Benue State is one of the
North Central states in
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 ...
with a population of about 4,253,641 in
2006 census
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
. The state was created in 1976 among the 7 states created at that time.The state derives its name from the
Benue River which is the second largest river in
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 ...
. The state borders
Nasarawa
Nasarawa is a Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Nasarawa, located at 8°32'N 7°42'E, with a population of 30,949 (as of 2016). The local government area has an area of 5,704 km and a populat ...
State to the North;
Taraba Taraba can refer to:
* Taraba State
* Taraba River
The Taraba River is a river in Taraba State, Nigeria, a tributary of the Benue River. It joins the Benue on a floodplain 10 km wide and 50 km across.
The major towns along the River Tar ...
State to the East;
Kogi
Kogi State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to th ...
State to the West;
Enugu State to the South-West;
Ebonyi
Abakaliki is a Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria. It's headquarters are in the town of Nkaliki.
It has an area of 443 km and a population of 126,837
based on the census conducted i2006. Thehe postal code
A postal code (a ...
and
Cross-Rivers States to the South; and has an international border with
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
to the
South-East. It is inhabited predominantly by the
Tiv,
Idoma and
Igede. Minority ethnic groups in Benue are
Etulo,
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 ...
,
Jukunpeoples etc. Its capital is
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated on the south bank of the Benue River. In 2016, Makurdi and the surrounding areas had an estimated popul ...
. Benue is a rich agricultural region; popularly grown crops include:
oranges
An orange is a fruit of various citrus species in the family Rutaceae (see list of plants known as orange); it primarily refers to ''Citrus'' × ''sinensis'', which is also called sweet orange, to distinguish it from the related ''Citrus × ...
, mangoes,
sweet potatoes
The sweet potato or sweetpotato ('' Ipomoea batatas'') is a dicotyledonous plant that belongs to the bindweed or morning glory family, Convolvulaceae. Its large, starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots are used as a root vegetable. The young sho ...
,
cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated ...
,
soya bean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu and ...
,
guinea corn
''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a grass species cultivated for its grain, which is used for food for humans, animal feed, and ethanol produ ...
,
flax,
yams,
sesame,
rice
Rice is the seed of the grass species '' Oryza sativa'' (Asian rice) or less commonly ''Oryza glaberrima'' (African rice). The name wild rice is usually used for species of the genera '' Zizania'' and '' Porteresia'', both wild and domesticat ...
,
groundnuts, and Palm Tree.
Benue State as it exists today is a surviving legacy of an administrative entity that was carved out of the protectorate of
northern Nigeria
Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962 it acquired the territory of the British Nort ...
at the beginning of the
twentieth century
The 20th (twentieth) century began on
January 1, 1901 (1901, MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 (2000, MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu, Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and ...
. The territory was initially known as Munshi Province until 1918 when the name of its dominant geographical feature, the '
Benue River' was adopted.
Benue State is named after the
Benue River and was formed from the former
Benue-Plateau State in 1976, along with
Igala and some part of
Kwara State.
In 1991, some areas of Benue state (mostly the
Igala speaking area), along with areas in
Kwara State, were carved out to become part of the new
Kogi State
Kogi State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to t ...
.
Igbo people are found in the boundary areas like the
Obi #REDIRECT Obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...
,
Oju etc., Local Government Areas. It is renowned as the "Heartbeat of the Middle Belt" and the "Entertainment Capital of the
Middle Belt
The Middle Belt (also spelt Middle-Belt or Central Nigeria) is a term used in human geography to designate a belt region stretching across central Nigeria longitudinally and forming a transition zone between Northern and Southern Nigeria. It is ...
" north 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 ...
.
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
, the
Idoma people's traditional and administrative capital, is also known as the Lion's Heart and the Land of the Brave.
Samuel Ortom
Samuel Ioraer Ortom (; born 23 April 1961) is a Nigerian politician, businessman, administrator and philanthropist. He was a Minister of State Trade and Investments in Nigeria during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan. Ortom was elected govern ...
is the
governor
A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...
and
Benson Abounu
Benson Abounu (born 3 July 1949) serves as Deputy Governor of Benue State, Nigeria. He was elected as the running mate to Governor Samuel L. Ortom in 2015 under the All Progressive Congress (APC). He is an engineer, a management consultant an ...
is the deputy governor. Both were elected under the
All Progressives Congress (APC) but defected to the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2018.
History of Benue State
Population structure and distribution
Benue State, which is located in the North Central region of
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 ...
, has a total population of 4,253,641 in
2006 census
6 (six) is the natural number following 5 and preceding 7. It is a composite number and the smallest perfect number.
In mathematics
Six is the smallest positive integer which is neither a square number nor a prime number; it is the second small ...
, with an average population density of 99 persons per km
2. This makes Benue the 9th most populous state in Nigeria. However, the distribution of the population according to Local government areas shows marked duality.
There are areas of low population density, such as
Guma,
Gwer East
Gwer East is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Aliade.
