Ile-Ife, also called Ife, is an ancient Yoruba city in southwestern Nigeria's Osun State, founded sometime between 1000 BC and 500 BC. By 900 AD the city had become an important West African emporium producing sophisticated art forms, and it is known for its ancient bronze, stone and terracotta sculptures dating between 1200 and 1400 CE. It lies about 218 kilometers northeast of Lagos and has a population of over 500,000, the highest of any city in Osun State as of the 2006 census. In Yoruba religious tradition Ile-Ife was founded by the Supreme Deity Olodumare through Obatala, later passing to his brother Oduduwa, whose descendants became rulers of many Yoruba kingdoms, and the current Ooni of Ife, its traditional ruler, has held the position since 2015.
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