Brief History of Kogi State
Kogi State was carved out of Kwara and Benue States on August 27, 1991
by the then regime of General Ibrahim Babangida. It's capital is Lokoja.
Loacted in north central Nigeria, Kogi State occupies 29,833 square kilometres. Kogi State is the most centrally located of all the states of the federation. It comprises the Igala, Ebira, Kabba, Yoruba and Kogi divisions of the former Kabba province. It shares common boundaries with Niger, Kwara, Nassarawa and The Federal Capital Territory to the north. To the east, the state is bounded by Benue state, to the south by Enugu and Anambra States, and to the west by Ondo, Ekiti and Edo states. Lokoja, the Niger/Benue confluence town is the state capital. Ethnically, Yoruba, Nupe and Bassa forming the main ethnic groups.
Kogi State is popularly called the confluence state due to the fact that the confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue occurs there.
ECONOMY
The majority of the people of the state are farmers. The State is blessed with suitable ecological and climatic conditions. It is therefore possible to produce various agricultural products including yam, cassava, soya bean, cocoyam, maize, millet, rice, guinea corn, palm produce, cowpea and others. The State's rich agricultural endowment is reflected in its capacity to produce cash crops like cocoa, coffee and cashew.
Kogi State is blessed with strategic minerals. These include iron ore, mica, marble, limestone, coal, crude oil. Others include; gold, kaolin, casserite, columbite, tantalite, feldspar and dolomite.
Significantly, the nation's premier iron and steel complex is located at Ajaokuta.
Industrially, Kogi State is an investors' haven, the state has a number of Industrial ventures which include Ajaokuta Iron and Steel complex, Jakura Marble, Valley Food, Mopa Okura Sawmill, Idah Ceramic Company, oil palm Company, Nigeria Iron-Ore Manufacturing Company.
Limestone and marble deposits are found in Ajaokuta, Jakura, Ososo, Osara, while Cassiterite, columbite and tantalite are found in Egbe. Gold is also found in Isanlu in East Yagba Local Government Area while Iron Ore can be found at Itakpe, Okene.
The proximity of the state to the new federal capital territory (Abuja) and its rich mineral and agricultural resources, would certainly turn the state into a leading commercial centre in Nigeria in the near future.
TOURISM
The state is richly endowed in tourist attractions and has no less than twenty-three tourist centres concentrated in the state. Important festivals include the nationally acclaimed Ovia festival among the Ogori and Mangogo people.
Tourist attractions such as Lord Lugard's residence and office can be seen in Lokoja.
There are also the spot where the Royal Niger Company flag was lowered in 1890, the iron of liberty - the spot where slaves were freed in 1860.
The biggest European cemetery in Nigeria containing the remains of the European soldiers of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF) stationed in Lokoja until 1926 and those of European missionaries. Some of the tomb stones in the cemeteries date as far back as 1867.
There is also the World War cenotaph-this is a war memorial erected in memory of the soldiers who died during the two world wars. There is a list of names of some soldiers who distinguished themselves in the wars on a table.
Niger-Benue confluence - This forms a beautiful scenery visible either from a boat travelling southward on the river or from the top of Mount Patti.
Loacted in north central Nigeria, Kogi State occupies 29,833 square kilometres. Kogi State is the most centrally located of all the states of the federation. It comprises the Igala, Ebira, Kabba, Yoruba and Kogi divisions of the former Kabba province. It shares common boundaries with Niger, Kwara, Nassarawa and The Federal Capital Territory to the north. To the east, the state is bounded by Benue state, to the south by Enugu and Anambra States, and to the west by Ondo, Ekiti and Edo states. Lokoja, the Niger/Benue confluence town is the state capital. Ethnically, Yoruba, Nupe and Bassa forming the main ethnic groups.
Kogi State is popularly called the confluence state due to the fact that the confluence of Rivers Niger and Benue occurs there.
ECONOMY
The majority of the people of the state are farmers. The State is blessed with suitable ecological and climatic conditions. It is therefore possible to produce various agricultural products including yam, cassava, soya bean, cocoyam, maize, millet, rice, guinea corn, palm produce, cowpea and others. The State's rich agricultural endowment is reflected in its capacity to produce cash crops like cocoa, coffee and cashew.
Kogi State is blessed with strategic minerals. These include iron ore, mica, marble, limestone, coal, crude oil. Others include; gold, kaolin, casserite, columbite, tantalite, feldspar and dolomite.
Significantly, the nation's premier iron and steel complex is located at Ajaokuta.
Industrially, Kogi State is an investors' haven, the state has a number of Industrial ventures which include Ajaokuta Iron and Steel complex, Jakura Marble, Valley Food, Mopa Okura Sawmill, Idah Ceramic Company, oil palm Company, Nigeria Iron-Ore Manufacturing Company.
Limestone and marble deposits are found in Ajaokuta, Jakura, Ososo, Osara, while Cassiterite, columbite and tantalite are found in Egbe. Gold is also found in Isanlu in East Yagba Local Government Area while Iron Ore can be found at Itakpe, Okene.
The proximity of the state to the new federal capital territory (Abuja) and its rich mineral and agricultural resources, would certainly turn the state into a leading commercial centre in Nigeria in the near future.
TOURISM
The state is richly endowed in tourist attractions and has no less than twenty-three tourist centres concentrated in the state. Important festivals include the nationally acclaimed Ovia festival among the Ogori and Mangogo people.
Tourist attractions such as Lord Lugard's residence and office can be seen in Lokoja.
There are also the spot where the Royal Niger Company flag was lowered in 1890, the iron of liberty - the spot where slaves were freed in 1860.
The biggest European cemetery in Nigeria containing the remains of the European soldiers of the West African Frontier Force (WAFF) stationed in Lokoja until 1926 and those of European missionaries. Some of the tomb stones in the cemeteries date as far back as 1867.
There is also the World War cenotaph-this is a war memorial erected in memory of the soldiers who died during the two world wars. There is a list of names of some soldiers who distinguished themselves in the wars on a table.
Niger-Benue confluence - This forms a beautiful scenery visible either from a boat travelling southward on the river or from the top of Mount Patti.
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