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Benue | |
|---|---|
 | |
 Flag  Seal | |
| Nicknames: | |
 Location of Benue State in Nigeria | |
| Coordinates:7°20′N8°45′E / 7.333°N 8.750°E /7.333; 8.750 | |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Date created | 3 February 1976 |
| Capital | Makurdi |
| Government | |
| • Body | Government of Benue State |
| • Governor | Hyacinth Iormem Alia (APC) |
| • Deputy Governor | Samuel Ode (APC) |
| • Legislature | Benue State House of Assembly |
| • Senators | NE:Hon. Emmanuel Udende (APC) NW:Titus Zam (APC) S:Patrick Abba Moro (PDP) |
| • Representatives | List |
| Area | |
• Total | 34,059 km2 (13,150 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 11th of 36 |
| Population (2006 Census) | |
• Total | 4,253,641[1] |
• Estimate (2022) | 6,141,300[2] |
| • Rank | 7th of 36 |
| • Density | 124.89/km2 (323.46/sq mi) |
| GDP (PPP) | |
| • Year | 2021 (estimate) |
| • Total | $27.64 billion[3] |
| • Per capita | $4,141[3] |
| Time zone | UTC+01 (WAT) |
| Dialing Code | +234 |
| ISO 3166 code | NG-BE |
| HDI (2022) | 0.582[4] medium ·19th of 37 |
Benue is a State in theNorth Central region ofNigeria. It is popularly referred to as part of the Middle belt. It has an estimated population of about 4,253,641 inthe 2006 census. The state was created in 1976 and was among the seven states created at that time.[5] The state derives its name from theBenue River initially calledBer-nor, a compound word inTiv language which means river or lake of hippopotamus (Ber meaning river or lake, whilenor is the name for hippopotamus) the nameBer-nor was corrupted to BENUE by colonial masters, the river is the second largest river inNigeria after theRiver Niger.[6] The state bordersNasarawa State to the North;Taraba State to the East;Kogi State to the West;Enugu State to the South-West;Ebonyi andCross-Rivers State to the South; and has an international border withCameroon to theSouth-East.[7] It is inhabited predominantly by theTiv,Idoma andIgede people. Minority ethnic groups in Benue areEtulo,hausa andJukun people etc. Its capital isMakurdi.[8] Benue is a rich agricultural region; common crops cultivated in the state includeoranges, yams,mangoes,sweet potatoes,cassava,soya bean,guinea corn,flax,sesame,rice,groundnuts andpalm trees.
Benue State is a legacy of an administrative entity that was carved out of the protectorate ofnorthern Nigeria at the beginning of the twentieth century. The territory was initially known as Munshi Province until 1918 when the name of its dominant geographical feature, theBenue River was adopted.[9]
Benue State is named after theBenue River and was formed from the formerBenue-Plateau State in 1976, along withIgala and some parts ofKwara State.[10] In 1991, some areas of Benue state (mostly theIgala-speaking area), along with areas inKwara State, were clubbed together to form the newKogi State.Igbo people are found in the boundary areas like theObi,Oju and Ado Local Government Areas. It is known as the "Heartbeat of the Middle Belt" and the "Entertainment Capital of theMiddle Belt" north of theNiger River.Otukpo, theIdoma people's traditional and administrative capital, is also known as the Lion's Heart and the Land of the Brave.[11]
Benue State, which is located in the North Central region ofNigeria, has a total population of 4,253,641 in the2006 census, with an average population density of 99 persons per km2. This makes Benue the 9th most populous state in Nigeria. However, the distribution of the population according to Local government areas shows marked duality.[12]
There are areas of lowpopulation density, such asGuma,Ohimini, Tarka,Apa,Logo andAgatu, each with less than seventy persons per km2, whileVandeikya, Ukum, Kwande,Otukpo,Okpokwu, andGboko have densities ranging from 160 persons to 200 persons per km2. Makurdi LGA has over 380 persons per km2. The males are 49.8 percent of the total population while females constitute 50.2 per cent.
