Popularly known as the Confluence State, Kogi state
Most Dominant ethnic group: Igala
Language spoken: Okun, Ebira And Igala
Population status(2006): 3,314,043(data source, wikipedia.com)
Word
etymology: kogi it's derive from Hausa word for water. As it is the
meeting centre of two great rivers(River Niger and River Benue.)
Date of creation: 27th August, 1991.
Located
at the north central region of Nigeria. With a population ranking 24th
of countries national popular as at 2006 general population census
result of a population of 3, 314, 043. The kogi settles on the world
map. A special attributes accoladed to is that it is the only Nigeria
state bordered by Ten other states. In the South East: Anambra and
Enugu, south West: Ondo and Ekiti, West: Benue state, North East:
Nasarawa, North: Abuja- Federal Capital Territory, North West: Niger.
The
bordering sites affected it set up, making one of a the many mixed
states. Although its is situated in the North, fortunately It doesn't
have a clear cut ethnic tribe as it's bordered by the three major ethnic
group in Nigeria. (Example: study the list of surrounding states listed
above.)
Ethnically,
Kogi state, nicknamed the confluence state, is a state in the North-central region of Nigeria.
The state is bordered by ten states in the country;
* Ekiti and Kwara to the East
* Federal Capital Territory, Abuja to the North
* Nasarawa state to the North-east
* Niger state to the North-west
* Edo and Ondo states to the South-west
* Anambra and Enugu states to the South-west
* Benue state to the West
Apparently, it is the only state in the country, Nigeria to border ten other states. On the 27th of August, in the year 1991, it was named after the Hausa word for river Kogi. Kogi state was formed from the parts of Benue Niger state and Kwara state. It got the nickname: Confluence State because of the fact that the confluence of the River Niger (which bisects a wooded savanna region) and that of River Benue occurs next to its capital which is Lokoja. Out of the 36 states in Nigeria, Kogi state is the thirteenth largest state in the country. As at 2016, it was the twentieth most populous state with an estimated population of about 4.5 million.
PEOPLE: Kogi state comprise of three main ethnic groups and languages, namely;
* Igala; the major ethnic group in the state
* Ebira
* Okun, a Yoruba group
Others include;
* Bassa Nge of Bassa local government area LGA
* Kupa and Kakanda speakers (who are a people of Nupe extraction under Lokoja local government area)
* Bassa-Komo which is also of Bassa Local Government Area
* Oworo people (a Yoruba group)
* Igbo
* Ogori Magongo
* Idoma.
Over the years, Kogi state has been inhabited by various ethnic groups in different area of the state;
* Centre of the state: the Ebiras, Gbagyis, and Nupes (mainly the Bassa Nge, Kakanda, and Kupa subgroups)
* East of the state: the Agatus, Basa-Komos, Idomas, Igalas, and Igbos
* West of the state: the Yorubas (mainly the Okun, Ogori, Oworo, and Magongo subgroups)
In terms of religious diversity, Kogi state harbors about three religion. About forty-five percent of the state's population are Muslims, about forty percent are Christians and fifteen percent are traditionalists.
HISTORY: Kogi state was created in 1991 from parts of Kwara state and Benue state of Nigeria. As presently constituted, the state consists of the people of the Kabba province of the Northern Nigeria.
SIGHTS: The Kogi State Tourism and Hotels Company limited was established to promote tourism in the state. The state government plans and utilizes the high potentials of tourism including the development of historical landmarks at Lokoja. Prominent tourist centers in Kogi state are;
* Colonial relics such as Lord Lugard's house
* Mount Patti
* World war cenotaph
* Ogidi; an African town with formations of Igneous Rock mountains and a traditional art and craft industry
* Confluence of River Niger and River Benue
* Natural land features such as hills and terrains that serve as hiking trails
* Ajaokuta steel company limited is the largest Stella industry in Nigeria, present in Kogi state
* Obajana Cement Factory is also one of the largest cement factories in Africa, housed in Kogi state.
RESOURCES: The main source of economy in Kogi state is agriculture. The state produces varieties of cash crops such as cotton, coffee, cocoa, palm oil, cashew, groundnut, and food crops such as yam, rice, melon, maize, cassava(manioc), sorghum, and beans.