It has an area of 2,294 km and a population of 163,647 at the 2006 census.
The postal code
A postal code (also known locally in ...
,
Ohimini
Ohimini is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Idekpa-Okpiko.Ohimini was created out of the present Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. Major districts under the Ohimini local government are ...
,
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
,
Apa,
Logo
A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name it represents as in a wo ...
and
Agatu, each with less than seventy persons per km
2, while
Vandeikya,
Okpokwu
Okpokwu is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Okpoga located in the south of the area.
Benue State Polytechnic is located in the town of Ugbokolo in this LGA.
It has an area of 731 km and a ...
,
Ogbadibo
Ogbadibo is a Local Government Area of Benue State, North Central, Nigeria. It has three districts namely: Orokam, Owukpa, and Otukpa. The Local Government's headquarters is located in Otukpa Town.
It has an area of 598 km and a population of 12 ...
,
Obi #REDIRECT Obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...
and
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
have densities ranging from 160 persons to 200 persons per km
2 . Makurdi LGA has over 380 person per km2. The males are 49.8 percent of the total population while females constitute 50.2 per cent.
Settlement pattern and urbanization
Benue State region was depleted of its human population during the
slave trade
Slavery and enslavement are both the state and the condition of being a slave—someone forbidden to quit one's service for an enslaver, and who is treated by the enslaver as property. Slavery typically involves slaves being made to perf ...
. It is largely rural, with scattered settlements mainly in tiny compounds or homesteads, whose population range from 630 people, most of whom are farmers.
Urbanization in Benue State did not predate the colonial era. The few towns established during colonial rule remained very small (less than 30,000 people) up to the creation of Benue State in 1976.
Benue towns can be categorised into three groups. The first group consists of those with a population of 80,000 to 500,000 people. These include
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated on the south bank of the Benue River. In 2016, Makurdi and the surrounding areas had an estimated popul ...
, the State Capital,
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
and
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
the "headquarters" of the two dominant ethnic groups (125,944 and 88,958 people respectively). The second group comprises towns with a population of between 20,000 and 50,000 people and includes
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
,
Zaki-Biam,
Ukum, and
Adikpo, Kwande. These are all local government headquarters. The third category comprises towns with a population of 10,000 to 19,000 people and includes
Vandeikya,
Lessel,
Ihugh,
Naka,
Adoka,
Aliade,
Okpoga,
Igumale
Igumale is a town in Benue State Nigeria.
Transport
Igumale is served by a station on the eastern mainline of the national railway network.
Climate
In the town of Igumale, the rainy season is warm, oppressive, and overcast and the dry or sunny s ...
,
Oju,
Utonkon,
Ugbokolo,
Wannune,
Ugbokpo,
Otukpa
Otukpa is a town in Benue 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 be ...
,
Ugba
''Pentaclethra'' is a small genus of trees from the tropics. They are flowering plants in the family Fabaceae. They belong to the Mimosoideae, mimosoid clade of the subfamily Caesalpinioideae.
The name ''Pentaclethra'' is derived from Ancient Gr ...
and
Korinya. Most of these towns are headquarters of recently created Local Government Areas and/or district headquarters or major market areas. Some of the headquarters of the newly created LGAs have populations of less than 10,000 people. Such places include
Tse-Agberaba,
Gbajimba,
Buruku
Buruku is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Buruku.
It has an area of 1,246 km2 and a population of 203,721 at the 2006 census.
Buruku LGA has the following districts (wards) with their pr ...
,
Idekpa,
Obagaji
Obagaji is a town and a headquarters of Agatu Local Government Area, Benue State, Nigeria.
Climate/geography
From February 4 to April 17, the hot season, which has an average daily high temperature
Temperature is a physical quantity tha ...
and
Obarikeito. Apart from earth roads, schools, periodic markets and chemists (local drug stores), the rural areas are largely used for farming, relying on the urban centres for most of their urban needs.
Benue State has no problem of capital city primacy. Rather, three towns stand out very clearly as important urban centres which together account for more than 70 per cent of the social amenities provided in the state and almost all the industrial establishments. These centres are
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated on the south bank of the Benue River. In 2016, Makurdi and the surrounding areas had an estimated popul ...
,
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
and
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
. They are amongst the oldest towns in the state and are growing at a much faster rate than the smaller younger towns.
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated on the south bank of the Benue River. In 2016, Makurdi and the surrounding areas had an estimated popul ...
doubles as the capital of the state and the headquarters of Makurdi LGA, while
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
,
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
and
Oju double as the local government and ethnic headquarters (i.e. for
Tiv,
Idoma, and Igede). All the roads in the state radiate from these three centres. As an administrative unit, Benue State was first created on 3 February 1976. It was one of the seven states created by the military administration headed by
General Murtala Mohammed, which increased the number of states in the country from 13 to 19. In 1991, its boundaries were re-adjusted with the creation of
Kogi State
Kogi State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to t ...
