Ikpoba Okha 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 ...

Edo State Edo State, Edo, officially known as Edo State, is a States of Nigeria, state in the South South, South-South Geopolitical zones of Nigeria, geopolitical zone of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. As of 2024, the state was ranked as the List of Ni ...

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, ...

. Its headquarters is in the town of Idogbo, along

Benin Benin, officially the Republic of Benin, is a country in West Africa. It was formerly known as Dahomey. It is bordered by Togo to the west, Nigeria to the east, Burkina Faso to the north-west, and Niger to the north-east. The majority of its po ...

Abraka Abraka, is a town in Delta state, Nigeria. It is also home to two of the main 24 urhobo kingdoms. It is mostly known as a university town and has the main campus of the Delta State University located there. Abraka town is a favourite destin ...

Road. The LGA is made up of several towns and villages such as Evbuomodu, Uwusan, Obazagbon, Agedo, Evbumufi, Etiosa, Obadoloviyeyi, Obenevbugo, Obe, Oghoghobi, Okha, Obanyantor, Ekae, Utezi, Uhie, Ogheghe, Obagie Obaretin and so on. The estimated population of Ikpoba Okha is about 301,447 inhabitants, with the majority of the area's dwellers being members of the Benin/Edo ethnic division. Ikpoba Okha LGA covers a total area of 862 square kilometres and has an average temperature of 28 °C. The average humidity level of the area is put at 69 percent while the average wind speed in the LGA is 11 km/h. Farming is a prominent feature of the economic life of Ikpoba Okha with crops such as yam, plantain, banana, and vegetables grown in the area. Trade also flourishes in Ikpoba Okha LGA, with the area hosting several markets such as the Oka and the Oregbeni markets which provide platforms for the exchange of a variety of goods and services for the area's

inhabitants In law and conflict of laws, domicile is relevant to an individual's "personal law", which includes the law that governs a person's status and their property. It is independent of a person's nationality. Although a domicile may change from time ...

. Other important economic activities in Ikpoba Okha include hunting, lumbering, and blacksmithing.

Geography

Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area covers an area of approximately 1,200 square kilometers, making it one of the largest local government areas in Edo State. It shares boundaries with Ovia North-East Local Government Area to the north, Uhunmwonde Local Government Area to the west, and Ethiope West Local Government Area of Delta State to the east. The area is situated in the southern part of Edo State, with the Benin River forming its southern boundary.

Demographics

As of the 2006 census, the population of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area was approximately 370,000 people. The area is inhabited by the Edo people, who are the indigenous ethnic group of the region. The population is predominantly rural, with many communities engaged in farming and fishing.

Economy

The economy of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area is primarily based on agriculture, with crops such as yams,

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...

, and maize being major productions. The area is also known for its rich deposits of natural resources, including

limestone Limestone is a type of carbonate rock, carbonate sedimentary rock which is the main source of the material Lime (material), lime. It is composed mostly of the minerals calcite and aragonite, which are different Polymorphism (materials science) ...

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

, and

granite Granite ( ) is a coarse-grained (phanerite, phaneritic) intrusive rock, intrusive igneous rock composed mostly of quartz, alkali feldspar, and plagioclase. It forms from magma with a high content of silica and alkali metal oxides that slowly coo ...

. The area has several markets, including th
Idogbo Market
which is a major center for the sale of agricultural produce.

History

Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area has a rich history that dates back to the ancient

Benin Empire The Kingdom of Benin, also known as Great Benin, is a traditional kingdom in southern Nigeria. It has no historical relation to the modern republic of Benin, which was known as Dahomey from the 17th century until 1975. The Kingdom of Benin's c ...

. The area was an important center of power and influence in the empire, and many of its historical sites and landmarks still exist today. The area was also a major center for the

transatlantic slave trade The Atlantic slave trade or transatlantic slave trade involved the transportation by slave traders of Slavery in Africa, enslaved African people to the Americas. European slave ships regularly used the triangular trade route and its Middle Pass ...

, with many of its people being forcibly taken from their homes and sold into slavery.

Culture

The culture of Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area is rich and diverse, with many festivals and celebrations taking place throughout the year. The area is known for its vibrant traditional music and dance, as well as its colorful traditional clothing. The area has several cultural festivals, including the annua
Ikpoba Okha Festival
which celebrates the area's history and cultural heritage.

Education

Ikpoba Okha Local Government Area has a number of schools and educational institutions, The area also has several secondary schools, including the Idogbo Secondary School and the Ologbo Secondary School. The

postal code A postal code (also known locally in various English-speaking countries throughout the world as a postcode, post code, PIN or ZIP Code) is a series of letters or numerical digit, digits or both, sometimes including spaces or punctuation, inclu ...

of the area is 300.

Notable People

* Osarodion Ogie, former Secretary of State,

References

{{LGAs and communities of Edo State Local Government Areas in Edo State