at12°16′N 6°33′E
Sagamu or Shagamu is a city 12°16′N 6°33′E and the headquarters of the Local Government Area of the same name in southwestern Nigeria

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...

 located in 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...

 near the Ibu River.

The LGA has an area of 614 km² and a population of 253,412 at the 2006 census.

The postal code

Postal code

A postal code is a series of letters and/or digits appended to a postal address for the purpose of sorting mail. Once postal codes were introduced, other applications became possible.In February 2005, 117 of the 190 member countries of the Universal Postal Union had postal code systems...

 of the area is 121.

The Sagamu region is underlain by major deposits of limestone

Limestone

Limestone is a sedimentary rock composed largely of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of calcium carbonate . Many limestones are composed from skeletal fragments of marine organisms such as coral or foraminifera....

, which is used in the city's major industry, the production of cement

Cement

In the most general sense of the word, a cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens independently, and can bind other materials together. The word "cement" traces to the Romans, who used the term opus caementicium to describe masonry resembling modern concrete that was made from crushed...

. Agricultural products of the region include cocoa and kola nuts. Sagamu is the largest kola nut collecting center in the country. The kola nut industry supports several secondary industries such as basket

Basket

A basket is a container which is traditionally constructed from stiff fibres, which can be made from a range of materials, including wood splints, runners, and cane. While most baskets are made from plant materials, other materials such as horsehair, baleen, or metal wire can be used. Baskets are...

 and rope

Rope

A rope is a length of fibres, twisted or braided together to improve strength for pulling and connecting. It has tensile strength but is too flexible to provide compressive strength...

 manufacturing, which are used to store the kola nuts.

Sagamu is the part of the Yoruba

Yoruba people

The Yoruba people are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa. The majority of the Yoruba speak the Yoruba language...

 cultural region of southwestern Nigeria. The city was founded in the mid-19th century when several small towns united for purposes of defense during the wars brought about by the fall of the 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...

. Sagamu controlled the trade routes between the ports in the Niger Delta

Niger Delta

The Niger Delta, the delta of the Niger River in Nigeria, is a densely populated region sometimes called the Oil Rivers because it was once a major producer of palm oil...

 and the Yoruba mainland until the British

British Empire

The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...

 occupied the city at the end of the 19th century. Sagamu has experienced both population and economic growth since the 1950s due to its position between the cities of Ibadan

Ibadan

Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...

 and Lagos

Lagos

Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...

. The population in 1995 was 114,300 but 2007 estimates place it as high as 228,382.
Sagamu is the new seat of the Akarigbo of Remo

Akarigbo of Remo

The Akarigbo of Remo or Lord of Remo is a title of Kingship attributed to the Obas or Lords of the Yoruba town of Sagamu . This town and its surrounding areas are part of a larger community known as the Ijebu Kingdom.-Background:...

 ("King" or "Lord" of Remo), the traditional ruler of the Remo

Ijebu

Ijebu was a Yoruba kingdom in pre-colonial Nigeria. It formed around the fifteenth century. According to legend, its ruling dynasty was founded by Obanta of Ile-Ife...

 Kingdom. The former seat was located in the area of Offin. Four ruling families are eligible to wear the beaded crown of the Akarigbo, all descending from the first Oba, Akarigbo, a prince of the house of Oduduwa

Oduduwa

Oduduwa Omoluabi, Olofin Adimula, Emperor of the Yoruba, phonetically written by his people as Odùduwà and sometimes contracted as Odudua or Oòdua, is generally held among the Yoruba to be the reigning ancestor of the crowned Yoruba kings....

. The current Akarigbo is His Royal Majesty Oba M.A. Sonariwo. Notable areas within Sagamu are Sabo, Makun, GRA and Ijokun.