Afikpo North is a

Local Government Area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrative division), state, province, divi ...

Ebonyi State Ebonyi State ( ig, Ȯra Ebonyi) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north and northeast by Benue State, Enugu State to the west, Cross River State to the east and southeast, and Abia State to the southwes ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf o ...

. Its headquarters is in the town of Ehugbo, Afikpo. Important townships include

Ehugbo Ehugbo often referred to as Afikpo, is the second largest urban area in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. It is the headquarters of the Afikpo North Local Government Area. It is situated in the southern part of Ebonyi State and is bordered to the north by ...

(with Itim Ukwu, Ohaisu, Nkpoghoro, Ugwuegu/Amaizu, Ozizza autonomous communities characteristic of towns too)

Unwana Unwana, also known as Unwara, is a town and the third-most important urban area in Ebonyi State, Nigeria. It is situated in the southern part of Ebonyi State. It is bordered in the north by Afikpo, in the west by Edda, and in the east by Cross Ri ...

and Amasiri. Other notable areas are Ibii and Akpoha . It has an area of 240km and a population of 881,611 at the 2021. Its

postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, included in a postal a ...

is 490. The major language is a more localised form of the Igbo language known as the 'Ehugbo Language'. It has a rich Igbo traditional heritage and culture and has festivals like the 'New Yam Festival' that hold at the end of the Month of August every year. Which marks the beginning of a new Traditional Year.

Igbo traditional centre

Afikpo is a centre of ancient Igbo tradition. Ceremonial (now antique) masks have been carefully preserved by the state tourism board. Afikpo is an ancient city-state. Several archaeological findings support the claim that Afikpo civilisation existed as far back as the Neolithic age. There is a rite of passage for every male child from Afikpo. This entails initiation into the Ogo cult. It is shrouded in secrecy and mystery, as women are not let into the workings of the cult. This confers adulthood to the male child.

Higher institutions in Afikpo North

* Mater Misericordia Hospital School of Nursing and Midwifery * Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana

Notable people

Chris Abani Christopher Abani (born 27 December 1966) is a Nigerian-American and Los Angeles- based author. He says he is part of a new generation of Nigerian writers working to convey to an English-speaking audience the experience of those born and raise ...

, Nigerian-American author *

Uche Azikiwe Uche Ewah Azikiwe , (born 4 February 1947) is a Nigerian academic, educator and author. She is the widow of former President of Nigeria Nnamdi Azikiwe. She is a professor in the Department of Educational Foundation, Faculty of Education at Unive ...

, premier first Lady of Nigeria, wife of

Nnamdi Azikiwe Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, (16 November 1904 – 11 May 1996), usually referred to as "Zik", was a Nigerian statesman and political leader who served as the first President of Nigeria from 1963 to 1966. Considered a driving force behind the n ...

Onyebuchi Chukwu Onyebuchi Chukwu (born 22 April 1962) is a Nigerian politician who served as Minister of Health from 2010 until 2014. Early life and education Chukwu was born in Yaba, Lagos, Nigeria. After attending the Federal Government College, Sokoto, Chukw ...

, Minister of Health from 2010 until 2014 *

Priscilla Ekwere Eleje Priscilla Ekwere Eleje is the first Director of Currency Operations at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN). She is also the first woman to have her signature appended on the Nigeria Currency, the naira note. Background and education Eleje is a nat ...

, first woman to have her signature on the

naira The naira (sign: ₦; code: NGN) is the currency of Nigeria. One naira is divided into 100 ''kobo''. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) is the sole issuer of legal tender money throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It controls the volume ...

note *

Akanu Ibiam Akanu Ibiam (29 November 1906 - 1 July 1995), was a distinguished medical missionary who was appointed Governor of Eastern Region, Nigeria from December 1960 until January 1966 during the Nigerian First Republic. From 1919 to 1951, he was kno ...

, first governor of Eastern Nigeria, predecessor of Chukwuemeka Ojukwu

References

Local Government Areas in Ebonyi State {{Ebonyi-geo-stub