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 southwest. Named for the Abonyi (Aboine) River—a large part of which is in the state's south—Ebonyi State was formed from parts of Abia and Enugu state in 1996 and has its capital as Abakaliki.

One of the smallest states of Nigeria, Ebonyi is the 33rd largest in area and 29th most populous with an estimated population of nearly 2.9 million as of 2016. Geographically, the state is divided between the Cross–Niger transition forests in the far south and the drier Guinean forest–savanna mosaic in the rest of the state. The other important geographical features are the Cross River and its tributary, the River Aloma, which flow along Ebonyi's southeastern and eastern borders, respectively; while fellow Cross River tributaries, the Abonyi (Aboine), Asu, and Eze Aku rivers run through the state's interior.

After independence in 1960, the area of now-Ebonyi was a part of the post-independence Eastern Region until 1967 when the region was split and the area became part of the East Central State. Less than two months afterwards, the former Eastern Region attempted to secede in the three-year long Nigerian Civil War with Ebonyi as a part of the secessionist state of Biafra. At the war's end and the reunification of Nigeria, the East Central State was reformed until 1976 when the state's north became Anambra State and the south became Imo State. Fifteen years afterwards, Anambra and Imo states were divided with their eastern parts becoming Enugu State and Abia State, respectively. It was not until 1996, when Enugu State's east and Abia's northeast were split off and joined to form Ebonyi State.

Economically, Ebonyi State is based around agriculture, mainly of yams, rice, oil palm, and cassava crops. A key minor industry is mining due to lead, zinc, and limestone deposits around Abakaliki, and locally hand-made baskets of various sizes at Ntezi. Ebonyi has the joint-twentieth highest Human Development Index in the country and numerous institutions of tertiary education.

Geography

It was one of the six states created in 1996 by the then federal military government of General Sani Abacha. The State of Ebonyi was created from parts of both Enugu State and Abia State, which were the Abakaliki division from Enugu State and the Afikpo division from Abia State respectively. It has three senatorial zones, the Abakaliki division make up Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central senatorial zones, while the Afikpo, Ohaozara, Onicha and Ivo division make up the Ebonyi South senatorial zone. Ebonyi has thirteen local government areas as well as local development centres created by the state government. It is home to six prominent higher institutions of learning: Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki (EBSU); Alex Ekwueme Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo; Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic, Unwana; Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu; Federal College of Education (Technical), Isu; Ebonyi State College of Education Ikwo (EBSCOEI); College of Health Sciences, Ezzamgbo and Ebonyi State College of Health and Midwifery (EBSCONMU), Uburu. In 2021, three other Universities were introduced by Governor David Umahi, Aeronautical Engineering and that of Technology in Ezza and Izzi Local Government Areas (LGA), and King David University of Medical Science, Uburu, Ohaozara LGA, Ebonyi State.

Climate

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Demographics

There are several Igbo dialects spoken in Ebonyi State which includes Edda, Ehugbo (Afikpo), Izzi-Ezza- Mgbo-Ikwo dialect cluster, Oshiri, Unwara, Akpoha, Okposi, Onicha; and a mixed Igbo and Korring dialects spoken in Amuda-Okpolo, Ntezi-Okpoto and Effium, which is also familiar with Kukele in Cross River, and Utonkon in Benue States respectively.

Administration

In 1999, Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu was elected as the first governor of the state under the People's Democratic Party (PDP). He was succeeded by Martin Elechi who was elected in 2007 and successfully ran for re-election in 2011, under the same PDP. Gov Martin Elechi was succeeded by the current Governor, Dave Umahi, who was elected in the March 2015 election and re-elected in March 2019 for a second term in office.

Natural resources

Ebonyi is primarily an agricultural region. It is a leading producer of rice, yam, potatoes, maize, beans, and cassava, and have a notable basket market in Nigeria. Rice is predominantly cultivated in Ikwo, yams in Izzi, with other regions in the state such as Amasiri, Edda and Ezillo making notable contributions, Effium and Ezzamgo taking the top spots in cassava production, and basket production in Ntezi. Ebonyi has several solid mineral resources, including lead, crude oil, and natural gas, but few large-scale commercial mining mines. The state government has, however, given some incentives to investors in the agro-allied sector to encourage production but capacity remains largely under utilized. Ebonyi is called "the salt of the nation" for its huge salt deposit at the Okposi and Uburu Salt Lakes. There are also some tourist locations within the state prominent ones include Abakaliki Green Lake, Uburu Salt Lake, Unwana and Ikwo Beaches.

Local government areas

Ebonyi State consists of thirteen (13) Local Government Areas. They are:

* Abakaliki
* Afikpo North
* Afikpo South (Edda)
* Ebonyi
* Ezza North
* Ezza South
* Ikwo
* Ishielu
* Ivo
* Izzi
* Ohaozara
* Ohaukwu
* Onicha

Languages

Igbo language is the primary language and there are primarily ten Igbo dialects spoken in Ebonyi states.They are:Afikpo, Mgbo, Izzi, Ezaa, Edda, Ikwo, Kukele, Legbo, Mbembe,Okposi,Uburu and Oring.
Languages of Ebonyi State listed by LGA:

Education

A list of tertiary institutions in Ebonyi state includes:

* Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic
* Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu
* Ebonyi state University
* Federal University Ndufu Alike Ikwo
* Ebonyi State College of Health and Midwifery, Uburu
* Federal College of Education (Technical), Isu
* King David College of Medicine, Uburu, Ebonyi State

Notable people

* Anyim Pius Anyim
* Uche Azikiwe
* Andy Chukwu
* Onyebuchi Chukwu
* Martin Elechi
* Akanu Ibiam
* Chigozie Ogbu
* Frank Ogbuewu
* Ogbonnaya Onu
* Emmanuel Onwe
* Nnenna Oti
* Patoranking
* Sinach
* Tekno
* Dave Umahi

See also

*List of people from Ebonyi State
* 2011 clashes in Ebonyi State
*
* Ebonyi State Executive Council

References

External links

For All Things Ebonyi State

States of Nigeria
States and territories established in 1996{{Cite web, title=Ebonyi State Government ::{{!:: SALT OF THE NATION, url=http://www.ebonyistate.gov.ng/, access-date=2022-02-21, website=www.ebonyistate.gov.ng