In addition to agriculture, mineral resources such as iron ore, found in large quantities on the Agbaja Plateau which is located to the north of Kogi state capital, Lokoja, petroleum, tin, coal--which is mined for national distribution from the Okaba fields in the northern Udi-Nsukka Plateau which is located at the East of the Niger river--, limestone and marble which is quarried at Jakura, located about twenty miles North-west of Kogi state's capital, Lokoja are sources of economy to the state.
The Confluence State.....
Named for the Hausa word for river —kogi — , Kogi State was formed
from old Kwara and Benue states , with its numerous cultural values,
beliefs and great artistry works which stem from its diverse
heterogenous ethnic groups and tribes , natural endowments of plateaus,
hills and terrains which stretches far and wide across the state with
its vast , arable and fertile lands.
The confluence of
two of Africa's most important rivers — Niger and Benue , located in
the middle belt of Nigeria , it is the most centrally located state as
it shares boundaries with ten other states in Nigeria . A gateway state
, its capital Lokoja , is an ancient historical town which once served
as the colonial administrative headquarters for the British during the
colonial times .
Kogi State is abundant in mineral and human
resources and is rich in coal , limestone , iron , tin, petroleum and
agricultural resources as well. The state is home to the largest Iron
and Steel industry in Nigeria known as Ajaokuta Steel company limited
and one of the largest cement factories in Africa , the Obajana Cement
factory . In the pre – colonial period , the area now known as Kogi
State was divided amidst other states with some settlements being
underpopulated forming village based and hamlets as others were part of
larger empires like the Nupe kingdom which held most of now western Kogi
state until the early 1800s when the Fulanis jihad annexed the kingdom
and placed the area under sokoto caliphate. In the 1900s and 1910s , as a
result of British expeditions , the area was occupied and further
incorporated into the Northern Nigeria protectorate with its capital as
Lokoja until 1903.
The protectorate later merged into
British before becoming independent as Nigeria in 1960. Originally ,
modern day Kogi state was a part of the post – independence northern
region until 1967 when the region was divided and it became part of the
north western state , Kwara and Benue –plateau state . After Benue –
plateau and the north western states were also divided in 1976 , the now
Kogi became a part of the new Benue and Niger states , south eastern
Kwara and far southern Niger states were broken off to form the new Kogi
State. And due to this historical divisions , modern day Kogi state is
indeed a confluence of diverse ethnicity and cultural heritage as it
comprises of the Igalas, Ebiras, ,Kabbas, Gbagyis , Nupes ( which are
Bassa nge , kakanda and Kupa subgroups) in the state center , the Agatus
, Bassa komo , Idomas, and Igbo in the north east and the Yoruba (
mainly the Okun , Oworo , Ogori and the Magongo groups ) in the west .
Kogi is also religiously diverse with majority practicing Islam , a
substantial population practicing Christianity with the rest following
traditional ethnic religion .
The new state was a
reunion of people who had shared a common history and had existed as one
for over 7 decades before being severed by the 1976 states creation
exercise, as it was created on the 27th of August 1991 under the
administration of Babangida , which seek to put the state on a threshold
of social and economic growth. The area which today forms Kogi state
was a colonial formation then known as Kabba province which had suffered
neglect since independence , hence it was the need for development on
all rounds that prompted the then president to create the state
alongside other eight , a state out if Kwara and Benue bringing together
families who had separated by the 1976 creation exercise to a happy
reunion.
Economically , the state is largely based
around agriculture mainly of coffee, cashew, groundnut , cocoa , oil
palm , and yam crops , maize, rice and melon alongside animal husbandry .
Kogi state has both the 23rd highest human development index and GDP in
the country.
Kogi state holds
a high prestige as the Nigeria state which facilitates the origin of
its name: the Niger area. We can however say that to some extent it's
the source of Nigeria itself, as it houses the Two great African ( River
Niger from the north-west and River Benue from the north-east) meeting
point. Awarding it The pseudonym "The Confluence state".
The
confluence state sits in the North Central region on the country's Map
alongside, F.C.T Abuja, Kwara state, Nasarawa state, etc. It is also the
only Nigerian state to share a border with ten others states across the
three major ethnic groups in Nigeria: The Yoruba, Igbo and Hausa.
With
an area of About 29, 835km² Kogi state is ranked the 13th of the 36
largest states in Nigeria. With the 24th most populated state, having a
population of about 3, 314,043 populace as of the last general census
carried out in the country. It is geographically located in the tropical
guinea forest Savana mosaic Eco region.
