Ilaje () is a Local Government Area in Ondo State, South-West Nigeria. Its headquarter is in the town of Igbokoda on the Olùwá river. It is inhabited by the Ilajes, who are a distinct migratory coastal group of ethnic Yoruba people indigenously spread along the coastal belts of; Ondo, Ogun, Lagos and Delta states. Large Ilaje communities can also be found in other littoral Nigerian states, including; Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and further afield along the Gulf of Guinea coastline, eastwards through Cameroon and as far south as Equatorial Guinea and Gabon, from Corisco bay to Libreville, where they make up the majority of the West African fishing community.
The Ilajes were originally made up of four geo-political entities, namely: Ode Ugbo, Ode Mahin, Ode Etikan and Aheri. While most towns and villages in the Mahin kingdom (Ode Mahin) are located on arable land, those in the other three polities of Ugbo, Aheri and Etikan kingdoms are spread out along the sandy beaches and swampy terrain of the Bight of Benin coast of the Atlantic Ocean.
Origins Ilajes were said to have left Ile Ife, their original ancestral home in the 10th century and migrated southwards towards the littoral coastline of southeastern Yorubaland. Today, they occupy the entire Atlantic shoreline of Ondo State, Nigeria with a significant proportion of the ilaje populace also settled on lands in the interior behind the coast such as Igbokoda.
Geography Ilaje local government area has an area of and a population of 290,615 at the 2006 census although the population can be said to have been under enumerated due to the riverine nature of the area, and lack of accessibility by road/land. Towards the western reaches, the Aheri and Etikan groups share a border with the Ijebus. The Ikale to the north bound the Mahins, the Itsekiri people who the Ilajes consider their cousins, share the eastern border with the Ugbos, the Yoruba speaking Apoi and Arogbo Ijaws are located to the north east in Ese Odo LGA and parts of Warri North, and the Atlantic Ocean is situated on the southern boundary. The projected population of the area in 2022 is over 445,000 inhabitants with a density of 328 people/km², and slightly more males than females. The terrain is criss-crossed by several rivers, creeks and lagoons such as; the Oluwa river, Alape river, Talita river, Igbokoda river, Ofara river, Ajapa creek, and the Mahin lagoon.
Ilaje Local Government was created out of the defunct Ilaje/Ese-Odo Local Government Area on October 1, 1996 by the Federal government of Nigeria. It consists of over four hundred towns and villages. It shares a local boundary in the North with Okitipupa Local Government within Ondo state, in the West with Ogun Waterside Local Government in Ogun State, in the East with Warri North in Delta State and bound in the south by Atlantic Ocean. It is covered by troughs and low land surfaces. The extreme South is covered by silt, mud flats and superficial sedimentary deposits.
The soil type is generally sandy along the coast, there is a contiguous sandy beach formation extending through the western part of the Local Government, from the Lekki peninsula in Lagos State to Araromi Seaside, Zion pepe, Agba, Etugbo, Ipare, Mahin and Ugbonla in the eastern part. The area is one of the highest coconut producing areas in West Africa. According to the 2006 National Population Census, the Local Government is one of the most populated in Ondo State, with a population figure of 289,838. It has a shoreline covering about 80 km, making Ondo State a state with one of the longest coastlines in Nigeria.
Lifestyle The Ilajes are one of Nigeria’s most resilient and enterprising coastal peoples. Their exceptional aquatic skills and ability to adapt enabled them to transform a challenging riverine environment into an economic advantage. This adaptability contributed to the development of prominent communities such as Ugbonla, Aiyetoro, Zion Pepe, and Orioke.
At its peak, Aiyetoro became particularly renowned for its economic prosperity, driven in part by the early discovery of crude petroleum. The community reportedly attained one of the highest per-capita income levels in Africa at the time, attracting visitors, tourists, researchers, and international attention. The Ilaje story remains a powerful example of resilience, innovation, and the ability to turn environmental challenges into opportunities.
Fishing is the major occupational engagement of the Ilajes. This is enhanced by about 75% of the area being riverine, granting easy access to the sea. The large scale fishing activities attract traders and consumers from all over the country. The largest fish market in Nigeria is situated in Igbokoda, the Headquarters of the Local Government. While timber portions of the timbers are essentially transported to Lagos for sales by means of the sea/water.
