Oju is a
local government area
A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a federated state, state, province, division (politica ...
in
Benue State
Benue is a State in the North Central Nigeria, North Central region of Nigeria. It is popularly referred to as part of the Middle belt. It has an estimated population of about 4,253,641 in List of Nigerian states by population, the 2006 census. ...
,
Nigeria
Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...
.
It borders Obi and Gwer East in the north, Konshisha and Yala in the east, Izzi and Ebonyi in the south, and Ado in the west. As of 2022, its total population is 243,300.
Geography
Oju is located on the southern edge of Benue State. The Oju-Alebo Road passes through the north of the area. Its average elevation is 163 meters above the sea level.
Climate
Oju has a
Tropical Savanna Climate
Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...
(Aw). Over the course of the year, the temperature usually varies from 63 °F to 89 °F and is seldom below 57 °F or above 93 °F.
The rainy season of Oju starts in late March and ends in early November. It sees the most precipitation in September, with an average rainfall of 209 mm; and the least precipitation in December, with an average rainfall of 2 mm.
Administrative divisions
Oju is divided into the following 11 council wards:
* Ainu
* Adokpa
* Ibilla
* Idelle
* Iyeche
* Oboru Oye
* Oju
* Okpokpo
* Okudu
* Owo
* Ukpa
mineral Resources:
Oju Local Government Area has proven reserves of solid minerals like:
Limestone
Precious stone
Bauxite
Coal
Clay
Zinc, and
Salt
Agricultural produce:
The land is very fertile and about 80% of the inhabitants are farmers. Its rich and diverse agricultural endowment include: yam, rice, beniseed, guinea corn, oil palm, soyabeans, cassava, millet, maize, groundnut, and palm oil.
The economy is dependent on agriculture (food and cash crops) produced in commercial quantity.
The people of Oju are also involved in: Livestock keeping, Fishing, and Hunting
Religion:
Basically, there are two religions in Oju Local Government Area. The predominant Christianity on one hand and the traditional African religion on the other. The people of Oju are about eighty-five per cent (85%) Christians and about fifteen (15%) traditional worshipers.
Markets in Oju:
Oju currently has five market days, namely:
Ihigile
Ihio
Ihiobila
Ihiejwo
Ihiokwu
Notable People
References
Local Government Areas in Benue State
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