. The new Benue State of today has twenty-three (23) local government areas, which are administered by local government councils.
Geography
![Mkar Hill](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/ac/Mkar_Hill.jpg)
Benue State lies within the lower river Benue trough in the middle belt region of Nigeria. Its geographic coordinates are longitude 7° 47' and 10° 0' East. Latitude 6° 25' and 8° 8' North; and shares boundaries with five other states namely:
Nasarawa State
Nasarawa State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the east by the states of Taraba and Plateau, to the north by Kaduna State, to the south by the states of Kogi and Benue, and to the west by the Federal Capital Ter ...
to the north,
Taraba State
)
, image_map = Nigeria - Taraba.svg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Location of Taraba State in Nigeria
, coordinates =
, coor_pinpoint =
, coordinates_footnotes =
, ...
to the east,
Cross-River State
)
, image_map = Nigeria - Cross River.svg
, map_alt =
, map_caption = Location of Cross River State in Nigeria
, coordinates =
, coor_pinpoint ...
to the south,
Enugu State
Enugu State ( ig, Ȯra Enugu) is a state in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered to the north by the states of Benue and Kogi, Ebonyi State to the east and southeast, Abia State to the south, and Anambra State to the west. ...
to the south-west and
Kogi State
Kogi State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to t ...
to the west. The state also shares a common boundary with the
Nord-Ouest Province, claimed by both
Ambazonia
Ambazonia, officially the Federal Republic of Ambazonia, also referred to as Amba Land, is an unrecognised breakaway state in West Africa which claims the Northwest Region and Southwest Region of Cameroon, though it currently controls almost ...
and the
Republic of Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the ...
on the south-east. Benue occupies a landmass of 34,059 square kilometres.
Geology
Based on
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
, Benue State lies within the
AW climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry winter) and ''As'' (for a dry summer). The driest month has less than of p ...
and experiences two distinct seasons, the
Wet season
The wet season (sometimes called the Rainy season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. It is the time of year where the majority of a country's or region's annual precipitation occurs. Generally, the sea ...
and the
Dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The te ...
. The rainy season lasts from April to October with annual rainfall in the range of 100-200mm. The dry season begins in November and ends in March. Temperatures fluctuate between 21 – 37 degrees Celsius in the year. The south-eastern part of the state adjoining the Obudu-Cameroun mountain range, however, has a cooler climate similar to that of
Plateau State.
Much of Benue State falls within the Benue Valley/trough which is believed to be structurally developed. During the Tertiary and possibly the
Interglacial periods of the
Quaternary glaciation
The Quaternary glaciation, also known as the Pleistocene glaciation, is an alternating series of glacial and interglacial periods during the Quaternary period that began 2.58 Ma (million years ago) and is ongoing. Although geologists describ ...
, the Benue and Niger Valleys, otherwise known as the Niger/Benue trough, were transgressed by the waters of the Atlantic Ocean. As a result, marine sediments form the dominant surface geology of much of Benue State.
Mineral resources
Benue State is blessed with abundant mineral resources. These resources are distributed in the Local Government Areas of the state. Of these mineral resources, only
Limestone
Limestone ( calcium carbonate ) is a type of carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different crystal forms of . Limestone forms whe ...
at
Tse-Kucha near
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
and
Kaolinite at
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
are being commercially exploited. Other mineral deposits include
Baryte,
Gypsum
Gypsum is a soft sulfate mineral composed of calcium sulfate dihydrate, with the chemical formula . It is widely mined and is used as a fertilizer and as the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard or sidewalk chalk, and drywal ...
,
Feldspar
Feldspars are a group of rock-forming aluminium tectosilicate minerals, also containing other cations such as sodium, calcium, potassium, or barium. The most common members of the feldspar group are the ''plagioclase'' (sodium-calcium) felds ...
,
Wolframite
Wolframite is an iron, manganese, and tungstate mineral with a chemical formula of that is the intermediate between ferberite ( rich) and hübnerite ( rich). Along with scheelite, the wolframite series are the most important tungsten ore mineral ...
,
Kaolinite, mineral salts and
Gemstone etc.
Natural resources
Benue State is the nation's acclaimed food basket because of its rich agricultural produce which include
Yam, Rice,
Beans,
Cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated ...
,
Sweet-potato, Maize,
Soybean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu a ...
,
Sorghum,
Millet,
Sesame, cocoyam etc. The state accounts for over 70% of Nigeria's
Soybean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu a ...
production.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, engaging over 75% of the state farming population. The State also boasts of one of the longest stretches of river systems in the country with great potential for a viable fishing industry, dry season farming through irrigation and for an inland water highway.
The vegetation of the southern parts of the state is characterised by forests, which yield trees for timber and provide a suitable habitat for rare animals types and species. The state thus possesses potential for the development of viable forest and wildlife reserves.
