In the 1950s, long before modern roads reached Ondo State’s coastline, Ayetoro was already famous across Nigeria and beyond. The little island town, founded only a few years earlier, was built on bold ideas: equality, shared work, and deep faith. But it wasn’t only Nigerians…
In many Yoruba communities, twins have always held a special place. They are seen as a blessing, a sign of abundance, and sometimes even as messengers of the divine. In Ayetoro, the “Happy City by the Sea,” this belief has been lived out in unique…
Ayetoro has always been more than just a town on the coast. From its founding in 1947, the “Happy City” was built on the principles of faith, equality, and unity. For decades, these values made Ayetoro a model community admired across Nigeria and beyond. But…
For the people of Ayetoro, the church has always been more than a building. It is the heart of the community, the place where prayers rise like waves and where unity is renewed every Sunday. Since the founding of Ayetoro in 1947, the church has…
Every thriving town has a place where stories, goods, and friendships meet. In Aiyetoro, that place was the market. From its early days in the 1950s, the market stood not only as a hub of trade but also as a symbol of the community’s shared…
Life in Ayetoro has always been tied to the sea. Since the community’s founding in 1947, the Atlantic has provided fish for food, water for transport, and a horizon that inspired courage and faith. But in recent decades, the sea that once sustained has also…
When it was built in 1960, the palace of Ayetoro stood as a jewel of the coast. With nearly 100 rooms and an estimated cost of £200,000, it was a symbol of vision, unity, and prosperity. To the people of Ayetoro, the palace was more…
In Aiyetoro, the sea is not just a horizon—it is a lifeline. From the earliest days of the community’s founding in 1947, the lagoon and ocean shaped the rhythm of daily life. While men were often known as fishermen, the women of Aiyetoro also carved…
The sea has always been Ayetoro’s neighbour, but today, it has become its greatest enemy. Once called “The Happy City” and admired for its faith, unity, and communal vision, Ayetoro is now on the brink of disappearance. More than 90 per cent of the community…
From a distance, Ayetoro has always looked like a miracle by the sea. Founded in 1947 as a utopian Christian community, the “Happy City” rose from sandbanks at the edge of the Atlantic Ocean, a settlement carved out by fishermen and dreamers who believed in…
