Lifestyle

Premium Cocoa Products (Ile-Oluji) Limited: Reviving Nigeria’s Cocoa Legacy

Published

4 months ago

October 18, 2025

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

A look at the historic cocoa processing factory in Ondo State that continues to drive Nigeria’s agro-industrial future.

Location: Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, Nigeria

The Premium Cocoa Products (Ile-Oluji) Limited stands as one of Nigeria’s most enduring symbols of agricultural resilience and industrial revival. Located in Ile-Oluji, Ondo State, the factory has remained a vital player in the nation’s cocoa value chain since its establishment in 1984. As a subsidiary of the Johnvents Group, the company continues to strengthen Nigeria’s position as one of the world’s leading producers of cocoa and cocoa derivatives.

A Legacy Rooted in Nigeria’s Cocoa Heritage

Nigeria’s cocoa industry once formed the backbone of its economy, particularly before the oil boom of the 1970s. In this golden era, the southwestern states — notably Ondo, Oyo, Ogun, and Osun — flourished as centres of cocoa farming and trade. The creation of Premium Cocoa Products (Ile-Oluji) Limited in 1984 marked a significant effort to industrialise this agricultural wealth by processing raw cocoa locally rather than exporting it unprocessed.

Located in the lush cocoa belt of Ondo State, the factory became a strategic hub for processing cocoa beans into semi-finished and finished products for both local and international markets. It remains a reminder of Nigeria’s potential to diversify its economy through agriculture and agro-processing.

Industrial Significance and Production Capacity

Today, Premium Cocoa Products operates as one of Nigeria’s oldest surviving cocoa processing plants, maintaining a strong foothold in the sector through innovation and sustainability. The factory boasts an impressive annual processing capacity of 30,000 metric tonnes of raw cocoa beans, transforming them into key derivatives such as cocoa butter, cocoa cake, and cocoa powder.

These products serve as essential raw materials for the food, beverage, and cosmetics industries, catering to both domestic consumption and export demand. The company’s commitment to maintaining high-quality standards has helped it retain relevance in an increasingly competitive global cocoa market.

Subsidiary of the Johnvents Group: A New Chapter of Growth

The modern resurgence of the Ile-Oluji cocoa factory can be credited to the Johnvents Group, a leading Nigerian agribusiness conglomerate with interests in processing, trading, and exporting agricultural commodities. Under Johnvents’ management, the plant has undergone significant refurbishment and technological upgrades aimed at boosting efficiency, sustainability, and international competitiveness.

The acquisition and revitalisation of the factory reflect the group’s vision to restore Nigeria’s lost glory in the cocoa industry by promoting local value addition. This aligns with the federal government’s broader agenda of encouraging agricultural industrialisation and reducing reliance on crude oil exports.

Economic and Social Impact

The factory plays a vital socio-economic role in Ondo State and beyond. By sourcing cocoa beans directly from local farmers, Premium Cocoa Products contributes to rural income generation, employment, and community development. The facility provides jobs for hundreds of Nigerians — from factory workers to logistics providers — while indirectly supporting thousands of smallholder cocoa farmers across the region.

In addition, the company fosters partnerships that encourage best practices in cocoa cultivation, ensuring quality control and sustainability in line with global standards. Through training and collaboration, it empowers farmers to improve yields and adopt environmentally friendly methods, reinforcing Nigeria’s reputation for producing premium-quality cocoa.

Commitment to Quality and Sustainability

Premium Cocoa Products (Ile-Oluji) Limited has established a reputation for adhering to strict quality and sustainability standards. Its operations are guided by international certification protocols that ensure traceability and compliance with ethical sourcing practices.

The company has also embraced eco-friendly production methods, reducing waste and promoting energy efficiency. By maintaining consistency in product quality, it continues to attract global buyers and contributes to Nigeria’s non-oil export growth — an essential step toward a more diversified national economy.

Ondo State: The Cocoa Heartland of Nigeria

Ondo State, often regarded as Nigeria’s “Cocoa Capital,” has long been central to the country’s agricultural story. The state’s fertile soil and favourable climate make it ideal for cocoa cultivation, and the presence of the Premium Cocoa Products factory further enhances its industrial profile.

Beyond cocoa, Ondo State is also investing in cassava, oil palm, and timber industries, but cocoa remains a defining feature of its identity. The Ile-Oluji factory thus stands not just as an industrial site but as a cultural and economic monument representing decades of agricultural excellence.

A Vision for the Future

With continued investment and innovation, Premium Cocoa Products (Ile-Oluji) Limited aims to expand its capacity, explore new export markets, and deepen its impact within Nigeria’s agricultural ecosystem. The company’s mission aligns with national and global goals of sustainable agriculture, economic diversification, and inclusive growth.

Its success story demonstrates how Nigeria can transition from a raw commodity exporter to a value-added manufacturing nation — creating jobs, generating revenue, and preserving the legacy of cocoa as one of the country’s proudest agricultural assets.