The natural environment of Ilajeland is particularly suitable for the development of large scale rice plantations and the salt industry. The occupational activities of the Ilajes include fishing, canoe making, lumbering, net making, mat making, launch building, farming and trading. Fishing however remains the major agricultural preoccupation of the Ilaje. This is underscored by the fact that the Ilaje's geographical sphere has one of the longest coastlines in Nigeria. Ilaje's fishing dexterity is underlined by a popular saying among the Ilaje which says that:
Ubo ẹri ipa tọ, ilaje gwa to rin meaning: Where the path of river currents flow through, there you will find the Ilaje.
Thousands of migrant Ilaje fishermen can be found in many other coastal communities all over Nigeria in places like; Epe, Escravos, Warri, Badagry, Brass, Nembe and beyond. Igbokoda, the Ilaje local government headquarters is fast becoming an international trade center as its popular market attracts traders not only from other part of Nigeria, but, also from other African countries. Ilaje fishing communities have over the years developed all along the eastern coastline of west Africa, particularly in Togo, Benin, Ghana, Cameroon and Gabon.
Ilajeland is only about from Lagos and its aquatic environment present the area as a suitable environment for tourism. It is hoped that the Ondo State government and the government of Nigeria will help develop it into a world class tourist attraction. In the past the entire area suffered serious neglect and marginalization in the hands of the government. However, it appears that the Ondo State government has come to realize the importance of Ilajeland not only because it is her only outlet to the sea but also because it is her economic power house. The Ondo state government has managed to construct a few link roads between the ilaje coast and the hinterland, however, the Ilaje corridor is part of the ongoing Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway project being built and funded by the Federal Government of Nigeria, with of it running through Ilaje territory.
The highlight of the Ondo State's recent development efforts is the acquisition of about of land to be developed and built as a satellite town for the people displayed from their homes in towns and villages on the Atlantic coastline as a result of petroleum drilling and exploratory activities. No doubt, there is a big future for the area especially with the Olokola Development project by Ondo and Ogun State Governments.
Climate change & Coastal erosion Several Ilaje communities are severely threatened by constant sea surges accompanied by coastal attrition/erosion and land loss, a process which geologists term as Rapid coastal regression, leading to the loss of valuable property and territory. According to reports, as much as of such littoral land is lost annually. The most severely affected communities include; Ayetoro, Idiogba, Mese, Gbarira, Awoye, Igo, Molutehin and Jiringho. Over the years, several Ilaje communities have been completely lost to the Atlantic Ocean, while many others have had to relocate from their original locations to other areas.
Towns, Villages and Camps Nowadays, all Ilaje settlements in Ondo state can are grouped under 4 major and 4 minor kingdoms namely; Mahin under His Royal Majesty, Amapetu of Mahin Ugbo under His Royal Majesty Olugbo of Ugbo Kingdom. Aheri under the Maporure Etikan under the Onikan of Etikan
Odonla under the Alagho of Odonla Obenla land under the Olubo of Obenla Obe Ogbaro land under the Odoka of Obe Ogbaro Igbokoda under the Olu of Igbokoda and Igbo egunrin under the Odede of Igbo egunrin.
