Asaba is the capital city of Delta State,

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 ...

. It is located at the western bank of the

Niger River The Niger River ( ; ) is the main river of West Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in south-eastern Guinea near the Sierra Leone border. It runs in a crescent shape through ...

, in the Oshimili South Local Government Area. Asaba had a population of 149,603 as at the 2006 census, and a metropolitan population of over half a million people. Asaba is well known for social activities and amenities such as hotels, clubs, cinemas, malls, event centre, etc. It holds a yearly program named Delta Yaddah which always hosts a series of gospel singers among others. Due to its large population, the crime rate is high. Pickpocketing, robbery, etc., are rampant. Because of the presence of foreigners in the state, the cost of living is high in Asaba. The

Onitsha Onitsha ( or just ''Ọ̀nị̀chà'') is a city located on the eastern bank of the Niger River, in Anambra State, Nigeria. A metropolitan city, Onitsha is known for its river port and as an economic hub for commerce, industry, and education. ...

bridge is the boundary between Delta and

Anambra state Anambra State is a Nigerian state, located in the southeastern region of the country. The state was created on August 27, 1991. Anambra state is bounded by Delta State to the west, Imo State to the south, Enugu State to the east and Kogi State ...

, as the bridge separates Asaba and Onitsha.

Etymology

Asaba is from the exclamation ''Ahabam'', meaning "I have chosen well", a quote from the Nnebisi, the founding father of Asaba.

History

The city of Asaba was once the colonial capital of the

Southern Nigeria Protectorate Southern Nigeria was a British Empire, British protectorate in the coastal areas of modern-day Nigeria formed in 1900 from the union of the Niger Coast Protectorate with territories chartered by the Royal Niger Company below Lokoja on the Niger ...

. It was founded in 1884. Between 1886 and 1900, it hosted the

Royal Niger Company The Royal Niger Company was a mercantile company chartered by the British government in the nineteenth century. It was formed in 1879 as the ''United African Company '' and renamed to ''National African Company'' in 1881 and to ''Royal Niger Co ...

, which the British authorities set up to stimulate trade and the exportation of goods to England. That company has grown today into UAC Nigeria PLC. Scottish explorer William B. Balkie, when signing a trade treaty with

Igbo Igbo may refer to: * Igbo people, an ethnic group of Nigeria * Igbo language, their language * anything related to Igboland, a cultural region in Nigeria See also * Ibo (disambiguation) * Igbo mythology * Igbo music * Igbo art * * Igbo-Ukwu, a ...

chief Ezebogo in Asaba on 30 August 1885, remarked "After our salutations, I spoke of friendship, of trade, and of education, and particularly enlarged upon the evils of war, and the benefits of peace, all of which was well received". Owing to Asaba's influential history and geography, and current strategic political and economic influence in Nigeria, Asaba is generally known as the regional capital of the

Anioma Anioma people are a subgroup of the Igbo ethnic group in Delta State, Nigeria. They are made up of communities which span across 9 Local government areas and speak different varieties of the Igbo language, including the Enuani language, Ukwuani l ...

area. The clamor for creation of Anioma state has been going on for decades.

Geography

Asaba is situated on a terrace of the lower

, overlooking the point where the Anambra River flows into it. Beyond the river banks, on the high plains which are far more extensive than the river basins, secondary forest vegetation flourishes. The historic

is a trans-African link beginning from

West Africa West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of Africa. The United Nations defines Western Africa as the 16 countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cape Verde, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Mali, Maurit ...

and down into the

Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

. Asaba forms a connector between western, eastern and northern Nigeria through the Niger River from the north and via the Asaba

Niger Bridge ) , official_languages = , languages_type = National languages

Asaba lies approximately 6 degrees north of the equator and about the same distance east of the meridian; about north of where the River Niger flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The greater Asaba occupies an area of about 300 square kilometers. It maintains an average tropical temperature of 32 °C during the dry season and an average fertile rainfall of during the rainy season. Greater Asaba includes some of the other neighboring communities such as

Igbuzo Igbuzo (also Igbo-ụzọ or ''Ibusa)'' is an Igbo community in Delta State, Nigeria, founded ''c.'' 1450. the community is in Oshimili North. It has an estimated population of 566,310 people in 2009. The people speak the Enuanị dialect of t ...

, Okpanam, Oko, Okwe and Ugbolu on the western section of the

Culture

Asaba is culturally led by the highly revered Asagba of Asaba, to whom the leaders (individually referred to as the “Diokpa”) of each of the five settlement quarters (locally identified as Ebos) report directly on matters affecting the community. The Asagba is assisted by the Iyasele of Asaba yasewho is the customary Prime Minister as well as a council of chiefs and elders linzele, Otu Ihaza, Oloto, etc.

Demographics

Anchor statue at Landers Brothers Anchorage, Asaba, Delta state2

Igbo people constitute 63% of the total population of Asaba. Since becoming the administrative capital of Delta State, Asaba has grown in population to over half a million people. Today, it maintains a cosmopolitan population representative of the diverse cultures in Delta State and across Nigeria.

