[2] The Ebira , Bassa Nge , Nupe , Igala are indigenous to the area, other ethnic groups of Nigeria , including the Igbo , Bini / Edo , and Tiv , have recently established themselves. ", Kyei-Mensah-Bonsu urges politicians to reconcile differences This cosmopolitan nature have remains to date, the dilemma of Lokoja as various ethnic groups-notably the Oworo, Nupe, Igbirra, Hausa, Igala-lay claim to the ownership of the town. Porrier. The postal code of the area is 260.[5]. February 21, 1955: Established as Apostolic Prefecture of Kabba from the Diocese of Benin City, Diocese of Kaduna and Apostolic Prefecture of Oturkpo; July 6, 1964: Promoted as Diocese of Kabba; May 5, 1965: Renamed as Diocese of Lokoja Change ). May 5, 1965: Renamed as Diocese of Lokoja. It is about 165 km Southwest of Abuja as the crow flies, and 390 km Northeast of Lagos by same measure. While the Nupe, Hausa, Yoruba, Igala and Ebira are indigenous to the area, other ethnic groups of Nigeria, including the Igbo, Bini/Edo and … Some of the first groups of people to settle in Lokoja were the Hausa and Nupe. Lokoja Urban Area Population History. These means that, the founder of the National Open University of Nigeria realize that, they would be bringing open and distance learning to its home and its origin in Nigeria. The city’s population has since grown to an estimated count of over 90,000 inhabitants. The Federal University, Lokoja, popularly known as Fulokoja, is a federal university in the confluence city of Lokoja, the capital of Kogi State, North-Central Nigeria.Lokoja lies at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers. 1950 12,000. In 1885 and 1886 two of the priests died, though the mission of Lokoja could not be abandoned for it was in the heart of the country. Lokoja is the trade and distribution center for an agricultural (chiefly cotton) region and has food-processing industries. It lies at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers and is the capital of Kogi State. Professor Olayemi Akinwumi PhD, FHSN, AvHF, MNAL is a Distinguished Professor of History at Nasarawa State University, Keffi, Nigeria since 2005. This prompts the writing of this piece to expose the significance of the historical city of Lokoja as a means of appreciating this ancient city of freedom fighters, educators, emancipators and liberators. Modern Ghana will not be responsible or liable for any inaccurate or incorrect statements contained in this article. colonialist, confluence, florence lugard, history, lakwaja, lokoja, lord lugard, nigeria, river niger and benue. Different ethnic groups lay claim to having named the city. Other subsequent settlers into the city include the Yoruba (mainstream), the Igala, the Igbirra (Igbirra Tao and Igbirra Koto), and the Bassa-Nge people. History has it that, there are many reasons why Lokoja is a special place in Nigerian history. The migrations of these groups to the area could be in part accounted for by its nearness to the banks of the Niger and Benue rivers. The author has 57 publications published on Modern Ghana.Column: AbdulrazaqOHamzat, Disclaimer: "The views/contents expressed in this article are the sole responsibility of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of Modern Ghana. Lokoja is the first settlement of British in Nigeria, In fact, the name Nigeria was coined by flora Shaw in Lokoja, a British journalist who later married Fredrick Lugard, and as it was said, Flora coined the name Nigeria while gazing out at the River that stretched before her in the late 19th century. The Selection and Post of Senior Minister in Ghana Government. Recommended Links: FULOKOJA Cut Off Marks. These different groups lived in different quarters of the town but were closely related socio-politically. The state capital, Lokoja is an ancient historical town which once served as the colonial administrative headquarters of Nigeria. Olayemi Akinwumi, a Professor of African History and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, has been appointed the new Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja. ( Log Out / The town in its growth runs down the scope and expands into the Niger River valley. [2] The first Governor-General, Sir Frederick Lugard, governed the new nation of Nigeria from Lokoja. living in Lokoja, the Superior then was Fr. Lokoja town is situated on the slope of a range of hills, Mount Patti. According to European historical records, Lokoja was said to have been founded by one William Balfour Baikie, but in reality, there have been indigenous people living in the area for thousands of years before the arrival of the europeans. What the colonialists did not realise was that, these Emirs used distance education method to keep in constant touch with their subject and were continually a step ahead of the colonialists who never seized to be amazed at how informed and intelligent the people they sought to colonize were. He had his higher education at the University of Ilorin where he obtained his Bachelor’s degree in 1985 followed by Master’s and PhD degrees in History in the same university. A Brief Geography and History of Lokoja Lokoja is the only city and State capital in Nigeria that is squarely situated at a confluence of West Africa’s major rivers, the Rivers Niger and Benue, where both rivers merge and flow southwards into the Atlantic Ocean. Lokoja is also a Local Government Area of Kogi State with an area of 3,180 km² and a population of 195,261 at the 2006 census. Defiant Adu-Boahen’s Sins Chasing NPP? However, there are other groups apart from the ones mentioned above but they are classified as temporary visitors and non indigenous. This area eventually became a center of trade. When Dr William Balfour Baikie arrived at Lokoja first in 1854 and later in 1857, through his efforts