References:

Johnvents Group Official Website (2023)

Nigerian Export Promotion Council (NEPC) Cocoa Export Reports

Vanguard Nigeria: “Johnvents Revives Ile-Oluji Cocoa Processing Plant” (2022)

Premium Times Nigeria: “Nigeria’s Cocoa Industry and the Push for Local Value Addition” (2023)

Ondo State Ministry of Agriculture Annual Report (2022)

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Lifestyle

THE LIST OF 60 LAGOS TOWNS AND THEIR FOUNDERS. (Yorùbá history is still intact)

Published

5 hours ago

February 1, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

1.Isheri Olofin – Olofin Ogunfunminire and his retinue from Ife before moving on to Ebute Metta and Iddo
2.Iddo Island – Olofin Ogunfunminire (See above)
3.Lagos Island/Eko – Aromire, son of Ogunfunminire. Iduganran was the site of a pepper farm (Ereko or Oko).
4.Iru/Victoria island – Oniru Origefon traditionally part of the idejo land owning children of Ogunfunminire
5.Ikate/Elegushi – Elegushi Kusenla (Another member of the idejo class)
6.Otto/Mainland – Pawu ogboja oloto
7.ijora/Orile iganmu – Kueji/Isikoko ojora
8.Ajiran – Ojomu Ejo/Mogisho, brother to Olofin Ogunfunminire
9.Ikoyi – Onikoyi Adeyemi/Efunluyi
10.Ebute Lekki (Ileke) – Lootu son of Labolo, grandson of Oba Alara of Epe.
11.Ibeju – Abeju Agbeduwa originally from ife through the coastal Ijebu area
12.Ajah – Olumegbon/Ogunsemo/Ojupon
13.Otto Awori – Aregi Ope, Iworu Oloja and Odofin, all part of the original Awori stream from Ife.
14.Ojo – Esugbemi/Erelu/Osu
15.Iba – Àyoká Oniba ekun
16.Mushin – Oduabore/Aileru
17.Isolo – Akinbaye/Alagbeji
18.Ejigbo – Fadu onimewon/Olojan
19.Ikotun – Ategbo Olukotun
20.Egbe – Kudaki/Akeja
21.Oshodi/isolo – Olusi onigbesa/Agedegudu
22.Ijegun – Ajibade Agbojojoye
23.Igando – Eseba onimaba/oko osi/Eshidana
24.Eleko – Sobokunren
25.Akesan – Ominuye/Aina òdofin
26.Ogba (Ikeja) – Owoeni Asade/Madarikan
27.Ogudu – Amosu from Ile ife
28.Ikeja – Amore/Ikudehinbu
29.Aguda/Surulere – Gboin /Odunburé
30.Itiré – Òtá Onitire
31.Ilasa – Àbere ijé
32.Onigbongbo – Ikunyasun Àwusefa
33.Irewe – Edinni/Ojube/Oluwen
34.Ikosi-Kosofe – Aina ejo from Isheri
35.Idimu – Eletu Apataiko (Isa Aperindeja Olugoké)
36.Ilara-Epe – Tunse/Sabolujo/Alara Adejuwon
37.Ibonwon – Soginná from Ijebu
38.Ketu (kosofe) – Balogun oyero from Ketu-Ile
39.Ojokoro – Oniojugbelé Adeitan from Ota
40.Ikaare – Ikeja Ajija
41.Orile Agege – Efunmikan
42.Obele odan (Surulere) – Alago asalu
43.Ikorodu – Oga from Epe Sagamu
44.Epe – Uraka from Ife joined by Isein & Modu of Omu. they settled under a Popoka tree, that site became Poka township. Alaro (a woman) later joined. Then Ramope, Ogunmude and Oloja Shagbafara joined from Ijebu ode.
45.Odo Ayandelu – Ayandelu from Ile ife
46.Agbowa – Olayeni Otutubiosun son of Owa Otutubiosun who was Awujale, and grandson of Lafogido of Ife.
47.Igbogbo – Oshinbokunren
48.Meiran – Oroja from Ota
49.Imota – Ranodu from Ijebu
48.Owode Apa badagy – Oganogbodo-Akereyaso/Asese Alapa
50.Ajido – Aholu sagbe from Allada
51.Oworoshoki – Ajumogijo
52.Iworo/Imeke – Ajagunosin/Adejori isejoye
53.Badagy – Egun people from Popo, Allada, Wida and Weme who fled the wars of the Dahomey conquest of the coastal kingdoms of Allada and Igelefe (Ouidah) to come settle of Apa lands to their east.
54.Ejinrin – Loofi Ogunmude founded Ejinrin around 1619
55.Eputu Lekki – Ogunfayo
56.Orimedu Ibeju/Lekki – Ladejobi left Ife to Okegun then crossed the Lekki Lagoon.
57.Akodo – Oyemade Ogidigan
58.Offin – Liyangu of Ife.
59.Ibonwon – Soginna from Ijebu ode.
60.Ijede – Ajede

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Lifestyle

Ìwòyè-Kétu: The Yoruba Town That Spans Two Nations and Lives by Ancient Taboos

Published

23 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Ìwòyè-Kétu is one of the most remarkable Yoruba communities in West Africa, not only for its deep-rooted traditions but also for its unique geopolitical identity. The ancient town straddles two modern nation-states—Nigeria and the Republic of Benin—yet remains culturally, spiritually, and traditionally unified as one Yoruba settlement.