Economy

Asaba is an administrative area and seat of government established during the time of the Royal Niger Company (now UACN), and is the administrative capital of Delta state. Thus civil service leads the economy and economic activities of the city's inhabitants. The Nigerian government through the administration of

Samuel Ogbemudia Samuel Osaigbovo Ogbemudia (17 September 1932 – 9 March 2017) was a Nigerian army officer and politician. He was military Governor (1967–1975) of the Mid-Western Region, Nigeria, Mid-West State, later renamed Bendel State, part of which in ...

established the Asaba Textile Mills and a power substation at Asaba. The city of Asaba hosts some pharmaceutical companies that manufacture medicines and there is also a steel mill within the city. Tourism also attracts revenue into the city, which has resulted to a booming hospitality business.

Markets

There are three major markets in Asaba: Ogbe-Ogonogo Market, Cable Point Market,Infant Jesus Market, Iyanga Market and Wazobia Commodity Market

Sport

The

Stephen Keshi Stadium The Stephen Keshi Stadium is a multi-purpose complex in Asaba, Nigeria. The main venue at the complex is the Governor Okowa Main Bowl, the football and athletics stadium. It was formerly known as Asaba township stadium, and was named after footb ...

at Asaba, which had a face-lift to satisfy local fans, has hosted several international competitions and soccer events since it was upgraded by the administration of Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Arthur Okowa and commissioned by Nigeria's former president

Olusegun Obasanjo Chief Olusegun Matthew Okikiola Ogunboye Aremu Obasanjo, , ( ; yo, Olúṣẹ́gun Ọbásanjọ́ ; born 5 March 1937) is a Nigerian political and military leader who served as Nigeria's head of state from 1976 to 1979 and later as its pres ...

. The stadium is the home of Delta Force FC.

Transport

Air

The city of Asaba and neighboring cities are accessible by air through the

Asaba International Airport Asaba International Airport (IATA: ABB, ICAO: DNAS): is the primary the only international airport serving Asaba and the whole of Delta State, Nigeria and other nearby cities. It is located approximately 7.9 kilometres (4.9 mi) east of the ...

Road

The Asaba-Benin express road is an important road which connects parts of eastern Nigeria with western Nigeria. There is also a road that connects areas of Asaba with

Ughelli Ughelli is a town in Delta State, Nigeria, and one of the 24 kingdoms that make up the Urhobo Nation. It also serves as the headquarters of Ughelli North local government area of Delta State. The city is indigenous to the Urhobo ethnic nation ...

, while the Asaba-Ebu road connects the city with northern Nigeria.

Water

Asaba is served by water transportation available through the

, which surrounds most parts of the African city.

Notable people

Phillip Asiodu Phillip Asiodu, (CON) (born 19 February 1934) is a Nigerian Diplomat, Bureaucrat and former Minister of Petroleum, Nigeria. Life and career Phillip was born February 26, 1934 in Lagos State, southwestern Nigeria. He attended King's College, Lago ...

* Epiphany Azinge *

Maryam Babangida Maryam Babangida (1 November 1948 – 27 December 2009) was the wife of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida, who was Nigeria's head of state from 1985 to 1993. Her husband was the target of criticism for rampant corruption during his regime. She ...

Joseph Chike Edozien Joseph Chike Edozien, CFR, JP, the Asagba or traditional ruler of Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria was born on 28 July 1924 in Asaba. Family His father was Nathaniel Okafor Edozien a direct descendant of Nnebisi the founder of Asaba, and one o ...

Lynxxx Chukie Edozien (born November 24, 1983), better known by his stage name Lynxxx, is a Nigerian hip-hop recording artist and entrepreneur. In 2010 he released his debut studio album ''This is Lynxxx'' and went on to become the first Nigerian arti ...

* Frank Nwachukwu Ndili * Ike Nwamu *

Emma Nyra Emma Chukwugoziam Obi was born in July 18, 1988. She is professionally known by her stage name as Emma Nyra. She is an American-born Nigerian singer, song writer, an actress, and a model. Emma Nyra is a mother of two. Her associate acts inc ...

* Chief Dennis Osadebay *

SHiiKANE SHiiKANE () is a British-Nigerian female group made of three sisters, Twins HRH Shay Ifeanyichukwu, Princess Annamay Uchechukwu and sister Baby-Kay Nkemdilim. Biography SHiiKANE originally from Asaba, Delta State, Nigeria; born and raised in Lond ...

Gallery

File:Asaba market, Asaba, Delta state3.jpg, Ogbe-Ogonogo Market File:Asaba roundabout, Asaba, Delta state.jpg, Asaba roundabout File:Asaba market, Asaba, Delta state6.jpg, Asaba market

References

External links

Asaba.comAsaba.netAsaba Association Non-profit GroupAsaba Development Association in the United KingdomAsaba PortalAsaba History and Culture Collaboration Research Platform
{{Authority control State capitals in Nigeria Cities in Delta State 1884 establishments in the British Empire