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Delta State

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For other uses, see Delta State (disambiguation).
Delta State
State
Nicknames: 
The Finger of God[1]
Location of Delta State in Nigeria
Location of Delta State in Nigeria
CountryNigeria
Date created27 August 1991
CapitalAsaba
Government
 • Governor
(List)		Arthur Okowa Ifeanyi (PDP)
 • Deputy GovernorKingsley Otuaro
Area
 • Total17,698 km2 (6,833 sq mi)
 • Rank23rd of 36
Population
 (1991 census)
 • Total2,570,181
 • Estimate 
(2005)
6,710,214
 • Rank9th of 36
 • Density150/km2 (380/sq mi)
DemonymsDeltan
GDP (PPP)
 • Year2007
 • Total$16.75 billion[2]
 • Per capita$3,990[2]
Time zoneUTC+01 (WAT)
ISO 3166 codeNG-DE
Websitewww.deltastate.gov.ng

Delta or Delta State is an oil and agricultural producing state of Nigeria, situated in the region known as the South-South geo-political zone with a population of 4,098,291 (males: 2,674,306; females: 2,024,085).[3] Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, the former Federal Minister of Finance and Coordinating of Economy and former World Bank Managing Director, is from the state. The capital city is Asaba, located at the northern end of the state, with an estimated area of 762 square kilometres (294 sq mi), while Warri is the economic nerve center 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 square kilometres (6,503 sq mi).

Geography

The state 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 and west by Edo State, the east by Anambra, Imo, and Rivers States, southeast by Bayelsa State, and on the southern flank is the Bight of Benin which covers about 160 kilometres 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.

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 a separate distinct state by the peoples of the old Delta Province: the Urhobos, Itsekiri, Isoko, Ijaw and Ukwuani (later joined Anioma). There was yet another state creation movement designated as "Niger State" comprising the old midwestern Igbo-speaking Asaba divisions and Ukwuani-speaking Aboh division of the old Midwest region. This was transformed into "Anioma" following the creation of Niger State from the old Northwestern State by the Murtala Muhammed's administration in 1976. The then Military President, Gen Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd) created the state using the name "Delta" advanced by Niger Delta region and "Asaba" a prominent town within the "Anioma" axis as capital. Asaba was designated as capital of the proposed Anioma State. The proposed capital was a virgin land or "Anioma city" in the heart of the two constituent divisions that had evolved to become the Anioma area. 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) coined from the old Benin and Delta Provinces of Western Region-Delta to reflect the integration of Benin and Delta provinces.

Demographics

Delta State is ethnically diverse with peoples and seven major languages and dialects are spoken in the state. The state is divided into two regions on account of state creation movements (between 1976 to 1996) which was a feature of the military governance of Nigeria. This culminated to the increment of states in Nigeria from 12 states to the present 36 states.

The first group are Anioma (Igboid group) which consists of Aniocha/Oshimili, Ndokwa/Ukwuani ethnic nationality, and Ika. These areas occupy the Delta North senatorial district of the state.

The second group comprises Urhobo/Isoko (Edoid group), Itsekiri (Yoruboid group), and Ezon ethnic groups. These ethnic groups occupy the Central and South Senatorial districts of the state. The Urhobo and Isoko speak very similar dialects unlike the Ezon and Itsekiri people but have a loosely related culture as they traded and intermarried for centuries before colonization. Most inhabitants of the state practice Christianity and very few traditional faiths—although the Ukwuanis also have many cultural affiliation with these groups most especially in their cosmic outlook.

Administration

Arthur Okowa Ifeanyi, a member of the People's Democratic Party, was elected Governor and chief executive of Delta State in April 2015. His deputy is Barr. Kingsley Otuaro. The state has three National Senatorial Districts (South, North and Central). In 2011 and 2013, the elected senators were James Manager, Arthur Okowa Ifeanyi and Emmanuel Aguariavwodo who replaced Pius Ewherido who died in 2013 at National Hospital, Abuja. In 2015, Chief Ighoyeta Amori was elected Senator of Delta Central but his election was annulled and Senator Ovie Omo-Agege sworn in as Senator of Delta Central, James Manager retained his position and Chief Peter Nwaoboshi was elected Senator of Delta North. The Executive, Legislative and Judicial Chambers are housed in Asaba with a government house annex in Warri.

Local Government Areas

Delta State consists of 25 Local Government Areas (shown with 2006 population figures[4]):

Delta Central Senatorial District 1,575,738 Delta North Senatorial District 1,293,074 Delta South Senatorial District 1,229,282
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

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.

Delta state also has huge deposits of crude oil and is also one the largest producers of petroleum products in Nigeria

Higher education

Delta state has one of the highest numbers of tertiary institutions in any Nigerian state. This is a product of the people's thirst for knowledge and academic work. Some of these institutions are:

Tourist attractions

Delta State has some historical, cultural and socio-political tourist centers that attract visitors from around the globe. Some of these sites of tourism include:

  • The Nana's Palace built by Chief Nana Olomu of Ebrohim. He was a powerful 19th century indigenous entrepreneur who traded with the British. The relationship eventually turned sour. Later, he surrendered (not without putting up a fight) and was exiled to Ghana. His personal effects are housed in this grand palace.
  • The River Ethiope which is reputed to be the deepest inland waterway in Africa (at 176 km). Its source is at the foot of a giant silk-cotton tree at Umuaja in Ukwuani Local Government Area of the state and flows through seven Local Government Areas in the State. It is a place of worship for Olokun traditional religion and also a common site for faithfuls of the Igbe Religious Movement.
  • The Araya Bible Site which houses a copy of the Holy Bible. It is believed that the bible descended to this spot miraculously from heaven around August, 1914. The bible dropped on rain-soaked yam and it didn't get wet. The site now attracts thousands of Christians yearly.
  • Demas Nwoko Edifice which was built using traditional materials, designs and construction techniques of the Igbo civilization and the Benin Empire by Demas Nwoko, an architect, builder and artist of international repute from Idumuje-Ugboko, in Aniocha North Local Government Area, Delta State.
  • The Mungo Park House which is now the site of the National Museum, Asaba. The house was constructed by the Royal Niger Company (RNC) in 1886 and was used as a colonial administrative headquarters, a military house, the colonial administrative divisional headquarters, the RNC Constabulary building, and the seat of the Urban District Council at different times.
  • The Niger Bridge which connects Delta State (by extension, western Nigeria) to the Eastern part of Nigeria. It is a beauty to behold. It was completed in 1965 and cost £5 million. It was damaged during the civil war, but later repaired.
  • Lander Brothers Anchorage, Asaba which was built in memory of early British explorers. The complex has a museum, a graveyard, and many artworks and writings. It houses a replica of one of the boats that was used by the brothers.
  • Falcorp Mangrove Park
  • Warri Kingdom Royal Cemetery which is 512 years old and serves as the resting place of past rulers of Warri kingdom. A tree is planted on each grave.

Notable people

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 Oliseh, Austin Jay-Jay Okocha, Wilson Oruma,Duke udi, Efetobore Sodje, Jonathan Akpoborie,Nduka Ugbade, Peter Nnalue etc. Team Delta were the 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.

References

  1. ^ "Delta State: The Finger of God". Retrieved 2014-12-28.
  2. ^ a b "C-GIDD (Canback Global Income Distribution Database)". Canback Dangel. Retrieved 2008-08-20.
  3. ^ Federal Republic of Nigeria, Official gazette, No. 24, vol. 94, 2007
  4. ^ 2006 Population Census, Federal Republic of Nigeria, National Bureau of Statistics. Archived from the original on 2009-03-25.
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