Ebonyi State is located in the south-eastern region of Nigeria and was one of the six states that were established on October 1, 1996 by the then-federal military administration, which was led by the late General Sani Abacha. Ebonyi State is the largest of the six states. It was formed by separating portions of Enugu State and Abia State to form the new state. Prior to the establishment of the state of Ebonyi, this area was historically a part of the Ogoja Province, and the city of Abakaliki served as the provincial capital and administrative centre for the surrounding communities in what was then known as the Eastern Region. When Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, it elevated it to the status of a province area; within the provincial regions, there were three divisions, namely Abakaliki, Afikpo, and Obubara. Abakaliki Province was Balkanized, or split into two, in 1976 when the Federal Government of Nigeria partitioned the former East Central State into Imo and Anambra States. The Abakaliki Division became an appendage of Anambra State, while the Afikpo Division became linked to Imo State.
In 1991, two new states, known as Abia State and Enugu State, were established in the central region of the Eastern United States. As a result of this state creation, the previous Afikpo Division is now included as a part of Abia State, while the Abakaliki Division is now a part of Enugu State. It was like that until the 1st of October, 1996, when Ebonyi State was finally created by Gen. Sani Abacha, which led to the coming home of brothers and sisters from the old Abakaliki province who had been scattered in the wilderness as a result of the circumstances of history and politics. This happened in the year 1996.
Ezeogo, Ajaeze, and Otuka Anyasi were the ones that battled for the foundation of the state; Martin Elechi served as their spokesman. After many years of agitation, their struggles ultimately yielded result.
The phrase “Salt of the Nation” is used as the slogan for this state. Due to the fact that it has a landmass of around 5,935 kilometres and an estimated population of more than 2 million people, it comes in at number 34 out of the 36 states that make up the United States. Ebonyi State is surrounded by four other states of the country: to the east, it is adjacent to the state of Cross River; to the north, it is adjacent to the state of Benue; to the west, it is adjacent to the state of Enugu; and to the south, it is adjacent to the state of Abia.
Afikpo is the second largest city in the state, however Abakaliki, the state capital, also happens to be the largest city in the state.
Ikwo is the Local Government Area (LGA) that takes up the most land in all of Ebonyi State. It can be found in the eastern portion of the state of Ebonyi. It has a land mass of about 500 kilometres and is bordered on the other side by Abakaliki Local Government Area as well as Ezza Local Government Area. It is widely held among the people of Ikwo that Noyo’s lineage may be traced back to them. Ikwo has a climate that falls in between tropical and subtropical, and it gets a lot of rain. When the rainy season arrives, the terrain is characterised by verdant flora, dense forests, ponds, and little pools. In addition, the terrain is characterised by a number of rock formations, the rivers Ikwo and Cross, and their confluence (which marks the border with Cross River State).
The majority of Ikwo’s population works in agriculture. Cassava, yams, and rice are the three most common types of crops grown in this region. Ikwo is widely considered as the industry leader when it comes to the production of both palm wine and Abakaliki rice. Ikwo is also blessed with an abundance of natural resources, the majority of which have not yet been exploited. These resources include lime stones in Agubia and Echara Ukwu in Eka Awoke, lead, zinc, and salt in Ameri and Ohankwu, and laterite deposits in a number of locations throughout the community.
Ikwo is the hometown of Chief Martin Elechi, who served as governor of Ebonyi State in the past (MFR). In addition, it is the location of the sole Federal University in the state, which is known as FUNAI, as well as the Ebonyi State College of Education in Onuebonyi Echara, the Ameri Salt Pit, and a number of mines in the areas of Ohankwu and Ameri. Ikwo is home to a number of locations that have significant potential as tourist destinations. Oferekpe Beach is one of them, as well as the Illi Noyo at Ekpelu Umuaka (which is the ancestral home of the Ikwo Noyo clan), the Norwegian Water Reservoir at Amagu, the rocky hills formation in Amagu, Okpuitumo, and Otagbara, and the Ogagbo Igbudu Beach at Ogagbo Igbudu. All of these can be found in The semi-savannah grassland, woodlands, and swamps that make up the eastern prototype vegetation found in Ebonyi State are mixed together to form a unique ecosystem.
Due to Ebonyi’s location in an agrarian area, the majority of its inhabitants work in agriculture. As a result, the majority of Ebonyians are farmers. Rice, yam, potatoes, maize, beans, and cassava are among the top commodities produced in this state, making it one of the main agricultural producers in Nigeria. Edda, which is a region inside the state, is known for its extensive cultivation of both rice and yams.
Ebonyi State is home to a number of educational institutions, including a university in Abakaliki called Ebonyi State University, also known as EBSU; a federal polytechnic located in Unwana, close to Afikpo; a college of education in Ikwo; a college of agriculture in Ishiagu; and a number of secondary and primary schools dispersed throughout the state’s many towns and villages.
The territory of Ebonyi is abundantly endowed with a great quantity of solid mineral resources that are dispersed over the entirety of the state. There are various different solid mineral resources, including lead, crude oil, and natural gas; however, there are not many large-scale commercial mining mines. Nevertheless, in order to boost production, the state government has provided a number of financial incentives to investors in the agro-allied sector. Because of the enormous salt deposits found in Okposi and Uburu Salt Lakes, the state of Ebonyi is often referred to as “the salt of the nation.”
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