| Capital: |
Minna |
| Area: |
???
sq kilometres |
| Population: |
2,862,978
(1997 FOS est.) |
| Language: |
??? |
Location
Niger State
shares boundaries with Kaduna and Plateau States
in the East and South-East respectively as well
as with Sokoto in the North and Kwara State in
the East.
History
The areas making
up Niger State today comprised the old Nupe and
Kontogora Kingdos, Abuja (now Suleja) with link
to the famous kingdom of Zauzau and a host of
other political entities. The old Nupe Kingdom
today has been broken administratively into the
Bida Emirate (encompassing Gboko and Lavun Local
Government areas) and the Agaie and Lapai
emirates.
Similarly, old
Kontagora now comprises Kontagora emirates
within which there are the chiefdom of Wushish,
the territories of Sarkin Bauchi and the
Chiefdom of Kagara, all administratively grouped
into the Mariga, Magama and Rafi Local
Governments.
The State was
excised from the defunct North-Western State in
February 1976 and became a full-fledged State in
the Federation in April of the same year.
There are ten
Local Government Areas in the State, viz:
Chanchaga, Lapai, Suleja, Shiroro, Rafi, Lavun,
Mariga, Magama, Agaie annd Gbako.
Agriculture
Generally,
agricultural activities form the mainstay of the
people's economy and engage directly or
indirectly more than 80 percent of the
population.
The Gwari, Koro,
Kadara and Kambari are noted for yam and guinea
corn production, while the Nupe are the major
rice producers. The Hausa and Fulani in Mariga
Local Government area are well-known in the
field of animal husbandry
People
The three
principal ethnic groups of the State are the
Nupe, the Gwari and the Hausa. Other groups
include the Koro, the Kadara, the Kambari, the
Kamuku, the Pangu, the Bassa, the Bauchi, the
Fulani, the Dukawa, the Gade, the Godara, the
Ganagana, the Dukawa, the Mauchi, the Ayadi, the
Ingwai, the Dibo, the Kadanda the Gulengi, the
Abishiwa and the Shigini.
Most of the
groups can be said to have evolved and
instituted a system of political leadership with
either a king or chief surrounded by other title
holders.
The Nupe are
found in Gboko, Lavun, Lapai, Agaie and parts of
Mariga, while the Gwari, Kadara and Koro occupy
Suleja, Chanchaga and Shiroro. The Kambari and
Kamuku are found in Mariga, Magama and Rafi
Local Government.
Local
Government Areas
Agaie, Agwara,
Bida, Borgu, Bosso, Chanchaga, Edati, Gbako,
Gurara, Katcha, Kontagora, Lapai, Lavun, Magama,
Mariga, Mashegu, Mokwa, Muya, Pailoro, Rafi,
Rijau, Shiroro, Suleja, Tafa, Wushishi.
Links
Schools
on The Web:
FGGC New-Bussa
Federal
Government Girls College, Bida
Suleja
Academy, Suleja
Contact
State
Liason Office:
Plot 1230B, Ahmadu Bello Way,
Victoria Island, Lagos.
Tel: 01-617668.
