Abia State

Abia
State

An image of the Abia State Tower

Abia Tower in Umuahia
Seal of Abia State
Seal
Nickname(s): God's Own State
Igbo:Ọ̀hà Chineke

Location of Abia State in Nigeria
Coordinates: 5°25′N 7°30′E / 5.417°N 7.500°E / 5.417; 7.500Coordinates: 5°25′N 7°30′E / 5.417°N 7.500°E / 5.417; 7.500
Country  Nigeria
Date created 27 August 1991
Capital Umuahia
Government
 • Governor[1] Okezie Ikpeazu (PDP)
 • Senators Eyinnaya Abaribe, Theodore A. Orji, Mao Ohuabunwa
 • Representatives List
Area
 • Total 6,320 km2 (2,440 sq mi)
Population (2006 census)[2]
 • Total 2,833,999
 • Density 450/km2 (1,200/sq mi)
Demonym(s) Abian
GDP (PPP)
 • Year 2007
 • Total $18.69 billion[3]
 • Per capita $3,003[3]
Time zone WAT (UTC+01)
ISO 3166 code NG-AB
Official language English
Website abiastate.gov.ng

Abia is a state in the south eastern part of Nigeria.[4] The capital is Umuahia and the major commercial city is Aba. The commercial hub, Aba was formerly a British colonial government outpost in the region. Abia state was created in 1991 from part of Imo State.[5] It is one of the constituent states of the Niger Delta region.[4]

Geography

Abia State, which occupies about 5,834 square kilometres, is bounded on the north and northeast by the states of Anambra, Enugu, and Ebonyi. To the west of Abia is Imo State, to the east and southeast are Cross River State and Akwa Ibom State, and to the south is Rivers State. The southern part of the State lies within the riverine part of Nigeria. It is low-lying tropical rain forest with some oil-palm brush.[5] the southern portion gets heavy rainfall of about 2,400 millimetres (94 in) per year especially intense between the months of April through October. The rest of the State is moderately high plain and wooded savanna.[5] The most important rivers in Abia State are the Imo and Aba Rivers which flow into the Atlantic Ocean through Akwa Ibom State.

Infrastructure and Economy

Crude oil and gas production is a prominent activity, as it contributes over 39% of the State's GDP.[6] However, the Indigenous oil companies, through the Marginal Fields Programme (MFP) have not found it easy to attract the requisite funding and infrastructural capacity to explore some of the marginal oil fields, about 50 in the State.[7]

The manufacturing sector only accounts for 2% of the GDP.[6] The industrial centre of the state is in Aba, with textile manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, soap, plastics, cement, footwear, and cosmetics.[5] In addition to the above, Abia State Government have just built a 9000 capacity multi purpose International Conference Centre in Umuahia. This edifice of international standard was built by Governor T.A Orji to enhance tourism as well as boost the State economy through hosting of major International and Local events.

Representing 27% of the GDP,[6] agriculture, which employs 70%[6] of the state workforce, is the second economic sector of Abia. With its adequate seasonal rainfall, Abia has much arable land that produces yams, maize, potatoes, rice, cashews, plantains, taro, and cassava.[5] Oil palm is the most important cash crop.[5]

Oil and Gas Exploration

There are over 100 oil wells and 3 installed flow stations in Abia State.[7][8] There is also an associated gas plant, Abia/NNPC gas plant.[8] As of 2012, boundary Commission said it returned 42 oil wells from neighbouring Rivers State to Abia.[8] This would have meant Abia being fourth largest oil producing state in the county.[8] Oil giant, Shell, holds most of the licenses for the wells in the State and has concentrated on the estimated 50 wells that are considered high-yield.[7]

The State produced 36,000 barrels of crude oil per day; "Imoturu produces 23,000 barrels per day and Isimili flow station produces over 8,000 barrels of crude oil per day. Then four oil wells in Izaku go to Obigo flow station. About 30 oil wells from my village go to Umuri and about eight oil wells from Umurie go to Afam", lamented Samuel Okezie Nwogu, Chairman of Abia State Oil Producing Development Area Commission (ASOPADEC).