Relief and drainage
The land is generally low lying (averaging 100m-250m) and gently undulating with occasional
inselbergs,
Knoll
In geography, knoll is another term for a knowe or hillock, a small, low, round natural hill or mound.
Knoll may also refer to:
Places
* Knoll Camp, site of an Iron Age hill fort Hampshire, England, United Kingdom
* Knoll Lake, Leonard Canyon, A ...
,
Laterite etc. It is only at the boundary area with
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
, also
Kwande
Kwande is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Adikpo.
Kwande has an area of 2,891 km and a population of 248,697 at the 2006 Census.is bordered by several other LGAs. On the west, it is bordere ...
and
Oju Local Government Areas that hilly terrain with appreciable local relief is encountered. Here, the terrain is characterised by steep slopes, deep incised
valleys
A valley is an elongated low area often running between hills or mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers or streams ove ...
and generally rugged relief. Elsewhere, gradients average less than 4°.
River Benue
The Benue River (french: la Bénoué), previously known as the Chadda River or Tchadda, is the major tributary of the Niger River. The river is approximately long and is almost entirely navigable during the summer months. The size of its bas ...
is the dominant geographical feature in the state. It is one of the few large rivers in Nigeria. The
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
is the largest tributary, while the smaller rivers include
Mkomon,
Amile
Amile O. Jefferson (born May 7, 1993) is an American basketball coach and former player. He is an assistant coach for the Duke Blue Devils men's basketball team of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). He played college basketball for the Blue Dev ...
,
Duru,
Loko Konshisha,
Kpa
KPA may refer to:
* Keele Postgraduate Association, Keele University, UK, formerly Keele Research Association (KRA)
* Kensington (Olympia) station, London, England, National Rail station code
* Kenya Ports Authority
* ''Kiln phosphoric acid'', a ...
,
Okpokwu
Okpokwu is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Okpoga located in the south of the area.
Benue State Polytechnic is located in the town of Ugbokolo in this LGA.
It has an area of 731 km and a ...
,
Mu,
Be,
Aya,
Apa Ogede and
Ombi
Kom Ombo (Egyptian Arabic: ; Coptic: ; Ancient Greek: or ; or Latin: and is an agricultural town in Egypt famous for the Temple of Kom Ombo. It was originally an Egyptian city called Nubt, meaning City of Gold (not to be confused with th ...
. The flood plains which are characterised by extensive swamps and ponds are good for dry season irrigated farming.
Though Benue State has high drainage density many of the streams are seasonal. Hence, there is an acute water shortage in the dry season in Local Government Areas such as
Guma,
Okpokwu
Okpokwu is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Okpoga located in the south of the area.
Benue State Polytechnic is located in the town of Ugbokolo in this LGA.
It has an area of 731 km and a ...
,
Ogbadibo
Ogbadibo is a Local Government Area of Benue State, North Central, Nigeria. It has three districts namely: Orokam, Owukpa, and Otukpa. The Local Government's headquarters is located in Otukpa Town.
It has an area of 598 km and a population of 12 ...
,
Gwer West
Gwer West is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Naka.
It has an area of 1,094 km2 and a population of 122,145 at the 2006 census.
The postal code
A postal code (also known locally in v ...
(
Naka, Nigeria) and
Oju.
People and culture
The state is populated by several ethnic groups:
Tiv,
Idoma,
Igede,
Etulo, Abakpa,
Jukun,
Hausa
Hausa may refer to:
* Hausa people, an ethnic group of West Africa
* Hausa language, spoken in West Africa
* Hausa Kingdoms, a historical collection of Hausa city-states
* Hausa (horse) or Dongola horse, an African breed of riding horse
See also
...
,
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 ...
,
Akweya and
Nyifon. The
Tiv are occupying 14 local government areas with the Etulo and Jukun, with the
Idoma,
Igede,
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 ...
,
Akweya and
Nyifon occupying nine.
Most of the
Tiv people are farmers while the inhabitants of the river areas engage in fishing as their primary or important secondary occupation. The people of the state are famous for their cheerful and hospitable disposition as well as rich cultural heritage.
Traditional rulers
The Benue State Government accords high respect to traditional rulers in recognition of their role as custodians of culture and as agents of development. Also, their roles in enhancing peace and order at the grassroots level are also recognised. To enhance their contribution to the affairs of the state, government has established a three-tier traditional council system made up of Local Government Area Traditional Councils, Area Traditional Councils and the State Council of Chiefs with the Tor Tiv (Tiv King) as chairman.
The two Area Councils are the
Tiv Traditional Council and the
Idoma Traditional Council. The former has the Tor Tiv (Tiv King) as chairman of all the traditional rulers from the
Tiv dominant Local Government Areas, while the latter has the Och' Idoma (
Idoma king) as the chairman of all the traditional rulers from the
Idoma dominant Local Government Areas.
The State Council of Chiefs has the Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh Professor
James Ortese Iorzua Ayatse (Tor Tiv V) (), with Och'Idoma and all second class Chiefs/Chairmen of the Local Government Traditional Council as members.
