Delta State

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Delta State
—  State  —
Nickname(s): The Big Heart
Location of Delta State in Nigeria
Coordinates: 5°30′N 6°00′E / 5.500°N 6.000°E / 5.500; 6.000Coordinates: 5°30′N 6°00′E / 5.500°N 6.000°E / 5.500; 6.000
Country  Nigeria
Date created 27 August 1991
Capital Asaba
Government
 • Governor
(List)		 Emmanuel Uduaghan (PDP)
 • Senators
 • Representatives
Area
 • Total 17,698 km2 (6,833 sq mi)
Area rank 23rd of 36
Population (1991 census)
 • Total 2,570,181
 • Estimate (2005) 6,710,214
 • Rank 9th of 36
 • Density Bad rounding here150/km2 (Bad rounding here380/sq mi)
GDP (PPP)
 • Year 2007
 • Total $16.75 billion[1]
 • Per capita $3,990[1]
Time zone WAT (UTC+01)
ISO 3166 code NG-DE

Delta State is a state in Nigeria, comprising mainly Igbo, Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw and Itsekiri. The whole ethnic-groups that comprise the Delta are administratively grouped into three senatorial districts namely Delta North, Delta South and Delta Central for administrative purposes.

Delta is an oil producing state of Nigeria situated in the region known as the Niger Delta, South-South Geo-political zone with a population of 4,098,291 (Males: 2,674,306 Females: 2,024,085; see Federal Republic of Nigeria, Official gazette, No. 24, vol. 94, 2007). Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Federal Minister of Finance and World Bank Managing Director is from this state. The capital city is Asaba located at the northern end of the state with an estimated area of 762 km2,while Warri is economic nerve of the state and also the most populated located in the southern end of the state. The state has a total land area of 16,842 km2.

Contents

[edit] Geography

The State presently covers a landmass of about 18,050 Km2 of which more than 60% is land. The State lies approximately between Longitude 5°00 and 6°.45' East and Latitude 5°00 and 6°.30' North. It is bounded in the North by Edo State, the East by Anambra State, South-East by Bayelsa State, and on the Southern flank is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160kilometres of the State's coastline. Delta State is generally low-lying without remarkable hills. The State has a wide coastal belt inter-lace with rivulets and streams, which form part of the Niger-Delta.

[edit] History

Delta State was carved out of the former Bendel State on August 27, 1991 . The state was created following agitations for the creation of separate distinct states by the Urhobos and Anioma regions. The then Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) created the state using the name "Delta" advanced by Niger Delta region as "Asaba" another name advanced by the people of Anioma for the capital of the proposed "Anioma state." Delta state was once integrated in the Mid Western state from 1963 to 1976 and later Bendel state, from 1976 to 1991. The name "Bendel" (Ben-Del) meant Benin-Delta to reflect the integration of Benin and Delta provinces.

[edit] Demographics

Delta State is ethnically diverse with peoples and numerous languages spoken in the state. The Delta North comprises the Anioma people, the Delta Central and Delta South is made up of Urhobo, Ijaw, Isoko, and Itsekiri. These groups are known to inter-marry. Most inhabitants of the state practice Christianity and very few traditional faiths.

[edit] Administration

Emmanuel Uduaghan, a member of the People's Democratic Party, was elected Governor and chief executive of Delta State in April 2007 and removed due to irregularities in the election process on the 9th of November 2010 from a court ruling.[2] Uduaghan was re-elected in April 2011.[3] Rosaline Bozimo was appointed Chief Justice in April 2003.[4] The State has three National Senatorial districts (South, North and Central). In 2007 the elected senators were James Manager, Arthur Okowa Ifeanyi and Adego Erhiawarie Eferakeya.

