town, Ekiti state, southwestern Nigeria, in the Yoruba Hills, at the intersection of roads from Ilesha, Ondo, and Ado-Ekiti. It was probably founded in the late 19th century, when both the Ilesha and Effon belonged to the Ekiti–Parapo, a Yoruba confederation that fought against the town of Ibadan, 68 miles (109 km) west-southwest, for control of the trade routes to the coast. Now a collecting point for cocoa, cotton, and palm oil and kernels, Effon-Alaiye also serves as an agricultural trade centre (yams, cassava 【manioc】, corn 【maize】, palm produce, fruits, pumpkins, and okra) for the local branches of the Yoruba people (the Ilesha 【Ijesha】 and Effon). The town has a teacher-training college, secondary schools, and a hospital. Pop. (2008 est.) 25,811.