[[Image:Locator Map Abeokuta-Nigeria.png|thumb|Location of Abeokuta in Nigeria]]
[[Image:Overlooking Abeokuta.jpg|thumb|Abeokuta as seen from [[Olumo Rock]]]]
'''Abẹokuta''' is a city in [[Ogun State]] in southwest [[Nigeria]] and is situated at {{coor at dms|7|9|39|N|3|20|54|E|region:NG_type:city(500000)}}, on the [[Ogun River]]; 64 miles north of [[Lagos]] by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2002, the Abẹokuta proper had an estimated population of about 230,000, while the figure for the city and outlying environs was approximately 500,000 individuals.

==Geography and agriculture==
Abẹokuta lies in fertile country, the surface of which is broken by masses of grey granite. It is spread over an extensive area, being surrounded by mud walls 18 miles in extent. Palm-oil, timber, [[rubber]], [[yam (vegetable)|yams]] and shea-butter are the chief articles of trade. It lies below the [[Olumo Rock|Olumọ Rock]], home to several caves and shrines.

==History==
Abẹokuta (a word meaning ''under the rocks''), dating from [[1825]], owes its origin to the inroads of the slavehunters from [[Dahomey]] and [[Ibadan]], which compelled the village populations scattered over the open country to take refuge in among the rocks surrounding the city. Here they constituted themselves a free confederacy of many distinct groups, each preserving the traditional customs, religious rites and even the very names of their original villages.

The original settlers of Abẹokuta were of the [[Egba|Ẹgba]] ethnicity.<ref name=canby>Canby, Courtlandt. ''The Encyclopedia of Historic Places''. (New York: Facts of File Publicantions, 1984) p. 2</ref> Later, some [[Yoruba people|Yoruba]] came to the city. [[Baptist]] and [[Anglican]] missionaries operated in the area in the 19th century.<ref name=canby/>

In 1851 and 1864 the forces of Abẹokuta defeated [[Dahomey|Dahomean]] slave raiders.<ref name=canby/>

In 1893 the [[Egba United Government|Ẹgba United Government]] based in Abẹokuta was recognized by the [[United Kingdom]]. In 1914, the city was made part of the colony of [[Nigeria]] by the British.<ref name=canby/>

==Notable natives==
The city is the birthplace of several famous Nigerians, including:
* [[Dotun Ransome Kuti|Dọtun Ransome Kuti]], teacher and clergyman
* [[Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti| Funmilayọ Ransome Kuti]], womens' rights activist
* [[Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola|Moshood Kaṣimawo Ọlawale Abiọla]], politician
* [[Fela Kuti| Fẹla Anikulapo Kuti]], musician and singer
* [[Peter Olakeinde Sogbesan|Peter Ọlakẹhinde Ṣogbẹsan]], civil servant
* [[Wole Soyinka|Wọle Ṣoyinka]], Nobel Prize-winning author
* [[Peter Akinola|Peter Akinọla]], Anglican archbishop
* [[Olusegun Obasanjo|Oluṣẹgun Ọbasanjọ]], [[President of Nigeria|President]] from 1999 to 2007

PROF. TAI SOLARIN
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tai_Solarin

Educator, activist, and author
==References==
<references/>
{{Wikisource1911Enc|Abeokuta}}
*{{1911}}

[[Category:Cities in Nigeria]]
[[Category:Nigerian state capitals]]
[[Category:Ogun State]]
[[Category:Abeokuta| ]]

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