Culture
![Benue state contingent 1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Benue_state_contingent_1.jpg)
Benue State possesses a rich and diverse cultural heritage which finds expression in colourful cloths, exotic masquerades, supplicated music and dances. Traditional dances from Benue State have won acclaim at national and international cultural festivals. The most popular of these dances include
Ingyough,
Ange
Ange (English: Angel) is a French progressive rock band formed in September 1969 by the Décamps brothers, Francis (keyboards) and Christian (vocals, accordion, acoustic guitar and keyboards).
Since its inception the band's music has been insp ...
,
Anchanakupa,
Swange and
Ogirinya among others.
The socio-religious festivals of the people, colourful dances, dresses and songs are also of tourist value. The Alekwu ancestral festival of the Idoma people, for instance, is an occasion when the local people believe their ancestors re-established contact with the living in the form of masquerades.
The Igede-Agba is a Yam Festival, marked every year in September by the Igede people of
Oju and
Obi #REDIRECT Obi {{redirect category shell, {{R from other capitalisation{{R from ambiguous title ...
local government areas. Among the Tiv, the Tiv Day, marriage ceremonies and dance competitions (e.g. Swange dance) are often very colourful.
Kwagh-Hir is a very entertaining Tiv puppet show.
Social life in Benue State is also enriched by the availability of diverse recreational facilities. Apart from parks, beaches, dancing and masquerades mentioned above, the big hotels in
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated on the south bank of the Benue River. In 2016, Makurdi and the surrounding areas had an estimated popul ...
,
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
and
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
are equipped with several indoor sporting facilities. There are golf clubs, the Makurdi Club, Railway Club, Police Club and Air Force Club, where, apart from the sale of drinks and snacks, various types of games are played.
There is a standard Arts Theatre, a modern Sports Complex which includes the
Aper Aku Stadium, which has provisions for such games as tennis, basketball, volleyball and handball, an indoor sports hall and Olympic size swimming pool in Makurdi. Smaller stadia exist in
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
(J. S. Tarka Stadium),
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
,
Adikpo,
Vandeikya and
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
. The BCC Lawn Tennis tournament attracts players from all over the country. Benue State has three teams in the professional soccer ranks,
Lobi Stars F.C. in Division One,
BCC Lions FC
BCC Lions Football Club (Benue Cement Company Lions Football Club) is a Nigerian football team based in Gboko, Benue State, that competes in the Nigeria Amateur League, and plays its home games at the J. S. Tarka Stadium.
History
BCC Lions w ...
in Division Two, Mark mentors as the basketball premier league team.
The State Capital
Makurdi, the state capital was established in the early twenties and gained prominence in 1927 when it became the headquarters of the then Benue Province. Being a river port, it attracted the establishment of trading depots by companies such as
United Africa Company of Nigeria
The United Africa Company of Nigeria is a Nigerian publicly listed company based in Lagos.
Its areas of operation include manufacturing, services, logistics and warehousing, agricultural and real estate. UACN's food operations include UAC Fra ...
and
John Holt plc
John Holt plc is a Nigerian conglomerate that participates in many areas of the economy. The Nigerian company is a subsidiary of John Holt & Co. (Liverpool) Ltd, a British company. A minority of the shares are traded on the Nigerian Stock Exchang ...
. Its commercial status was further enhanced when the Railway Bridge was completed and opened in 1932. In 1976, the town became the capital of Benue State and today, doubles as the headquarters of Makurdi Local Government Area.
The town is divided by the River Benue into the north and south banks, which are connected by two bridges:
the railway bridge, which was built in 1932, and the new dual carriage bridge commissioned in 1978.
The southern part of the town is made up of several wards, including Central Ward, Old GRA, Ankpa Ward, Wadata Ward, High Level, Wurukum (Low Level), New GRA etc. Important establishments and offices located here include the Government House, The State Secretariat, The Federal Secretariat, The Central Bank of Nigeria Regional headquarters, Commercial Banks, Telecommunication companies, Police Headquarters, Nigeria Prisons Service,
Aper Aku Stadium, Nigeria Air force Base, Makurdi, The Makurdi Modern Market, the Federal Medical Centre, Nigeria Railway Station, Benue Printing and Publishing Company Limited, Radio Benue,
Nigerian Television Authority
The Nigerian Television Authority or NTA is a Nigerian government-owned and partly commercial broadcast station. Originally known as Nigerian Television (NTV), it was inaugurated in 1977 with a monopoly on national television broadcasting, after ...
(NTA), Nigerian Postal service, Benue Hotels Makurdi, Benue Plaza hotel, Benue State University, Benue State Breweries.
The North bank area of the town houses among other establishments, the Federal University of Agriculture, the Nigerian Army School of Military Engineering, the headquarters of the 72 Airborne Battalion, Akawe Torkula Polytechnic (ATP) and the State Headquarters of the Department of Customs and Excise.
