In this article, you will learn interesting facts about Kogi State. In Nigeria’s northern-central geopolitical zone, Kogi is one of the 36 states that make up the country (central). The Former Kwara and Benue states merged in 1991 to form the new state, which has a total size of 29,833 square kilometers (11,519 sq mi).
Located in Nigeria’s north-central area, Kogi State is a state with a population of 1.3 million people. The states of Ekiti and Kwara border it on the east, the Federal Capital Territory borders it on the north, Nasarawa State borders it on the northeast, Niger State borders it on the northwest, the states of Edo and Ondo border it on the southwest, the states of Anambra and Enugu border it on the southeast, and Benue State borders it on the western border. You can also read our Benue state facts.
Facts About Kogi State
The Hausa term for the river, ‘kogin,’ is said to be the origin of the state’s name, because the confluence is located in Kogi.
More states are connected to and bordered by the state of Kogi than any other. Kwara, Anambra, Benue, Niger, Nasarawa, Ekiti, Enugu, Edo, and Ondo are all connected by this vast state, as is the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). In addition, a portion of Kogi state was cut off in order to create the Federal Capital Territory.
Nigeria’s original administrative center was Lokoja as the British established their first settlement there. For many years, it served as the capital of the old northern protectorate before the northern and southern protectorates were united.
The state consists primarily of three ethnic groups: the Igbirras, the Yorubas (Okun people) and the Igalas as well as other minorities such as Ogori magongo, Agatu/idoma, Gwari and nupe speaking tribes, Kakanda, Bassa, and Kupa. Muslim-Christian populations in the Kogi state are so evenly distributed that it is impossible to tell which religion has more residents.
The area that is today known as Kogi State was previously a colonial entity known as Kabba Province, and it has been ignored ever since the country gained independence in 1960. Consequently, the goal of rapid socio-economic growth in the area was the driving force behind the Babangida government’s decision to build it, along with eight other states, in 1991.
In the 16th century, the Ejule market was the most important palm oil market in the Afrotropical West African region.
As the most populous local government in Kogi state, Bassa is made up of three distinct ethnic groups: the Bassa Komo, Bassa Nge, and Egbira Koto. Bassa-Komo is the most populous, followed by Bassa-nge and Egbira koto in terms of total residents.
In 1860, Bishop Ajayi Crowther created Holy Trinity Primary School in Lokoja, Nigeria, and it is still in use today. In that it was the first primary school in Northern Nigeria to be built, it holds a special place in education history. It has been in existence for 150 years in Lokoja, Kogi State, on the premises of the Anglican Church, where it is located. Also, the Holy Trinity Cathedral in Lokoja, Nigeria, is northern Nigeria’s oldest cathedral.
The Ajaokuta Steel and Iron Industry, Nigeria’s largest of its kind, was constructed in 1971 on 24,000 hectares of land and is Nigeria’s largest steel and iron industry.
The state of Kogi is also significant because it is home to a truly magnificent piece of mother nature’s handiwork: the confluence of the two most important rivers that flow through Nigeria, the River Niger and the River Benue, which occurs beside the city of Lokoja.
Kogi state is home to the Igala Kingdom, one of the most important pre-colonial kingdoms in Nigeria. Abutu-eje established the kingdom in the 7th century, and it remained independent until the colonial era ended in the late 19th century.
Because of their cultural background, migrations, and historical ties to all three major tribes of Nigeria, as well as other great kingdoms such as the Benin kingdom, the people of Kogi state have one of the most vibrant and untainted cultures in the north-central geopolitical zone.
Furthermore, despite its northern position and substantial Muslim population, Kogi state does not have an Islamic emirate, which is a rare occurrence in Nigeria. In accordance with legend, the Attah of Igala is one of the northern kings who is forbidden from ever bowing down, rising up, or otherwise showing respect to the Sultan of Sokoto. Kogi state is without a doubt the most religiously conservative state (with the largest population and strong presence of traditionalists) in the North-central zone (due to the power of their culture).
Kogi State boasts a diverse range of languages and dialects that are spoken throughout its 21 Local Government Areas. The most notable feature of the state is that the vast majority of its languages are classified as belonging to the Volta-Niger subclassification of the Niger-Congo group of languages. Some of the spoken languages include Ebira, Igala, Osanyen, Oko, Eni, Kupa, Nupe, Bassa-Komu, Kakanda and so on.
Flora Shaw, Baron Lugard’s (British colonial governor) future wife, coined the term Nigeria while standing on the hill of Mount Patti in Lokoja and staring out at the river Niger. She was the first woman to use the word “Nigeria.”
The tombs of the Emirs of Kano, Zaria, and Daura, all of whom were deposed, may also be found at Lokoja, Nigeria.
The economy of Kogi State is mostly reliant on agriculture, with the majority of the state’s crops being coffee, cashew, groundnut, cocoa, oil palm, and yam. Crude oil production and animal herding, which includes cattle, goats, and sheep, are other significant industries.
In Kogi State, there is an abundance of mineral resources. Some of the mineral resources include Cassiiterite, Dolomite, Crude oil, Clay, Bitumen, Quartz, Talc, Marble, Limestone, Feldspar, Gold, Coal, Bitumen, Magnesium, Gemstones, Iron ore, Tantalite, Columbite, Mica, Gypsum, Kaolin, Tin, and Silica Sand.
The country’s national distribution of coal comes from the Okaba fields, which are located in northern Udi-Nsukka Plateau, east of the Niger River. The largest known deposit of iron ore in Nigeria is located on the Agbaja Plateau, which is north of Lokoja, the state capital.
The Okaba district of Ankpa Local Government Area in Kogi State is one of the coal-rich places in the state; this district alone has coal reserves of 99 million tons, making it one of the state’s coal-rich districts. According to all indications, the coal deposits in Kogi state alone have enough reserves to provide electricity to the entire country of Nigeria for 400 years if properly harnessed and utilized.
There are roughly 647 million tons of limestone in Kogi state, which makes it the state with the greatest limestone deposit in Nigeria in terms of volume. Approximately 45 years are projected to pass before this gigantic mass is completely exhausted.
Located on the banks of the River Niger, Jimgbe Beach, or Jimgbe Desert, is a sandy riverbed that is the largest river in West Africa. During the dry season, the River Niger dries up, displaying the riverbed’s huge sand deposit. Because this riverbed is so large, it attracts tourists from both within and outside of Kogi State because of its natural beauty. This important sand deposit may be found in the Ajaokuta local government area of Kogi State near Jimgbe, which is located along the Lokoja-Ajaokuta Road.
The state of Kogi has many tourist attractions, including the Iron of Liberty, Osome Falls, Ukpogo, the late Ohinoyi of Egbirra Palace, Mount Patti, Awo Tunnel, the Inikpi Statue, and many more.
His Majesty, Dr Ado Ibrahim, the Ohinoyi of Ebira land, owns the Azad Palace, which was finished in 1927. The palace is often considered to be West Africa’s most fascinating and gorgeous palace. Located in the Kogi State town of Okene, it is a popular tourist destination.
What is Kogi State Known For?
As the largest iron and steel industry (Ajaokuta Steel Company Limited) in Nigeria and one of the largest cement manufacturers (Obajana Cement Factory) in Africa, the state of Kogi is known as an economic powerhouse in Africa.
How old is Kogi State?
Kogi State is 30 years of age at the time of writing this article.
Conclusion
Now you know some interesting facts about Kogi state, such as its history, its impact on Nigeria and when it was created, among other important information.
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