A Town Without Borders in Spirit

Geographically, Ìwòyè-Kétu is primarily located in Imeko/Afon Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria, while its western section lies across the international boundary in the Republic of Benin. This border, imposed during the colonial partition of Africa, cuts through the town but has failed to divide its people.

Families live on both sides of the boundary, speak the same Yoruba dialect, observe the same customs, and recognise one traditional authority. Daily life reflects this dual reality: residents freely transact using both the Nigerian naira and the West African CFA franc, depending on location and convenience.

Unified Kingship Across Nigeria and Benin

Despite existing in two countries, Ìwòyè-Kétu is governed traditionally by one paramount ruler. The recognised monarch is:

His Royal Majesty Oba (Sir) Isaac Adegbenro Oyero,
the Ooye of Ìwòyè-Kétu, also styled Adekilúrójú – Ada Páàkó II.

His authority is acknowledged by the community on both sides of the border, making Ìwòyè-Kétu a rare example of a binational Yoruba town under a single royal institution.

Origins in Ile-Ife

According to Yoruba oral tradition, Ìwòyè-Kétu was founded by Olúmu (or Olómù), a legendary migrant from Ilé-Ifẹ̀, the spiritual homeland of the Yoruba people. Like many Yoruba settlements, its founding narrative emphasises migration from Ife, reinforcing the town’s ancient roots within the broader Yoruba civilisational story.

Ìwòyè-Kétu forms part of the historic Kétu region, once a powerful Yoruba kingdom before European colonial boundaries fragmented it between British-ruled Nigeria and French-ruled Dahomey (now Benin).

Sacred Taboos That Still Govern Daily Life

Ìwòyè-Kétu is widely known for its strict traditional prohibitions, which continue to be enforced by custom and belief:

Use of umbrellas is strictly forbidden anywhere within the town.

Rearing pigs is prohibited, and pork is traditionally avoided.

In some oral accounts, digging wells is either forbidden or tightly regulated.

These taboos are believed to be tied to ancestral covenants, spiritual agreements, and the town’s founding myths. Violations are traditionally thought to invite misfortune, reinforcing collective adherence across generations.

Language, Culture, and Continuity

Despite the Nigeria–Benin divide, Ìwòyè-Kétu remains culturally seamless. Yoruba language, customs, festivals, and lineage systems are shared. The town stands at a linguistic crossroads where English and French meet administratively, but Yoruba remains dominant socially and spiritually.

A Living Example of Pre-Colonial African Unity

Ìwòyè-Kétu exemplifies how pre-colonial African societies continue to transcend modern borders. Long before Nigeria or Benin existed, the town functioned as a single cultural entity—and it still does.
In an era where borders often define identity, Ìwòyè-Kétu reminds us that history, tradition, and shared ancestry can be stronger than lines drawn on maps.

Sources

Yoruba oral traditions and local historical accounts of Ìwòyè-Kétu

Ogun State local government and cultural heritage records (Imeko/Afon LGA)

Nigerian media reports and cultural features on Ìwòyè-Kétu’s taboos and binational status

Community welcome signage and local testimonies

Cross-border Yoruba history of the Kétu Kingdom (Nigeria–Benin)

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Lifestyle

Emotan; The Benin Heroine (PHOTOS)

Published

23 hours ago

January 31, 2026

Oluwagbenga Olaoye

Throughout history, in every culture around the world, extraordinary women have pushed society to think bigger, move forward and create.

Emotan is a glowing example of boundless courage and world-changing ingenuity.

Emotan a market woman, single-handedly raised an army and overthrew the illegal regime of Oba Uwaifiokun who usurped his brother and conspired with his chief to kill King Ewuare.

She protected Oba Ewuare in her hut and showed him kindness when he was trying to reclaim his throne back.

Emotan helped install Oba Ewuare the Great, who was the most outstanding Oba in the ancient Benin Kingdom around 1440AD.

Eventually, when Oba Ewuare regained his throne, Emotan became the King’s favourite citizen.

Moreso, her kindness wasn’t restricted to the Oba alone, history tells us that Emotan converted her hut to a crèche to help nursing mothers who patronized her or came to the market for other things.

At that time, her daycare centre was popular in Benin and it can be said authoritatively that she started the first-day care centre in Benin.

After her death, her body was buried at the Oba market at the exact spot where she sold her goods. A tree was planted on her grave and she is being worshipped as the mother of love and kindness