Owing to its location in the valley of River Benue, Makurdi experiences warm temperatures most of the year. The period from November to January, when the harmattan weather is experienced is, however, relatively cool.
Makurdi can be reached by air, rail, road and water as the airport is presently not functioning. The major northern route is the Makurdi – Lafia – Jos road. The southern routes are Makurdi – Otukpo – Enugu and Makurdi – Yandev – Adikpo – Calabar roads. Traffic from the west comes through Makurdi – (3) Naka – Adoka Ankpa (3) – Okene (1) roads and from the east through Makurdi – Yandev – Katsina Ala – Wukari roads. The Makurdi Rail Bridge provides the only rail link between the northern and eastern parts of
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 ...
.
The beaches of River Benue can be exploited to provide good sites for relaxation. The river itself provides tourist opportunities for boating, angling and swimming. The Makurdi Moratorium that houses a variety of animals including some rare species also serves as another feature of tourist attraction.
Government
Just like other Nigerian states are governed by their Governors, Benue State is no exception. The state is under the current administration of
Samuel Ortom
Samuel Ioraer Ortom (; born 23 April 1961) is a Nigerian politician, businessman, administrator and philanthropist. He was a Minister of State Trade and Investments in Nigeria during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan. Ortom was elected govern ...
.
Local Government Areas
Benue State consists of twenty-three (23)
Local Government Areas
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, province, division, or territory.
The phrase i ...
. They are:
Languages
Languages of Benue State listed by LGA:
Other languages spoken in the State include
Etulo,
Nyifon,
Basa
Basa may refer to:
Agreements
* Bilateral Aviation Safety Agreement, between National Aviation Authority regulators
People
* Basa (surname)
* Bassa people (Cameroon), also spelled Basa, an ethnic group
* Basa, leader and namesake of the Basing ...
,
Jukun (including
Wannu), and
Utugwang Irungene Afrike.
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 ...
is also spoken in Border Areas.
Economy
Agricultural production
Agriculture forms the backbone of the Benue State economy, engaging more than 70 per cent of the working population. This has made Benue the major source of food production in the Nation. It can still be developed because most of the modern techniques are not yet popular to 98% of Nigeria. Mechanization and plantation agriculture/agro-forestry are still at its infancy. Farm inputs such as fertilizers, improved seed, insecticides and other foreign methods are being increasingly used. However, cost and availability is still a challenge. Important cash crops include
soybean
The soybean, soy bean, or soya bean (''Glycine max'') is a species of legume native to East Asia, widely grown for its edible bean, which has numerous uses.
Traditional unfermented food uses of soybeans include soy milk, from which tofu a ...
s, rice,
peanut
The peanut (''Arachis hypogaea''), also known as the groundnut, goober (US), pindar (US) or monkey nut (UK), is a legume crop grown mainly for its edible seeds. It is widely grown in the tropics and subtropics, important to both small and ...
s,
mango varieties,
citrus
''Citrus'' is a genus of flowering trees and shrubs in the rue family, Rutaceae. Plants in the genus produce citrus fruits, including important crops such as oranges, lemons, grapefruits, pomelos, and limes. The genus ''Citrus'' is native to ...
, etc.
Other cash crops include
palm oil, melon,
African pear,
chili pepper
Chili peppers (also chile, chile pepper, chilli pepper, or chilli), from Nahuatl '' chīlli'' (), are varieties of the berry-fruit of plants from the genus ''Capsicum'', which are members of the nightshade family Solanaceae, cultivated for ...
,
tomatoes
The tomato is the edible berry of the plant ''Solanum lycopersicum'', commonly known as the tomato plant. The species originated in western South America, Mexico, and Central America. The Mexican Nahuatl word gave rise to the Spanish word ...
etc. Food crops include
Yam,
Cassava
''Manihot esculenta'', commonly called cassava (), manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America. Although a perennial plant, cassava is extensively cultivated ...
,
Sweet potato,
Beans, Maize,
Millet,
Guinea corn
''Sorghum bicolor'', commonly called sorghum () and also known as great millet, broomcorn, guinea corn, durra, imphee, jowar, or milo, is a grass species cultivated for its grain, which is used for food for humans, animal feed, and ethanol produ ...
, Vegetables etc. There is very little irrigation agriculture and techniques.
Animal production include,
Cattle
Cattle (''Bos taurus'') are large, domesticated, cloven-hooved, herbivores. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae and the most widespread species of the genus ''Bos''. Adult females are referred to as cows and adult ma ...
,
Pork
Pork is the culinary name for the meat of the domestic pig (''Sus domesticus''). It is the most commonly consumed meat worldwide, with evidence of pig husbandry dating back to 5000 BCE.
Pork is eaten both freshly cooked and preserved; ...
