: Yoruba (with different dialects)
• Festivals: Eyo Festival, Osun Festival, Gelede Festival
• Food: Amala, Gbegiri, Ewedu, Jollof Rice, Suya
• Music: Juju, Fuji, Afrobeat
• Clothing: Agbada, Buba and Sokoto, Gele, Aso-oke

Modern Developments:

• Lagos: Biggest city in Nigeria and West Africa
• Nollywood: Nigerian movie industry (mostly in Lagos)
• Technology: Many tech companies in Lagos
• Banking: Most banks have headquarters in Lagos

Important Cities

Lagos: Biggest city, former capital of Nigeria, business center 

Ibadan: Capital of Oyo State, very old and large city

Abeokuta: Capital of Ogun State, known for rocks 

Akure: Capital of Ondo State 

Ado-Ekiti: Capital of Ekiti State 

Osogbo: Capital of Osun State

What We Learned

• The South-West has six states with mainly Yoruba people
• Ancient kingdoms like Oyo and Ife were very powerful and artistic
• Modern South-West people have produced great leaders, artists, and business people
• Lagos is the biggest city and economic center of Nigeria
• The South-West is rich in culture, tradition, and modern achievements

EXERCISES

1. Fill in the blanks:

1. The South-West zone has __________ states.
2. The main people are the __________ people.
3. __________ was the first king of Ife.
4. __________ is the biggest city in Nigeria.

1. Match the person with what they’re famous for:

1. Wole Soyinka → Richest man in Africa
2. Fela Kuti → Nobel Prize winner
3. Obafemi Awolowo → Afrobeat music
4. Aliko Dangote → Education and politics

1. True or False:

1. Lagos is in the South-West zone. ( )
2. The Yoruba people speak Hausa. ( )
3. Oduduwa was the first king of Ife. ( )
4. The South-West zone has five states. ( )

1. Choose the correct answer:

1. The ancient kingdom famous for bronze artwork was (Oyo / Ife / Lagos).
2. The biggest city in the South-West is (Ibadan / Abeokuta / Lagos).
3. Shango was the god of (water / thunder / wind).
4. The South-West zone is mainly (Yoruba / Igbo / Hausa) people.

1. Name the states: Write all six South-West states:

1. __________ 4. __________
2. __________ 5. __________
3. __________ 6. __________

1. Answer these questions:

1. Which ancient kingdom was called “cradle of Yoruba civilization”?
2. Who was the first African to win Nobel Prize for Literature?
3. What type of music did Fela Kuti create?
4. Which city was the former capital of Nigeria?

1. Culture Connection: Write one traditional food and one traditional festival from the South-West:

1. Food: __________
2. Festival: __________