HISTORY OF OFFA LOCAL GOVERNMENT
Offa,
the Headquarters of Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State is a town Located
in Central Nigeria with coordinates: 89N 443E. Offa as a town is also the
traditional headquarters of Ibolo speaking people of kwara and Osun States.
Offa was also the headquarters of old Oyun Local Government Area of Kwara State
before Offa Local Government Area was created from the old Oyun Local
Government Area on Wednesday 27th August, 1991 with it headquarter at Offa.
Offa Local Government covers a landmass of about 4992 square kilometers. The vegetation in Offa is savanna vegetation. The earlier settlers in Offa were predominantly farmers with the production of 'ANOMO' (Sweet potatoes) as one of the highest revenues generating farm products of Offa people apart from 'Anomo' include: Yam, Maize, Cassava, Guinea con among others. Cattle, goats and sheep are also raised in the community. The key religions practiced in the town are Islam and Christianity. The ancient traditional activity for which the town is known is wrestling. Offa is on the railway line from Lagos, the former Capital of Nigeria, and Offa served as the railway terminus before the line was extended North to Kano and Nguru. Owode market in Offa serves as the council’s major economic nerve Centre where revenue is being generated daily to supplement the Federal Revenue Allocation. Offa people are highly enterprising and the people engage in big time business. However, education is seen as a major industry in Offa, Local Government Area. Educational tertiary institutions in the town include The Federal Polytechnic, Offa, established in 1992, the Kwara State College of Heath Technology and Nigeria Navy school of Heath Sciences. There are also two privates Universities, school of basic studies, National Teachers Institutes. There are over 53 public primary schools, over 54 privates Nursery/Primary schools, over 17 Government Grant Aided Secondary Schools and over 10 privates Secondary Schools.
OFFA LGA HAS 12 POLITICAL WARDS,
THESE INCLUDE:
Balogun Ward
Essa 'A' Ward
Essa 'B' Ward
Essa 'C’ Ward
Igbodun Ward
Ojomu Central 'A' Ward
Ojomu North West Ward
Ojomu Central 'B' Ward
Ojomu South East Ward
Shawo Central Ward
Shawo South East Ward
Shawo South West Ward.
The major festivals include: Eid el Kabir, Eid el fitri, Christmas and New Year while the Equngun, Moremi and Ijakadi festival.
