kingdom · West Africa

Kingdom of Akure

1150 CE – 1897 CE (approx.) · capital Akure

Yoruba city-kingdom of the Ekiti uplands, ruled by the Deji of Akure and long a borderland between Yoruba and Benin influence.

Origins

Akure traditions trace the dynasty to Omoremilekun Asodeboyede, a descendant of Oduduwa who is said to have left Ile-Ife and settled with his followers in the forest east of Ife. The kingdom is traditionally dated to the 12th century, though its early history is known mainly from oral tradition.

Rule and society

The Deji ruled with councils of senior chiefs and town quarters, over farmers of yams, cocoyams and later cocoa. Lying close to the Benin Empire, Akure was for long periods subject to Benin, whose influence shows in its titles and court customs. In the 19th century it joined the Ekiti Parapo alliance against Ibadan.

Decline and legacy

Akure came under British control in the 1890s and was incorporated into the Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. The city is now the capital of Ondo State, and the Deji of Akure remains its traditional ruler.

Few sources survive for this state; details are uncertain.

Connections (2)

  • Kingdom of Akure paid tribute to Benin Empire1500 CE – 1818 CE
  • Kingdom of Akure was a protectorate of Lagos Colony1897 CE – 1906 CE

More states of West Africa →

Cite this page
APA
The Epoch Institute. (2026). Kingdom of Akure. In The Epoch Institute States Register. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-akure
MLA
“Kingdom of Akure.” The Epoch Institute States Register, The Epoch Institute, 2026, https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-akure. Accessed .
Chicago
The Epoch Institute. “Kingdom of Akure.” The Epoch Institute States Register. 2026. https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-akure.
Harvard
The Epoch Institute (2026) ‘Kingdom of Akure’, The Epoch Institute States Register. Available at: https://the-epoch-institute.org/state/kingdom-of-akure (Accessed: ).

Last reviewed October 2026Random state ↻