#30 OYO STATE: The 36 States Of Nigeria And Their Meanings

30. OYO STATE
It was named after the Old Oyo Empire, one of the strongest in Africa. Now a much smaller kingdom, Oyo is headed by the Alaafin (the Owner of the Palace). Old Oyo was known as Katunga and is now a tiny location along the Kwara-Oyo border (a nice place for historical excursion if you ask me). The exact meaning of Oyo itself is shrouded in so much controversy, some accounts even suggest that the name was a foreign word imposed by the Nupe warrior king, Tsoede, when he conquered the Old Oyo Empire. And that’s where it gets murky.

WEBSITE: http://www.oyostate.gov.ng/

  

#29 OSUN STATE: The 36 States Of Nigeria And Their Meanings

29. OSUN STATE

The state was named after the River Oshun (or Osun), believed and worshipped by many as the manifestation of Oshun, one of the wives of Sango, the Yoruba god of thunder. There is annual Osun Osogbo Festival in honour of the goddess. It draws many from all over the globe and is usually quite colourful. The river itself drains into the Lagos Lagoon and the Gulf of Guinea (Atlantic Ocean).

WEBSITE:

SIZE (LAND AREA): 28TH

  

28. ONDO STATE: The 36 States Of Nigeria And Their Meanings

28. ONDO STATE 

The state was named for the Old Ondo Kingdom. The people inhabiting the area were referred to as the Ondo meaning ‘the settlers’. (Kingdoms of the Yoruba by Robert Sydney Smith. P.52, see other references below or on the website).

WEBSITE:

SIZE (LAND AREA): 25TH
  

#27 OGUN STATE: The 36 States Of Nigeria And Their Meanings

27. OGUN STATE

The state of MKO Abiola, Baba Iyabo, General Diya, Professor Wole Soyinka, General Donaldson Oladipupo Diya, Mike Adenuga (rtd), Fela, Tai Solarin, Obafemi Awolowo, Ernest Shonekan, Lateef Adegbite, Prince Bola (Bolasodun Adesumbo) Ajibola and many others is named after the Ogun River. The river courses through the state in a north-south direction before emptying into the Lagos Lagoon and it can be troublesome with its flooding. Among the Yorubas, Yemoja is the mother goddess of women (especially pregnant ones) and of the River Ogun. (Yemoja =Yeye Omo Eja, Mother of Fish-Like Offspring). For some, the river is still worshipped.

WEBSITE: http://www.ogunstate.gov.ng/

SIZE (LAND AREA): 24TH

  

#26 NIGER STATE: The 36 States Of Nigeria And Their Meanings

26. NIGER STATE

The largest of all the 36 in terms of area, the state was named after the River Niger, one of the longest in Africa. Called the nahr-al-anhur or the River of Rivers by the Arabs, the local Tuaregs would later modify the name to become ngereoun meaning the ‘big river’. When the Arab explorer, Leo Africanus wrote, he noted it in 1526 as ‘Niger’ which meant ‘black’ in Latin, like to mean ‘River of the Blacks’. (I hear you o! Exactly what is going on in your mind! LOL!) Especially when you know the meaning of Nigeria….lmao!

WEBSITE: http://www.nigerstate.gov.ng/

SIZE (LAND AREA): 1ST, THE LARGEST STATE IN NIGERIA

  

#25 NASARAWA (NASSARAWA) STATE: The 36 States Of Nigeria And Their Meanings

25. NASARAWA (NASSARAWA) STATE

There is an interesting story here. The founder of the old Nasarawa Kingdom, Makama Dogo had to form his kingdom before the river because doing so beyond the river would mean all his children would turn pagans. Thus, he cited the kingdom before the river and declared victory (Nasara is the Hausa word for victory) and then named the area ‘Nasarawa’ meaning the ‘Victorious’. Please note: that Nasara (derived from Arabic) is also Hausa word for ‘Christian’ or ‘white man’ but that does not apply in this context. A very interesting dimension to the origin of the word ‘nasara’ is that it came originally from the Greek word ‘Nazaraios’ which meant ‘the man from Nazareth’. Later on, ‘Nazarene’ was the term used to describe the early Christians. This is a direct correlation to the fact that Christ Jesus came from Nazareth, thus the name for his followers.

SIZE (LAND AREA): 15TH

WEBSITE: http://www.nasarawastate.com.ng/