Benue State region was depleted of its human population during theslave trade. 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 includeMakurdi, the State Capital,Gboko andOtukpo 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 includesKatsina-Ala,Zaki-Biam,Vandeikya andAdikpo. These are all local government headquarters. The third category comprises towns with a population of 10,000 to 19,000 people and includes, Lessel,Ihugh,Naka, Adoka, Aliade, Okpoga,Igumale,Oju, Utonkon, Ugbokolo, Wannune, Ugbokpo,Otukpa,Ugba 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, Idekpa,Obagaji 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 areMakurdi,Gboko andOtukpo. They are among the oldest towns in the state and are growing at a much faster rate than the smaller younger towns.
Makurdi doubles as the capital of the state and the headquarters of Makurdi LGA, whileGboko,Otukpo andOju double as the local government and ethnic headquarters (i.e. forTiv,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 byGeneral 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 ofKogi State. The new Benue State of today has twenty-three (23) local government areas,[13] which are administered by local government councils.
Benue State lies within the lowerriver 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 to the north for 231 km (partly across the Benue River),Taraba State to the east for 235 km,Cross-River State to the south for 96 km,Enugu State to the south-west for 84 km, andKogi State to the west for 153 km. The state also shares a common boundary for 22 km with theNord-Ouest Province, claimed by bothAmbazonia and theRepublic of Cameroon on the south-east. Benue occupies a landmass of 34,059 square kilometres.
Benue state has a Tropical wet and dry orsavanna climate. The city's yearly temperature is 29.38 °C (84.88 °F) and it is −0.08% lower than Nigeria's averages. The state receives about 135.2 millimeters (5.32 inches) ofprecipitation and has 160.01 rainy days (43.84% of the time) annually.[14][15]
Based onKöppen climate classification, Benue State lies within theAW climate and experiences two distinct seasons, theWet season and theDry season. The rainy season lasts from April to October with annual rainfall in the range of 100-200mm. Thedry 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 ofPlateau State.[15]
Much of Benue State falls within the Benue Valley/trough which is believed to be structurally developed. During the Tertiary and possibly theInterglacial periods of theQuaternary glaciation, the Benue and Niger Valleys, otherwise known as the Niger/Benue trough, were transgressed by the waters of theAtlantic Ocean. As a result, marine sediments form the dominant surface geology of much of Benue State.
Benue State is blessed with abundant mineral resources. These resources are distributed in the Local Government Areas of the state. Of these mineral resources, onlyLimestone atTse-Kucha, Gboko andKaolinite atOtukpo are being commercially exploited. Other mineral deposits includeBaryte,Gypsum,Feldspar,Wolframite,Kaolinite, mineral salts andGemstone etc.
Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy of Benue State, engaging over 75% of the state's workforce. Prominent crops includeYam, Rice,Beans,Cassava,Sweet potato, Maize,Soybean,Sorghum,Millet,Sesame,Cocoyam etc. The state also accounts for over 70% of Nigeria'sSoybean production.[16]
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.
The land is generally low lying (averaging 100m-250m) and gently undulating with occasionalinselbergs,Knoll,Laterite etc. It is only at the boundary area withCameroon, alsoKwande andOju Local Government Areas that hilly terrain with appreciable local relief is encountered. Here, the terrain is characterised by steep slopes, deep incisedvalleys and generally rugged relief. Elsewhere, gradients average less than 4°.River Benue is the dominant geographical feature in the state. It is one of the few large rivers in Nigeria. TheKatsina-Ala is the largest tributary, while the smaller rivers includeMkomon,Amile,Duru,Loko Konshisha,Kpa,Okpokwu,Mu,Be,Aya,Apa Ogede andOmbi. 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 asGuma,Okpokwu,Ogbadibo,Gwer West (Naka, Nigeria) andOju. This river system has great potential for a viable fishing industry, dry season farming through irrigation and for an inland water highway.
Benue is divided into 3 senatorial districts and 23 local government areas 14 for theTiv, 7 for theidoma and 2 for theigede.
Senatorial Zone A has;
Tiv in all 7 local governments.
TheEtulo have a small community inKatsina Ala
Thehausa have small communities inKatsina Ala andZaki biam
Senatorial zone B has;
Tiv in all 7 local governments
TheEtulo andNyifon have small communities inBuruku.