,
Poultry
Poultry () are domesticated birds kept by humans for their eggs, their meat or their feathers. These birds are most typically members of the superorder Galloanserae (fowl), especially the order Galliformes (which includes chickens, quails, ...
and
Goat
The goat or domestic goat (''Capra hircus'') is a domesticated species of goat-antelope typically kept as livestock. It was domesticated from the wild goat (''C. aegagrus'') of Southwest Asia and Eastern Europe. The goat is a member of the a ...
but no dairy and dairy products yet.
The Zaki Ibiam International Yam Market is the biggest market for a single product in Nigeria.
Commerce and industry
Banking services are available as all the banks in Nigeria have branches in the state with the Central Bank of Nigeria having its regional headquarters in Makurdi. Dangote Cement Company is a private company that operates within the state and provides a little employment to the people.
This is a rough estimated employment percentage in the state: 75% are farmers, 10% traders, 6% civil servants, 9% private.
Benue State has the capacity to support a wide range of industries using local agricultural and mineral resources although potentials are yet to be exploited. Private initiatives in commerce and industry, particularly by indigenes, is as also on a small scale and is limited to carpentry, shoe repairs and manufacturing, small scale rice mills, leather and plastic industries, weaving, printing, catering, block making, food processing, etc. Industry and commerce have been greatly retarded by the absence of capital funds, basic infrastructure and the frequent political changes.
Infrastructure and transportation
The location of Benue State in the centre of the country plus the presence of bridges on two large rivers, the
Benue River and
Katsina-Ala River, make the state a major cross-roads centre. Two major highways connect the Eastern States to the North and Northeast. The present government has shown commitment to the construction of roads within the state capital Makurdi and other major roads leading in and out of the state. The roads are in an excellent condition.
The Federal government is also remodelling and expanding the
Makurdi Airport to become the largest agricultural cargo airport in the country.
The rivers
Benue and
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
only need to be dredged and a modern river port built at
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated on the south bank of the Benue River. In 2016, Makurdi and the surrounding areas had an estimated popul ...
, Turan, Buruku and
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
to transport goods all over the nation since the state is at the middle of the country. Ships are sighted very occasionally offloading cargo for Benue company at the Abinsi jetty.
The eastern rail line connects
Makurdi
Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated on the south bank of the Benue River. In 2016, Makurdi and the surrounding areas had an estimated popul ...
,
Otukpo
Otukpo is a town in Benue State, Nigeria located in the Middle Belt Region of Nigeria. It is also the eponymous name of a subgroup of the Idoma people. Otukpo is the headquarters of the Otukpo Local Government Area. It was the headquarters of the ...
,
Taraku,
Utonkon and
Igumale
Igumale is a town in Benue State Nigeria.
Transport
Igumale is served by a station on the eastern mainline of the national railway network.
Climate
In the town of Igumale, the rainy season is warm, oppressive, and overcast and the dry or sunny s ...
with the rest of the country. Altogether, about 180 km of rail line traverses the state.
Power supply
Electricity challenge in Benue is not different from every other regions in Nigeria, places like markurdi, Otukpo and Gboko to mention but few enjoys at least 60% of power supply. However, private industries have other sources of power supply as plan (b).
Telecommunications
Benue has facilities for the GSM service companies operating in the Country.
The state also has 5 radio stations and 2 television stations.
Tourism and recreation
Benue State possesses immense tourism potentials which are yet to be exploited. Since some of the tourist attractions are best selected by the tourist, Benue State in her bid to develop tourism embarked on infrastructural development necessary for the overall well-being of the tourist. The options are still opened to foreign investors.
The programme of road development, hotels, postal, telephone and Email services, electricity, potable water, recreational facilities and the general hospitality of the people will eventually open up the state to tourists. An amusement park and Zoo have been developed at Makurdi. There is a wild life park at lkwe where a conference hall and chalets have been built to serve tourists. Tourist attractions in the state may be grouped into natural scenic, historical monuments and festivals.
Natural Attractions in Benue State include hills and ranges such as Ikyogen, Abande, Ngokur, Mkar, Ushongo and Harga. There is a heavily wooded natural trench at Tse-Mker which is believed to be inhabited by dangerous creatures including Pythons. Gurgul is a waterfall on
Katsina Ala River
The Katsina Ala (or Katsina-Ala) is a river in central Nigeria, located within its Middle Belt. It serves as a major tributary of the Benue River in Nigeria. The source of the river is found in the Bamenda highlands in northwestern Cameroon. It f ...
. The border stretch adjoining the
Obudu/
South Cameroon Plateau
The South Cameroon Plateau or Southern Cameroon Plateau (french: Plateau Sud-Camerounais) is the dominant geographical feature of Cameroon. The plateau lies south of the Adamawa Plateau and southeast of the Cameroon Range. It slopes south and west ...
ranges features forests, dissected hills,
Dykes, dozens of fast flowing streams and incised valleys. In the
Dry season
The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The te ...
