Omu-Aran

Omu-Aran is a town in Kwara State, North Central Nigeria, and it is the Head Post of the Igbomina land. It is the local government headquarters of Irepodun local government.

Understand

History

Omu-Aran is a community that was founded due to the migration of people from Ile-Ife. According to folktales, there was said to be a drought in Ile-Ife, which necessitated some of the inhabitants to leave the town, as that was the recommended solution by the oracle consulted, claiming that the source of the problem was the overcrowded condition in the town. As a result, some princes were selected to migrate and establish in other places and were given the symbol of authority. One of the selected princes was Olomu-Aperan who was eventually the founder of Omu-Aran.

People

Omu-Aran is made up of people from different backgrounds that migrated to the present site of the town. The people of Omu-Aran are predominately farmers, but they are also famous for hand crafts like basket weaving and blacksmith works.

Climate

Omu-Aran has a tropical wet and dry or savanna climate and is located at an elevation of 536 m (1759 feet) above sea level.

The hot season has an average daily high temperature exceeding 89° from January 23 to April 11. March is the hottest month of the year, with an average high of 91°F and low of 71°F.

The chilly season, has an average daily high temperature below 82°F from June 21 to October 14. August is the coldest month of the year in Omu-Aran.

Omu-Aran has a tropical savanna climate, warm every month with both a wet and dry season.

See & do

The town is home to several traditional events.

• Egungun Festival. This is a common festival in the Yorubalands. The different varieties, which are named differently, includes àgbà, egungun pàràká, egungun ode (láyèwú), and egungun eléwe and they basically feature dancing and parading activities. Egungun festival is usually held once every two years in Omu-Aran and environs in remembrance of the ancestors. 
• Ogbo Festival. This is an openly held annual festival in Omu-Aran to pay homage to Ologbomona (Olomu Aperan) and to his goddess mother popularly called Omutoto (also known as "Ìyá Ògbó" or "Ìyá Àgbà"). This festival is popularly held in Omu-Aran (Igbomina Capital) on behalf of the entire Igbomina-Yoruba land 
• Epa and Angere Festival. This is also held in Omu-Aran within an interval of two years except at special occasions when Angere comes out to entertain the people. 
• Alata Festival. A traditional festivals that holds every one to two years, Alata is a kind of masquerade made with palm fronds and ashes. Alata runs in the streets, holding with him a cane and pursues after some selected runners that dare it. Beating with canes is part of the festival (in which individuals present at the venue will engage each other in beating with the slash of a cane). 

Eat

• Bamsgrills Omu-aran, 45, Salmon Owolewa Street Omu-Aran igangu-okeki Road, ☏ +234 907 823 8279. 10AM-9:30PM. They have different continental dishes like spaghetti salad, chicken and cheese, green pepper salad, chicken salad, shawarma, fried fish and chips, pizza, coconut rice, jollof rice and fried plantain omelettes, dessert. They offer dine for customers and their meals are pocket friendly. Take away packs are available here. ₦ 500. (updated Jul 2022)
• Best In Town, Agamo GRA, LGA, ☏ +234 907 823 8279. 8AM-9PM daily. They offer jollof rice, white rice and stew, porridge yam, beans and potatoes, coconut rice, African rice, egusi, Asun, Nkwobi, goat meat and all types of Yoruba soup. They have dine-in and take away. (updated Jul 2022)
• village kitchen and Arena, Bashy House, opposite Otolorin Filling Station, Ilorin, Egbe Rd, Way, ☏ +234 906 354 1005. 24 hours daily. They offer pounded yam, amala, jollof rice, fried rice, potatoes chips, egg rolls, barbecue sauce, chicken barbecue, doughnut, chocolate cake, catfish barbecue, shawarma, bushmeat soup, point and kill, small chops and other dishes. Their service includes dine-in, take away packs. 24/7 food services. ₦400. (updated Jul 2022)
• Adeola Food Canteen, 2WCG+VJW, Ora Rd, 234101, Ila Orangun. 7:30AM-6PM. Their meals include jollof rice, yellow rice, fried coconut rice, boiled yam, egg dish, amala and ewedu soup, beans and bread, their meals are pocket friendly. Service options: Dine in and take away packs. ₦300. (updated Jul 2022)
• Meprah restaurant ọmú aran, 5 ọmú aran, Kwara State. 8AM-9PM daily. Their meals include jollof rice, yellow rice, fried coconut rice, boiled yam, egg dish, beans and bread, their meals are pocket friendly. Service options: Dine in, take away, delivery. They also have a branch in Ilorin. (updated Jul 2022)

Sleep

• Markwood Hotel & Suite. A hotel with a gym and a pool. (updated Mar 2024)

Stay safe

Omu-aran is a cool state, it is known to be relatively safe as there is no real chaos in the state, the environment is serene and peaceful.

Connect

All major mobile phone service networks are available in Omu-Aran but with varying degree of reliability and usability. Often times, it is customary to experience network outage for all or some of the mobile phone service providers. Such situation is particularly common in some remote areas of the town. And it is also common for different networks to be more stable and reliable in different locations of the city at different times.

It is preferable if you are planning a visit to this town to have multiple SIM cards that cut across all the mobile service providers as you can't tell which will be more stable and reliable at a time in your location during your visit. And if you will risk not having any of them, you might be better off not dropping the MTN network, because, from indications, it seems to perform better than the others, though its rates may be high and its offers and services might be stringent, but you might be more assured of seamless voice and data connection. Not sure of a 4G network in the town but there are 2G and 3G broadband cellular network available include.

Glo (Globacom) boasts of fast network speed for internet browsing activities, but that might only be enjoyable in limited locations. Airtel is fairly satisfactory for all you might need to connect to the world, including rates and network stability. As for 9mobile, they also perform well in internet browsing speed but not without locational limitations.