TheJukun community is along the river bank at Abinsi village inMakurdi local government.
Thehausa have 2 large communities inMakurdi city. They live in the Wadata neighborhood and North bank neighborhood.
Senatorial Zone C has;
TheIdoma in 7 local governments
TheIgede in 2 local governments and few other communities in other local governments.
TheOrring have a few communities,
TheIgbo have a few communities at the bothering local governments withEnugu state state, TheAkweya have a few communities too.
The state is populated by several ethnic groups:Tiv,Idoma,Igede,Etulo, UfiaOrring, Abakpa,Jukun,Igbo,Akweya,hausa andNyifon.
Most of theTiv andidoma 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.
Benue State consists of twenty-three (23)Local Government Areas and theTiv occupy 14, theIdoma occupy 7, theIgede occupy 2 . They are:
| Local Government Area | Headquarters |
|---|---|
| Ado | Igumale |
| Agatu | Obagaji |
| Apa | Ugbokpo |
| Buruku | Buruku |
| Gboko | Gboko |
| Guma | Gbajimba |
| Gwer East | Aliade |
| Gwer West | Naka |
| Katsina-Ala | Katsina-Ala |
| Konshisha | Tse-Agberagba |
| Kwande | Adikpo |
| Logo | Ugba |
| Makurdi | Makurdi |
| Obi | Obarike-Ito |
| Ogbadibo | Otukpa |
| Ohimini | Idekpa |
| Oju | Oju |
| Okpokwu | Okpoga |
| Otukpo | Otukpo |
| Tarka | Wannune |
| Ukum | Sankera |
| Ushongo | Lessel |
| Vandeikya | Vandeikya |
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 theTiv Traditional Council and theIdoma Traditional Council. The former has theTor Tiv (Tiv King) as chairman of all the traditional rulers from theTiv dominant Local Government Areas, while the latter has the Och' Idoma (Idoma king) as the chairman of all the traditional rulers from theIdoma dominant Local Government Areas.
The State Council of Chiefs has the Tor Tiv, Orchivirigh ProfessorJames Ayatse (Tor Tiv V) ([17]), with Och'Idoma and all second class Chiefs/Chairmen of the Local Government Traditional Council as members.
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 includeIngyough,Ange,Anchanakupa,Swange andOgirinya 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.
TheIgede Agba is a Yam Festival, marked every year in September by the Igede people ofOju andObi 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 inMakurdi,Gboko andOtukpo 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 theAper 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 inGboko (J. S. Tarka Stadium),Katsina-Ala,Adikpo,Vandeikya andOtukpo. 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 in Division Two, Mark mentors as the basketball premier league team.
Languages of Benue State listed by LGA:[18]
| LGA | Languages |
|---|---|
| Ado | Orring;Idoma;Igbo; Ufia |
| Agatu | Idoma |
| Apa | Idoma |
| Buruku | Tiv |
| Gboko | Tiv |
| Guma | Tiv |
| Gwer East | Tiv |
| Gwer West | Tiv |
| Katsina-Ala | Tiv |
| Kwande | Tiv |
| Makurdi | Tiv |
| Ogbadibo | Idoma |
| Ohimini | Idoma |
| Obi | Igede; Idoma; Igbo |
| Oju | Igede;Orring; Igbo |
| Okpokwu | Idoma |
| Otukpo | Idoma; Akweya (Akpa) |
| Ushongo | Tiv |
| Vandeikya | Tiv |
Other languages spoken in the State includeKorringEtulo,Nyifon,Basa,Jukun (includingWannu), andUtugwang Irungene Afrike.
Igbo is also spoken in border areas.[19]
The Roman Catholic Church has 2,354,410 followers in four suffragans of theArchdiocese of Abuja:
TheAnglican Province of Abuja in the Church of Nigeria includes theDioceses of Makurdi (1990) with 25 parishes led by BishopNathan Inyom (1990),Gboko (2009) led by BishopEmmanuel Nyitsse, andOtukpo (1996) led by BishopDavid Bello (2004).