The
historical development of the Kogi state can be traced first to the
pre-colonial and colonial eras. During this period they form a fragment
of larger cities, I.e: the Nupe Empire. Following the Sokoto jihad
conquest of the 1900s and 1910s, it became partly a colony under the
Sokoto empire. However, it further became a part of the Northern
protectorate under the British conquest having its capital at Lokoja.
The other phase of its expansion was during the post-colonial era when
the country have an autonomous power. During this period, Kogi states
now form part of the core states in 1967 namely Northwest, Kwara,
Benue, and plateau state. In 1976 later joined the New Benue and Niger
state. And finally developed into a state of its own fledged space with
its administration and wealth.
Speaking of Ethnicity, Kogi is
mainly dominated by nearly all the tribes all the major tribes in the
country as it shares a border with them. In the centre, it is dominated
by Ebira, Gbayi, Nupe(mainly the Bassa Nge, Kakanda, and Ona Kupa
sub-groups) and in the East Agatu, Basa-Kamo, Idoma, Igala, and Igbo;
also dominating western area of the tribe is the Yoruba- Okun, Ogori,
Oworo, and Magongo subgroup. Hence, of all these ethnic groups, the
Igala stands out to be the major ethnic tribe in the states followed by
the Ebira and Okun( a Yoruba speaking tribe).
Wealth is
bedrock to every country's financial stability and aid to capital
development. For the Kogi state, their source of Economic power Is
derived from their Agricultural sector, Natural resources, and Human
Development. The state's agricultural wealth is in the cultivation of
crops such as groundnut, cashew, coffee, and livestock herding. Moreso,
their Crude oil extraction and other mineral resources like coal,
limestone, iron, steel, and Tin( it accommodates the largest iron and
steel limited). In addition, its Human development index scored it the
24th highest GDP( Gross Domestic Profit) in the country.
Needless
to say that the country Kogi is a well-structured state with a quick
developing local government area of About 21 LGA. Having beaten Lagos of
20 L.G.A by one.
The following are the 21 local government areas in Kogi states:
1. Adavi
2. Idah
3. Ofu
4. Ajaokuta
5. Igala
6. Ankpa
7. Ogori/Magongo
8. Kabba/Bunu
9. Okene
10. Katon karfa
11. Lokoja
12. Bassa
13. Dakina
14. Okehi
15. Nopa-muro
16. Olam aboro
17. Ibaji
18. Omala
19. Yagba West
20. Yaba East
21. mela-odolu
All
the L.G.A listed above is controlled by the local government chairman
who reports to the Governor. The current serving governor of Kogi state
is Governor Yahaya Bello. The legislative branch of the state
(senatorial seat) is divided into 3 constituencies. These include the
Kogi west, Kogi East and Kogi central.
Tourist Attractions
If
you ever wish to cool off for a while in a tourist site full of wonders
and raw craft, then you have Kogi to give you the best treatment. Its
tourist attractions woo lots of tourists and visitors each year. For
this, the country builds exclusive hotels and resorts to welcome
visitors. They treat their guest by providing the best hospitality and
serene environs to cool off.
Currently, the state is where
the centre of the "Y" in the Nigeria coat of arms is situated. It is the
centre of the two great rivers that flows through the country meet. The
meeting point of River Niger and River Benue.
As it was the
formal capital of the Northern protectorate: Lokoja. It owns to itself, a
plethora of colonial relics such as story buildings of some colonial
masters: the house of Lord Lugard; the first Governor-General of Nigeria
and other Top British officials. Other side relics such as Mount Patti,
Worldwar Cenotaph, etc.
Have you heard of
Ogidi? It is an African town which has formed of igneous rock mountains.
And also a craft industry. Another tourist site is its Natural mountain
and terrain that serves as a hiking sports centre.
Fun facts about Kogi State
1. It is the meeting point of River Niger and River Benue.
2. Lokoja was the capital of the Northern protectorate.
3. Lord Lugard who amalgamated Nigeria's house is located in Kogi state.
4. Miss floral Shaw (Lugard) Named Nigeria after the Niger river in Kogi.
5. Kogi has a mixed ethnic group from the major ethnic tribe in Nigeria.
6. Igala is the most spoken language in Kogi state.
7. It is the only Nigerian state that is bordered by 10 states.
8. 45% of the total population of Kogi state are Muslim, whereas 40% are Christian and 5% are Traditionalist.
9. Kogi was formed during the third republic in 1991
10. Kogi is etymologically derived from a Hausa word for water "Kogi".