Delta State is made up of twenty-five Local Government Areas (shown with 2006 population figures[5]):

Delta Central Senatorial District 1,575,738 Delta North Senatorial District 1,229,074 Delta South Senatorial District 1,293,282
Ethiope East 200,792 Aniocha North 104,711 Bomadi 86,644
Ethiope West 203,592 Aniocha South 140,604 Burutu 209,666
Okpe 130,029 Ika North East 183,657 Isoko North 144,155
Sapele 171,888 Ika South 162,594 Isoko South 227,712
Udu 143,361 Ndokwa East 103,171 Patani 67,707
Ughelli North 321,028 Ndokwa West 149,325 Warri North 137,300
Ughelli South 213,576 Oshimili North 115,316 Warri South 303,417
Uvwie 191,472 Oshimili South 149,306 Warri South West 116,681
Ukwuani 120,390

[edit] Natural resources

There are various solid mineral deposits within state - industrial clay, silica, lignite, kaolin, tar sand, decorative rocks, limestone, etc. These are raw materials for industries such as brick making, ceramics, bottle manufacturing, glass manufacturing, chemical/insulators production, chalk manufacturing and sanitary wares, decorative stone cutting and quarrying.

[edit] Higher education

  • Federal University of Petroleum Resource, Effurun
  • Delta State University (Abraka Campus,Oleh Campus,Asaba Campus)
  • Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic in Ogwashi-Uku
  • Otefe oghara Polytechnic
  • Ozoro Polytechnic
  • College of Education(Agbor Campus, Warri Campus)
  • Federal College of Education Technical, Asaba
  • College of Physical Education, Mosogar
  • College of Health Technology, Ughelli
  • Petroleum Training Institution, Effurun
  • Western Delta University, Oghara
  • Novena University,Amai

[edit] Notable people

  • Omasoro Family
  • Agboje Family
  • Amadi-Emina Family
  • Prof. Emeka Tony Nwabuoku- prominent educator in music and dance and the first Nigerian to earn a PhD in Ethnomusicology
  • Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
  • Jim Ovia - the pioneer managing director and chief executive officer of zenith bank
  • The Ibru Family
  • The Orhero Family
  • The Agofure Family
  • Ogaga Ifowodo(Poet)
  • J.P. Clark Bekederemo(Poet and Playwright)
  • Gabriel Okara(Poet)
  • S.E.A. Omordia Family (Civil Service)
  • The Osioh Family
  • Tanure Ojaide(Poet)
  • Orhero Mathais(Poet)
  • Ockiya Ogwezi family (TV productions)
  • Freeman kashimawo-Obikeze( Dubai based Businessman)
  • Sunny Ofili - Publisher of www.thetimesofnigeria.com and founder of IT firm, Nigercom Networks LTD.
  • The IGUGU Family
  • The Ologeh Family
  • Prof. A.A Mordi
  • OGBE W.E. Family
  • Andrew Ighofovwe Joe, a Professor of Educational Measurement, University of Port Harcourt & currently DVC(Academic)

. The Esan family

[edit] Sports

Delta State is known to have produced several sportsmen and women of great stature, many of whom have captained the national football teams of the nation at different times notably Stephen Okechukwu Keshi, Sunday Olise, Austin Jay Jay Okocha,Wilson Oruma,Duke udi,Sodje Efetobore,Victor Ikpeba,Jonathan Akpoborire,Nduka Ugbade, Peter Nnalue etc. Team Delta are the current winners of the National Sports Festival tagged "KADA 2009" held in Kaduna State, Nigeria with 108 Gold and a number of Silver and Bronze medals.

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b "C-GIDD (Canback Global Income Distribution Database)". Canback Dangel. Retrieved 2008-08-20. 
  2. ^ "THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR". Delta State Government. Retrieved 2009-12-29. 
  3. ^ "Nigerian Observer Online Edition". Nigerian Observer. Retrieved 2012-01-11. 
  4. ^ "The Chief Justice". Delta State Government. Retrieved 2010-02-23. 
  5. ^ 2006 Population Census, Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original on 2009-03-25.

[edit] External links
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Delta_State&oldid=550380232"