Ondo State Ugbo Kingdom
Abetobo zion Abokiti Ago Alufa Ago nati Ajegunle Alagbon zion Alagbon Amehin Apata ilaje Asumaga Awoye Ayetoro Bijimi Bowoto Eke atiye Eke baale Eke didi Eke ilutitun Eke itiola Eke maha Eke moki Eke nla Eke ofolajetan Eke yonren Ernna ogbeni Erunna Erunna lagbe Gbagara Idi-ogba Idogun Idogun ayadi Idogun ehinmore Ikorigho Ilepete Ilowo Ilowo ayetoro Ilowo Nla Ilowo ogunsemore Iluabo Imoluwa Jinrinwo Lepe Molutehin Obe Adun Obe akingboye Obe apata Obe Arenewo Obe Dapo Obe Enikanselu Obe ifenla Obe Iji Obe Jedo Obe Magbe Obe Nla Obe Ogbaro Obe Olomore Obe Orisabinone Obe Rebimino Obe Rewoye Obe Sedara Odofado Odonla Odonla meduoye Odun Ogungbeje Odun ojabireni Odun oriretan Odun Oyinbo Odun Yonren Ogbongboro Ogboti Oghoye Ojumole Okun ipin Olotu Olotu kuwo Olotu niye Olotu yara Orioke Harama Oroto Otumara Otumara seaside Owoleba Saheyi Uba Korigho Ubale Ubale kekere Ubale nla Ugbage Ugbo Ugbonla Womitenren Yaye Zion Ikerigho Zion Iluabo
Mahin Kingdom
Abealala Ipare Alape junction Abereke Aboto Ago Doroh Ago Ikuebolati Ago Lulu Ago Olomidegun Akata Alagbede Aruwayo Asisa Atijere Betiegbofo Broke Camp Ebute Ipare Ehin - Osa Elegboro Ereke Ereke Majofodun Ereke Makuleyi Etigho Gbabijo Ibila Idigho Igbegunrin Igbo - Okuta Igbobi Igbokoda Igbolomi Ikale Camp Iloro Ilu Sosi Imoluwa Ita - Age Italita Camp Itebukunmi Job Camp Korolo Kugbonre Kurugbene Legha Lerenren Logede Camp Madagbayi Magbehinwa Mogbojuri Mahin Mahintedo Maran Matiminu Moferere Mogunyanje Motiala Motoro Odun Oloja Odun Oluma Odun Oroyo Odunmogun Ogorogo Ohaketa Camp Ojan Oke Etigho Okishilo Okoga Okunniyi Olosunmeta Opolo Orere - Ara Oribero Orimoloye Orioke Iwamimo Oriranyin Orofin Camp Oropo Zion Oroyomi Pete-Inu Piawo Ramasilo Seja Odo Seja Oke Seluwa Tedo Camp Tomoloju Tomoloju Camp Ugbaha Zion Gbabijo Zion Igbokoda Zion Mahintedo Zion Ogogoro
Etikan Kingdom
Agba Gana Ago Apeja Ago Buli Ago Egun Ago Festus Ago Gbobaniyi Ago Ijebu Ago Ikumapayi Ago Iwabi Ago Lubi Ago Oluji Aiyetitun Araromi Etikan Igbobi Ikaji Etikan Moborode Obalende Etikan Ode Etikan Oja Igo Etikan Oja oje Oja Osho Oja Temidire Oke Harama Okonla Okun Eikan Ramasilo Etikan Uba Agba Uba Akobi Uba Domi Uba Etikan Uba Kalebari Uba Oke Kelian Uba Ropeda Uba Yellow
Aheri Kingdom
Agbala Obi Agbala Olope Meji Agerige Town Agerige Zion Aheri Camp Ajebamidele Akata Ako Ira-Oba Araromi Sea-side Enu-Ama Ideghele Idigbengbin Igogun Ihapen Ilefunfun Ipepe Mofehintokun Okesiri Olopo Ramasilo Temidire Ubalogun Zion pepe
Igbotu
Aboromeji Aboto Camp Ago Ago-Ogele Ago-Yellow Amayetigba Araromi Arigbe Camp Baale Camp Bisewe Golote Ebidlo Ekohebo Camp Enikorogha Epewe Eredase Camp Esenoko Camp Gbabijo Gunmagun Camp Hamidifa Idigba Camp Igbebomi Iyara Igbobini Igbolani-Arubenghan Igbotu Igbotu-Atijo Igbotu-Gbaluwe Igbotu-Zion Igirikile Imobi Itebetabe Camp Iyara Kafawe Kitikoro Kolodi Camp Kurugbene Lagereke Laporen Camp Lobele Camp Logede Lumoko Camp Moboro Village Odibo Ogbeni Camp Ogunmade Okoro Okorogbene Okuru Camp Olorunsola Camp Olowo Camp Oluagbo Omukoro Camp Onipanu Ago Bagi Onisosi Otarogbene Camp Pee Camp Pghono Camp Piria Shabomi Babomi Sogbo Camp Surulere Yogha Zion
Delta State
Egbokuta Ago ila Ago kutu Ilesanmi Costain Ago Ilaje Surulere Agodo Ogo-Oluwayo Ogidigben seashore Ago Gboro
Ogun State
Itebu Manuwa Ajegunle Ayetumara Igbo Edu Arijan Obinehin
Disputed (Ondo & Ogun)
Irokun Eba