, the water level in both the
Benue River and
Katsina-Ala River falls, giving rise to sandy river beaches and clean shallow waters. The waters are used for recreational boating and swimming. At Orokam in
Ogbadibo
Ogbadibo is a Local Government Area of Benue State, North Central, Nigeria. It has three districts namely: Orokam, Owukpa, and Otukpa. The Local Government's headquarters is located in Otukpa Town.
It has an area of 598 km and a population of 12 ...
Local government areas, occurs the Enumabia Warm Spring. At Epwa-Ibilla, Andi-Ibilla, Uchenyum-Ibilla, Okochi-Uwokwu, Irachi-Uwokwu, Ette-Uda-Uwokwu, Odepa-Uwokwu, Igbegi-Ipinu-Uwokwu, Edde-Ibilla-Uwokwu, and Ohuma-Uwokwu of Oju, are springs of clean water. There are masses of unusually tall trees in the deep valleys and on the pretty steep highlands, which are all however inhabited.
Historical monuments in the state include the Royal Niger Company Trading Stores at Makurdi and Gbileve near
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
; the tombs of the first Dutch missionaries at Harga and Sai in
Katsina-Ala
Katsina-Ala is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Katsina-Ala where the A344 highway starts. It is also the location of an important archeological site where artifacts of the Nok culture hav ...
Local Government Areas; the tombs of the legendary politician,
Mr. J. S. Tarka and past three Tor Tiv in
Gboko
Gboko is a town in the Benue State of North-central Nigeria
Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. ...
town; and the trench fortifications in Turan district of
Kwande
Kwande is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Adikpo.
Kwande has an area of 2,891 km and a population of 248,697 at the 2006 Census.is bordered by several other LGAs. On the west, it is bordere ...
local government areas which were dug by the Tiv to ward off
Chamba Chamba may refer to:
People
* Gilberto Chamba (born 1961), Ecuadorian serial killer
* Jessica Chamba (born 1981), European activist
Places Ghana
* Chamba, a town in the Northern Region
India
* Chamba (Vidhan Sabha constituency), Himachal Pradesh ...
invasions in the 19th century.
At Utonkon, is a thick forest with tall giant trees, the centre of which used to serve as a slave trade market, but is now the site of shrines and a periodic market. Swem is a shrine site at the foot of the
Cameroon
Cameroon (; french: Cameroun, ff, Kamerun), officially the Republic of Cameroon (french: République du Cameroun, links=no), is a country in west-central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west and north; Chad to the northeast; the C ...
range in
Kwande
Kwande is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Adikpo.
Kwande has an area of 2,891 km and a population of 248,697 at the 2006 Census.is bordered by several other LGAs. On the west, it is bordere ...
local government area from where the
Tivs were said to have originated.
Education
Higher education institutions in Benue State include;
*
Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, ATP, Makurdi.
*
Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo
*
Benue State University
Benue State University is a state-owned university in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. In 2006, student enrollment was over 19,000 served by 7 faculties, 23 departments. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate programs with a catalog ...
, Makurdi
*
Federal University Of Health Sciences, Akwete-Otukpo
*
University of Agriculture, Makurdi
The University of Agriculture, Makurdi (UAM) is a higher education institution in Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria.
The university was established in 1988, following the recommendations of a 1987 federal government White Paper on Higher Education cu ...
*
University of Mkar
*
College of Education,Katsina-Ala
Notable people
*
George Akume
George Akume (born 27 December 1953) is a Nigerian politician who is the Minister of Special Duties and Inter-governmental Affairs. He was a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was the Minority Leader of the Senate from June 2011 to ...
*
David Mark
David Alechenu Bonaventure Mark , is a retired Nigerian Army Brigadier General and politician. He was President of the Senate of Nigeria from 2007 to 2015 and was the Senator for Benue South Senatorial District Benue State. He is a member of th ...
*
Daniel Amokachi
Daniel Owefin Amokachi (born 30 December 1972) is a Nigerian football manager and former professional footballer and a member of the dubious goals panel for the Premier League.
As a player he was a forward who notably played in the Premier L ...
*
Lawrence Onoja
*
Gabriel Suswam
Gabriel Torwua Suswam (born 15 November 1964) is a Nigerian politician and former governor of Benue State. He is a Senator of the 9th assembly, of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Early life and education
Gabriel Suswam was born on 15 Novemb ...
*
Samuel Ortom
Samuel Ioraer Ortom (; born 23 April 1961) is a Nigerian politician, businessman, administrator and philanthropist. He was a Minister of State Trade and Investments in Nigeria during the presidency of Goodluck Jonathan. Ortom was elected govern ...
*
Paul Orhii
*
Iorchia Ayu
*
Aper Aku
Aper Aku (1938–1988) was elected governor of Benue State, Nigeria in October 1979 and reelected in October 1983, leaving office after the military coup in December 1983 which General Mohammadu Buhari came to power.
Background
Aper Aku was bor ...
*
Orshio Adasu
References
External links
Official Benue State website*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Benue State
States of Nigeria
States and territories established in 1976
Library of Congress Africa Collection related
Benue River