However, the State has complained of poor funding from its oil revenue federal allocation. Our people are really suffering, and there are lots of projects we can still execute to alleviate their sufferings.[8]

University and Colleges

There are four universities in the state: the federal-owned Michael Okpara University of Agriculture at Umudike, the state-owned Abia State University in Uturu, the Gregory University Uturu (privately owned) and Rhema University in Aba also (privately owned). There are two tertiary hospitals, the Federal Medical Center in Umuahia and the Abia State University Teaching Hospital in Aba, which serve as referral hospitals in the State. The Abia State Polytechnic is also in the city of Aba. There are two major power plants in Abia, The Alaoji Power plant and the Geometric Power plant. Abia is one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria and has been a "haven" for foreign investors. The state's population has grown rapidly since its creation.

Travel

The nearest airport to Abia is Sam Mbakwe Cargo Airport (Owerri Airport), an hour drive to Umuahia and Aba; and Port Harcourt International Airport, 2 hours. Uyo Airport, Akwa Ibom State can also serve would be visitors. The Distance between Uyo (Akwa Ibom) and Umuahia (Abia) is: 73.28 kilometres (45.53 mi).

The rail transport is also another means of travel, very effective but currently on revitalisation. Aba is connected to Port Harcourt by rail.[5] The Coastal parts of the State are equally accessible with boats and canoes.

History and population

Abia State was carved out of the former Imo State in 1991. The name "Abia" is an abbreviation of four of the state's densely populated regions Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato, and Afikpo.[9] It is one of the thirty-six (36) States with seventeen (17) Local government areas (LGAs) that constitute the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Abia people are of the Igbo ethnic group who are one of the indigenous peoples of Southeastern part of Nigeria. Their traditional language is Igbo as its citizens are predominantly Igbo people (95% of population).[10] English is widely spoken and serves as the official language in governance and business. Abia's over 2.4 million people are mainly Christians.

Politics

The State Government is led by a democratically-elected executive Governor who works closely with an elected State House Assembly. The capital city is Umuahia. There are Seventeen (17) local government areas (LGAs).

In 1999 Nigeria became a democracy, and Orji Uzor Kalu contested on the platform of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and won the Governorship election in Abia State. Consequently, he was sworn-in on 29 May 1999. In 2003, when it was time for fresh elections, Kalu re-contested on the platform of the PDP and got a second mandate to govern. (The Constitution of Nigeria limits Governors to two terms in office.) Theodore Orji (PPA) defeated Onyema Ugochukwu (PDP) in the 2007 general elections to become Abia's next Governor.In 2011, Theodore Orji decamped from PPA to the PDP and was re-elected for another four-year tenure.

On 11 April 2015, Okezie Ikpeazu was voted as the ninth Governor of Abia State under the platform of the People's Democratic Party.[11]

Local Government Areas

Abia State consists of seventeen (17) Local Government Areas. They are:

Traditional rulers

Title Ethnic Group Name Class LGAs Palace
Enyi (Eze) of Aba Igbo / Eziama Aba Eze Issac Ikonne 1 Aba North Osusu Aba
Ochiudo 1 of Aba Ukwu Igbo / Aba Jonathan U. oguejiofor (JP): Justice of Peace of Federal Republic of Nigeria, Abia State
Osimiri III of Aba Igbo / Aba Eze (Barrister) Sunday Emejiaka 1 Aba South Aba
Eze Aro Igbo / Arochukwu Mazi Ogbonnaya Vincent Okoro (Eze Aro III) 1 Arochukwu Oro Arochukwu
Ugwumba 1 of Ndida Ozaar Igbo / Asa Eze Samuel Chukwuemeka Agu Ukwa West Umuebulungwu, Ndida Ozaar Autonomous Community
Ike 1 of Ikeisu Igbo / Isu Augustine O. Igwe (Ike I) ? Arochukwu Ikeisu (Utugiyi)
Ezeala III of Aro Ngwa Igbo / Aro Ngwa Eze Edward Enwereji ? Osisioma Ngwa
Ugo Oha (Eze) of Etiti Mgboko Umuanunu Igbo / Etiti Ngozi Ibekwe 1 Obi ngwa
Eze Ukwu 1 of Ngwa-Ukwu Igbo / Ngwa Benard Enweremadu 1 Isiala Ngwa Ngwa Ukwu Kingdom. The ancestral home of Ngwa Land.
Nya 1 of Nunya Igbo / Oguduasaa M.E. Ihevume ? Isuikwuato Nunya Autonomous Community
Ossah-Ibeku (Eze) of Umuahia[12] Igbo / ? Hope Onuigbo X X Umuahia Amibo, Nsukwe
Eze of Uturu Igbo / Uturu A.E. Ude ? Isuikwuato Uturu
Igbojiakuru (Eze) of Alayi Igbo / Alayi Ukeje Philip ? Bende Ndi Elendu, Amaeke Alayi
Awu (Eze)of Isuamawu Igbo / Isuikwuato Surveyor Chris E Aboh,FNIS ? Isuikwuato Eluama Isuama
Enachioken Of Abiriba Igbo / Abiriba Kalu Kalu Ogbu ? Ohafia LGA Abiriba
Ohanyere I Of Ohiya Igbo / Umuahia Eze Abel E. Uhuegbue ? Umuahia South LGA Abia
Eze Ohanyere I Of Ahiaba Ubi Igbo / Isiala Ngwa Eze D.O. Ogbuisi ? Isiala Ngwa North LGA Abia
EZE TOWE 1 of umutowe. Igbo / Ohiya Eze G. C Onwuka ? Umuahia South LGA Abia
Ome Udo II Of Umueze, Ohiya Igbo / Ohiya Uche Nwamarah ? Umuahia South LGA Abia
Okaa Omee I of Amaikwu, Abia Igbo / Ohiya Uche Nwamarah ? Umuahia South LGA Abia
"Ehi II" of Ehi na Uguru Auto. Comm, Umuguru Igbo / Umuguru Eze E. E. Eluwa 1 Isiala Ngwa South LGA Abia

References

  1. ↑ See List of Governors of Abia State for a list of prior governors
  2. ↑ Federal Republic of Nigeria Official Gazette (15 May 2007). "Legal Notice on Publication of the Details of the Breakdown of the National and State Provisional Totals 2006 Census" (PDF). Retrieved 19 May 2007.
  3. 1 2 "C-GIDD (Canback Global Income Distribution Database)". Canback Dangel. Archived from the original on 11 March 2012. Retrieved 20 August 2008.
  4. 1 2 "Niger Delta Region Land and People" (PDF). www.nddc.gov.ng. Federal Republic of Nigeria. p. 4.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Hoiberg, Dale H., ed. (2010). "Abia". Encyclopedia Britannica. I: A-ak Bayes (15th ed.). Chicago, IL: Encyclopedia Britannica Inc. p. 32. ISBN 978-1-59339-837-8.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Nigeria's 36 States and the FCT, Economic, societal and political profiles, World Bank Report
  7. 1 2 3 Channelstv, Nigeria (April 14, 2013). "Harnessing Abia's oil and gas potentials". channelstv.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Vanguard, Nigeria (August 7, 2012). "Our problem is poor funding – ASOPADEC Chairman". vanguardngr.com. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  9. ↑ "Abia State history". Abia-union.org. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  10. ↑ "Enugu State". Igbofocus.co.uk. 17 January 2012. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
  11. ↑ INEC Declares Ikpeazu Winner Of Abia Governorship Election
  12. ↑ Chairman of the Abia State Council of Traditional Rulers

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