TheN.K.S.T. Church is another major church in the state. The headquarters is atMkar, Gboko. It is the first church in the region and the first encounter with Christianity by theTiv people
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. Experts say that it can still be developed because most of the modern techniques are not yet popular to majority of Nigerian farmers. 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 includesoybeans, rice, peanuts,mango varieties,citrus, etc.
Other cash crops includepalm oil, melon,African pear,chili pepper,tomatoes etc. Food crops includeYam,Cassava,Sweet potato,Beans, Maize,Millet,Guinea corn, Vegetables etc. There is very little irrigation agriculture and techniques.
Animal production includes: Cattle, Pork, Poultry and Goat but no dairy and dairy products yet.
The Zaki Ibiam International Yam Market is the biggest market for a single product in Nigeria.[20]
Banking services are available as all the banks in Nigeria have branches in the state, with theCentral 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.
The location of Benue State in the centre of the country plus the presence of bridges on two large rivers, theBenue River andKatsina-Ala River, make the state a major cross-roads centre. 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.[21]
Two Federal Highways connect the Eastern States to the North and Northeast.
Other major roads include:
The Federal government is also remodelling and expanding theMakurdi Airport to become the largest agricultural cargo airport in the country.
The riversBenue andKatsina-Ala only need to be dredged and a modern river port built atMakurdi, Turan, Buruku andKatsina-Ala 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 north from Enugu across the Benue River by theMakurdi Rail Bridge (1932) toNasarawa State connectsMakurdi,Otukpo,Taraku,Utonkon andIgumale with the rest of the country. Altogether, about 180 km of rail line traverses the state.
Electricity challenges in Benue are no different from every other region in Nigeria. Places like Makurdi, Otukpo and Gboko, as some examples, enjoy at least 60% of power supply. However, private industries have other sources of power supply as a contingency.
Benue has facilities for the GSM service companies operating in the Country. The state also has some media broadcasting stations which plays vital roles in the life of individuals and the society at large in information dissemination, entertainments, education to raise awareness, sharing of ideas and values, and so many other things.[22] All of that can be sourced from different medium such as the print media, internet media, and broadcasting media.[23]
Two television stations exist in Benue and they are: Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Makurdi and Benue Television. Below are some of the FM (frequency modulation) broadcasting media in Benue State and their frequencies.
| s/n | Name (AM) | Frequency |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ASKiNG RADiO Tiv (Online) | 98.5 |
| 2 | Radio Benue, Makurdi | 95.0 |
| 3 | FRCN Harvest FM, Makurdi | 103.5 |
| 4 | Joy FM, Otukpo | 96.5 |
| 5 | Ashiwaves FM, Katsina-Ala | 99.9 |
| 6 | Benue State University, BSU FM, Makurdi | 89.9 |
| 7 | Sun Rays FM, Korinya City, Konshisha | 103.1 |
| 8 | Star Radio Live | 95.5 |
| 9 | Brothers FM, Makurdi, Benue State | 90.5 |
| 10 | Sounds Smith FM, Gboko | 90.9[24][25] |
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 wildlife 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 onKatsina Ala River. The border stretch adjoining theObudu/South Cameroon Plateau ranges features forests, dissected hills,Dykes, dozens of fast flowing streams and incised valleys. In theDry season, the water level in both theBenue River andKatsina-Ala River falls, giving rise to sandy river beaches and clean shallow waters. The waters are used for recreational boating and swimming.[26] At Orokam inOgbadibo 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 nearKatsina-Ala; the tombs of the first Dutch missionaries at Harga and Sai inKatsina-Ala Local Government Areas; the tombs of the legendary politician,Mr. J. S. Tarka and past three Tor Tiv inGboko town; and the trench fortifications in Turan district ofKwande local government areas which were dug by the Tiv to ward offChamba 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.
The state is under the current administration ofHyacinth Alia. The governor of Benue State leads its executive branch. They appoint heads of the state ministries. They also serve as the chief security officer of the state.
Higher education institutions in Benue State include:
21. Budgit.org. BudgIT. Retrieved 7 March 2023. by shamiga Dominic
State capital:Makurdi | ||
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