Ogun River
Encyclopedia
The Ogun River is a waterway in Nigeria
that discharges into the Lagos Lagoon
.
near Shaki
at coordinates 8°41′0"N 3°28′0"E and flow through Ogun State
into Lagos State
.
The river is crossed by the Ikere Gorge Dam
in the Iseyin
local government area of Oyo State.
The reservoir capacity is 690 million m3.
The reservoir abuts the Old Oyo National Park
, providing recreational facilities for tourists, and the river flows through the park.
The Ofiki River, which also rises near Shaki, is the Ogun River's chief tributary.
The Oyan River, another tributary, is crossed by the Oyan River Dam
which supplies water to Abeokuta and Lagos.
In densely populated areas the river is used for bathing, washing and drinking. It also serves as a drain for mostly organic wastes from abattoirs located along the river's course.
The catechist Charles Phillips, father of the Charles Phillips
who later became Bishop of Ondo, wrote in 1857 that the Ogun River was generally worshipped by the people who live along its banks from its rise until where it empties into the lagoon.
The river ran through the heart of the old Oyo Empire
. Metropolitan Oyo was divided into six provinces with three on the west side of the Ogun River and three to the river's east.
At one time, the river formed an important route for traders carrying goods by canoe between Abeokuta
and the Lagos Colony
.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
that discharges into the Lagos Lagoon
Lagos Lagoon
Lagos Lagoon is a lagoon sharing its name with the city of Lagos, Nigeria, the second largest city in Africa, which lies on its south-western side...
.
Course and usage
The river rises in Oyo StateOyo State
Ọyọ State is an inland state in south-western Nigeria, with its capital at Ibadan. It is bounded in the north by Kwara State, in the east by Osun State, in the south by Ogun State and in the west partly by Ogun State and partly by the Republic of Benin....
near Shaki
Shaki, Nigeria
Shaki is a relatively big town situated in the northern part of Oyo State in western Nigeria.-Location:The terrain is hilly. It lies near the source of the Ofiki River, the chief tributary of the Ogun River, about 40 miles from the Benin border. It is referred to as the food basket of Oyo...
at coordinates 8°41′0"N 3°28′0"E and flow through Ogun State
Ogun State
Ogun State is a state in South-western Nigeria. It borders Lagos State to the South, Oyo and Osun states to the North, Ondo State to the east and the republic of Benin to the west. Abeokuta is the capital and largest city in the state...
into Lagos State
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
.
The river is crossed by the Ikere Gorge Dam
Ikere Gorge Dam
The Ikere Gorge Dam is a major earth-fill dam in Iseyin local government area of Oyo State in the south west of Nigeria on the Ogun River.Reservoir capacity is 690 million m3....
in the Iseyin
Iseyin
Iseyin is a city located in the Nigerian state of Oyo. It is approximately 100 kilometers north of Ibadan. The city is estimated to have a population of 236,000.The primary industry of the area is cotton-based textiles.It also known as the Home of "Aso Oke"...
local government area of Oyo State.
The reservoir capacity is 690 million m3.
The reservoir abuts the Old Oyo National Park
Old Oyo National Park
Old Oyo National Park is one of the National parks of Nigeria, located across northern Oyo State and southern Kwara State, Nigeria.It is rich in plant and animal resources including buffaloes, bushbuck and wide variety of birds....
, providing recreational facilities for tourists, and the river flows through the park.
The Ofiki River, which also rises near Shaki, is the Ogun River's chief tributary.
The Oyan River, another tributary, is crossed by the Oyan River Dam
Oyan River Dam
The Oyan River Dam is in Abeokuta North local government area of Ogun State in the West of Nigeria, about 20 km north west of the state capital Abeokuta. The dam crosses the Oyan River, a tributary of the Ogun River...
which supplies water to Abeokuta and Lagos.
In densely populated areas the river is used for bathing, washing and drinking. It also serves as a drain for mostly organic wastes from abattoirs located along the river's course.
History
In the Yoruba religion, Yemoja is the divinity of the Ogun River.The catechist Charles Phillips, father of the Charles Phillips
Charles Phillips (bishop)
Charles Phillips was a member of the Church Mission Society based in the Lagos Colony who became Bishop of Ondo.-Early career:Charles Phillips was the son of a former Egba slave also called Charles Phillips who returned from Sierra Leone to work as a catechist at Ijaye.Phillips gained his...
who later became Bishop of Ondo, wrote in 1857 that the Ogun River was generally worshipped by the people who live along its banks from its rise until where it empties into the lagoon.
The river ran through the heart of the old Oyo Empire
Oyo Empire
The Oyo Empire was a Yoruba empire of what is today southwestern Nigeria. The empire was established before the 14th century and grew to become one of the largest West African states encountered by European explorers. It rose to preeminence through its possession of a powerful cavalry and wealth...
. Metropolitan Oyo was divided into six provinces with three on the west side of the Ogun River and three to the river's east.
At one time, the river formed an important route for traders carrying goods by canoe between Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
and the Lagos Colony
Lagos Colony
Lagos Colony was a British colonial possession centered on the port of Lagos in what is now southern Nigeria. Lagos was annexed on 6 August 1861 and declared a colony on 5 March 1862....
.