ABOUT EFON ALAAYE

Efon Alaaye is located on Longitude 4.8 degrees - East and Latitude 7.6 degrees - North. It is situated on an elevation of about 500 metres above sea level. It is a very large town covering several hills, hill sides, plains and valleys, hence we talk of areas like Oke Imolekere, Oke Iloja, Oke Are, Oke Ojabalu, Oke Ahun, Odo Ijao, Odo Ibete, Odo Ejigan, etc. The prefix Oke means (hills) and Odo means (Valley). There are many streams flowing round the town but none passes through the town. The topography of the town is mountainous and the hills were claimed to be of advantage to the people of the town during the days of the inter-tribal wars. The hills made invasion of Efon difficult for invaders, hence, the saying "Oke lo mu Alaaye tile ogun" - (the mountain emboldens the Alaaye to wage war). "Omo-Oloke lomoke gun" - It is the son of the soil that can climb the hills with ease. The effect of this unique topography is that it has produced a sort of sturdy and determined people capable of fighting against the forces of nature for their existence. This can be seen in the way Efon people are building fantastic structures despite the topography of the town - These hills which gave security advantage to the early settlers are now a cause of serious erosion problems to the people of the town. With development and destruction of the vegetation for the purpose of expansion and construction, soil erosion has now created a lot of gullies in the town.
CLIMATE AND VEGETATION
Efon is situated in the tropical zone. In the dry season, the town experiences very severe harmattan with temperatures high in the afternoons but very low in the evenings. Until recently it was impossible to get a mosquito inside Efon Alaaye township. The dry season begins towards the end of October and ends in early March; the raining season begins in April and ends in October; Efon Alaaye climate encourages a luxuriant forest growth.
OCCUPATION
The Efon people are predominately farmers producing food crops like yams, maize, cassava, rice, fruits and vegetables. They also produce cash crops like, cocoa, kolanut, timber and palm oil. Efon is one of the major producers of upland rice in Ekiti State. The people are also traders.
INDUSTRIES The people are engaged in black smithing, wood carving, dyeing, weaving and dressmaking. Other pursuits include saw milling, block making and sand and stone quarrying.
ADMINISTRATION The Alaaye is the traditional head of the town. His official residence is in AFIN (Palace Residence). The town is grouped into six quarters, each under a quarter head - the quarter heads are called the "Iwarafas." . The Alaaye and the Quarter Heads constitute the ALAAYE IN COUNCIL, the Alaaye In Council is in large of the daily administration of the town. The Quarters and titles of the Quarter heads are as follows:
AAYE --- Obanla
OBALU --- Obaloja
EJIGAN --- Oisajigan
EMO --- - Alaayo
ISAJA --- - Peteko
IKAGBE --- - Ojubu
The quarter heads are called High Chiefs. Each of the Quarter Heads has other Chiefs under him who helps in the day to day running of the administration of the quarter. Each of them has an official traditional residence which is like a palace. All the quarter heads are responsible to the Alaaye.
Religion
The three main religions are represented in Efon: Traditional, Islam and Christianity. Efon Alaaye is strong-hold of the Christian religion, particularly the Christ Apostolic Church. This is attributable to the fact that Efon Alaaye was the operational base of the founder and first Evangelist of the Christ Apostolic Church - The Late Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola, of blessed memory. The people of the town still observe festivals such as Egungun, Ogun and Ipori among several others.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS
The town has six Secondary Schools:
C. A. C. Grammar School
Efon Alaaye High School
Anglican Grammar School
St. Michael's Catholic Grammar School
Apostle Babalola Memorial Grammar School
Federal Government Girls Secondary School (established in 1999)
The former C. A. C. Teacher Training College was the Permanent Orientation Camp for the National Youth Service Corps in Ondo State. There are eighteen Primary Schools and some Nursery Schools also in town.
MEDICAL / HEALTH FACILITIES/ INFRA STRUCTURAL FACILITIES
The town has a General Hospital. There is also the Catholic Hospital, the Local Government Maternity Centre and several private clinics as well as Chemist and Patent Medicine Shops.
The town enjoys pipe-borne water supply and electricity.
The road net-work in the town needs urgent government attention. The roads linking the town with other towns need urgent repairs, -Efon, which is the gate-way to Ekitiland is now an enclave. There is a Post Office, managed by the Nigerian Postal Services (NIPOST). The town has good Hotels and Restaurants. There is a Commercial Bank, The First Bank of Nigeria PLC and a Community Bank.
The Town has two (2) Nigerian Police Stations with barracks and there is the presence of the Fire Brigade, with modern fire fighting equipment.
The Town has a modern Town Hall, which is well furnished.
The Town has an Inland Revenue/ Licencing Office and a Treasury Cash Office.
The Ondo State Broadcasting Repeater and NITEL Stations are sited on some of the hills surrounding the Town.

PLACES OF INTEREST

The places of interest in Efon are the Palace, the Babalola Mausoleum (where the late Apostle Joseph Ayo Babalola, founder of the C. A. C. Church and his father were buried)
The Oni River, which is a River of Spiritual importance, with people coming from far and near to pray at the stream. It was blessed by the late Apostle Babalola in the 1930's.
Oke Ahun - Agodo Ojodi, Agodo Ibete and Omi Afeni; (Afeni Stream), Omi Olua, which is noted for its cure of Guinea Worm. Other places of interest such as the Efon Hills, Oke Isegun, Oke Olatole, Oke Sagbonke, etc..