History Of Okene: Okene is a town in Kogi state of Nigeria. The town is based in a Local Government Area of the same name (Okene). Okene runs along the A2 highway. It had an area of 328 km² and a population of 320,260 at the 2006 census that was conducted.
The predominant people are the Ebira people of central Kogi and Nigeria; the local language is Ebira.
What Is The Meaning Of Okene?
According to Ebira Language , the name Okene is of Ebira Traditional Name and means “Okene is a Local Government Area(town) in Kogi State of Nigeria at large”.
Brief History Of Okene
Okene is the birthplace and home of the American Hockey league player and National hockey league player in the person of Akim Aliu. Another prominent Nigerian that hails from Okene is Engineer Joseph Makoju, the former managing director of the power Holding Company of Nigeria and currently the Honorary Adviser to Mr. President on Electric Power and the Honorary Adviser to the President/CEO Dangote Group on Strategies.
Schools In Okene
The Federal College of Education is situated in Okene along Okene-Lokoja road. There is also a satellite campus of the Kogi State Polythecnic around Osara side.
There are also different schools in Okene including high schools like the Abdulaziz Atta Memorial College Okene (AAMCO) which is well known and attended by prominent people in Nigeria at large, local government Secondary School Ohiana (LGSS) Solardad Group of Schools located at Ikuehi close G.R.A Okene, Samaritan Nursery And Primary School located at Ozuwaya beside Kekere guest palace Okene. And lots more.
History Of Okene
Okene Local Government Area was created in 1976 from the Ebira Division of that time by the Administration of General Olusegun Obasanjo, following the 1976 Local Government Reform. Ajaokuta and Ogori-Magongo LGAs were created from the old Okene LGA in 1991 and 1996 respectively. The people of Okene Local Government Area are a part of Ebira Tao people of the Central Senatorial District of Kogi State Nigeria.
The Okene people are believed to have migrated from Jukun in the present day Taraba State and had a brief stopover in Idah before moving to their present location. The present Okene LGA is composed of Okene and Okengwe districts.
Wards In Okene
There are 11 wards in Okene Local Government which are
1. Bariki.
2. Otutu.
3. Orietesu.
4. Lafia/Obessa.
5. Okene-Eba.
6. Idoji.
7. Obehira-Eba.
8. Obehira-Uvete.
9. Abuga/Ozuja.
10. Upogoro/Odenku.
11. Onyukoko.
Okene people are mostly Muslims with a portion for the Christian population too.
To a great extent, there is a fusion of tradition and religions with only a negligible few still practicing exclusively traditional religion. These are the people that still follow the local and have refused to embrace any of the two new to them, but highly recognised religions.
Okene is one of the most beautiful places in the whole of West Africa, it also has the most beautiful palace known as Azad’s palace and it belongs to the Ohinoyi of Ebiraland (King of Ebiraland), Dr. Ado Ibrahim Atta.
Okene, town, Kogi state, north-central Nigeria. It lies at the intersection of roads from Lokoja, Kabba, Ikare, Ajaokuta, and Auchi. Originally founded on a hill near the present site, it is now in the valley of the Ubo River, which is a minor cut out of the River Niger.
The town is a major trade centre for the yam, cassava (manioc), corn (maize), sorghum, beans, peanuts (groundnuts), palm oil and kernels, and cotton grown in the surrounding area by the Ebira people. The town is also the site of the Ebira Atta’s (king’s) palace.
Cotton weaving is a traditional craft, and Okene women are known for their weaving of imported silk. Iron ore from deposits in the Okene area is shipped to the iron and steel complex at AJAOKUTA STEEL MILL in Ajaokuta local government area.
Okene to many people in Nigeria is the whole of Ebira land. People usually refer to the whole of Ebira land meanwhile, Okene is just one local government area in Ebira land under Kogi state. People also refer to the Ebira Tao people as “Ebira Okene people”.
History Of Okene Local Government
Though it is still owned by the Ebira people, it is not the whole of Ebira kingdom. There are other Local government areas in Ebira land which are: Adavi, Ajaokuta and Okehi. Ogori Magongo is also joined to Ebira land.
Okene people have spread to other parts of the state and the country as a whole.
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