Ife

If? (or Il?-If?, as it is properly known) is an ancient Yor?b? city in south-western Nigeria. Evidence of settlement of the city has been discovered dating back as far as 500 BC.

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Today a mid-sized city, If? is home to the Obafemi Awolowo University and Nigeria's Natural History Museum. If? has a strong claim to be the spiritual centre of the Yor?b? people. According to Yor?b? legend, If? is where the founding deities Od?duw? and Ob?t?l? began the creation of the world, as directed by the paramount deity Ol?d?mar?. Ob?t?l? created the first humans out of clay, while Odudua became the first divine king of the Yor?b?. The ??ni (King) of If? claims direct descent from the god Odudua, and is counted first among Yor?b? kings.

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Between 700 and 900 A.D., If? began to develop as a major artistic centre, and the city was a settlement of substantial size between the 9th and 12th centuries, with houses featuring potsherd pavement. If? is known worldwide for its ancient and naturalistic bronze, stone and terracotta sculptures, which reached their peak of artistic expression between 1200 and 1400 A.D. After this period, production declined as political and economic power moved to the nearby kingdom of Benin.

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It is located in the present day, Osun state. With a population of 501,952. Ife people are of the Yoruba ethnic group, the largest single ethnic group in Nigeria. Ife City has a local television station called NTA Ife. Ife city is home to various businesses. Ife City is the trade center for a farming region. Yams, cassava, grain, and tobacco are grown. Cotton is grown and used to weave cloth. Hotels in Ife include Hotel Diganga, Ife-Ibadan, Mayfair Hotel Ltd. Ife, P.O. Box 163 022-2102, 2254 Obafemi Awolowo University Guest House etc. Sport: Ife has a stadium with a capacity of 9,000 and a second division professional league team.

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City: :For alternate meanings see city (disambiguation)...

Nigeria: The Federal Republic of Nigeria is a country in West Africa. It is the most populous country in Africa. It borders Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, Niger in the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the south. Major cities include the capital Abuja, the former capital Lagos, Ibadan, Osog...

500 BC: REDIRECT 509?500 BC...