and encouragements, the people descended from Lokoja. Buy Access; Help; About; Contact Us; Cookies; Encyclopedias | Text editions While the advent of the Catholic Faith in the Catholic Diocese of Lokoja is usually dated to the opening of a new mission in Lokoja in 1884; The birth of the Ecclesiastical Jurisdiction, which we now call Lokoja Diocese must be dated back to 1955, when Kabba Prefecture was created, and later became Lokoja … Change ), You are commenting using your Facebook account. Lokoja was also the trade distribution centre for an agricultural (chiefly cotton) region and has food processing industries. The area that would become Lokoja has been inhabited for thousands of years by people from different ethnic groups prior to the arrival of Europeans. July 6, 1964: Promoted as Diocese of Kabba. Au XXe siècle, le premier gouverneur général britannique, Sir Frederick Lugard, gouverne les deux protectorats nord et sud du Nigeria depuis Lokoja . The FCT Minister of State, Dr Ramatu Aliyu, has lauded the appointment of Prof Olayemi Akinwumi, as the new Vice-Chancellor of the Federal University Lokoja. Do you want to find out the list of courses you can study at the Federal University, Lokoja (FULOKOJA)? Lokoja is a city in Nigeria. They didn't know the role this beautiful city played in the history and developments of the beautiful Nigeria neither were they aware of the abundant historical relic it contained, especially before and during the colonial era. These include the Igbo, Tiv, Edo, etc. 5 hours ago, NPP conceded defeat in 2008 election for prioritising sancti... ( Log Out / Atabor Julius wrote that, the magnificent river Niger and river Benue meet in Lokoja, forming the famous confluence from which Kogi derives its official sobriquet (The confluence state). Lokoja remained a convenient administrative town for the British colonial government after the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria in 1914. See Article History. ( Log Out / Kogi, is a state in the central region (Middle-Belt) of Nigeria. Lokoja is a city in Nigeria. Besides all these, historical relics such as the Lugard House, the first primary school in northern Nigeria, the first cantonment church, the first hospital in northern Nigeria, iron of liberty, graveyards of the deposed emirs and Europeans commentaries are major tourism potentials which continue to attract people from all works of life to the town. In 1859 a British trading and missionary settlement was founded in Lokoja. The commentaries which are located in three different places within Lokoja Township hold six to eight hundred graves of Africans and Europeans tomb which was said to have largest contraption of European graveyard in Nigeria. According to professor Jegede, There in Lokoja, they defy the intense heat at that time of the year to write 183 courses and adapt 235 others in 54 programmes carefully chosen to kick start the re-establishment of the National Open University of Nigeria in Lagos. [3] It is a trade center with respect to its agricultural products; this is because it is situated at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, and is close to the new federal capital of Nigeria in Abuja. Near Lokoja, in Ajaokuta, are metallurgy facilities and iron ore mines. Fourth, the first course writing and instructional material development of the National open university of Nigeria meeting took place in Lokoja in 2002. British merchants established a trading post at the Benue-Niger confluence in the late 1850s, and in 1860 the Scottish explorer William Balfour Baikie founded Lokoja. These natural waterways served as the major means of communication and transportation especially for the riverside dwellers during the colonial period. It is also worthy to mention that editions of Lokoja boat regatta are held, albeit not regularly. If this happens, May be the rival of steel industry revolution will come in the near future for the city to strive again. The kingdom was founded by the Igala, with its capital at Idah. Residential districts are of varying density, and the city has various suburbs such as Felele, Adankolo, Otokiti and Ganaja. as the first Rector. For instance, the Agbo masquerade festival is celebrated by the Oworo people between the months of March and April every year. Below are the list of high-quality courses on offer at the Federal University, Lokoja. Lokoja is a city in Nigeria. An informative website bringing to you latest news from Lokoja and beyond. During the colonial era, a number of Northern feudal lords who vehemently opposed colonial rule and domination of their territories by the European imperialists were banished to Lokoja as punishment by the Colonialists. Thus, no particular group’s festivals or ther socio-cultural activities can be said to be the most prominent. Till date, many relations of the European workers of the united African trading company (UTC), soldiers as well as missionaries buried in the European commentaries in Lokoja are trooping to the state to see the tomb of their departed great grandparents and pay tribute to them. [1] While the Nupe, Hausa, Yoruba, Igala and Ebira are indigenous to the area, other ethnic groups of Nigeria, including the Igbo, Bini/Edo and Tiv, have recently established themselves. Our History: Kogi State Polytechnic was established in December 1992 by the 1st and 2nd Executive Governor of Kogi State, Prince Abub akar Audu through an amended edict No. After the amalgamation of Southern and Northern protectorate in 1914, the new Governor General, Lord Lugard ruled Nigeria from Lokoja. Olayemi Akinwumi, a Professor of African history and Deputy Vice-Chancellor at the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, has been appointed as the new Vice-Chancellor of Federal University, Lokoja. Around the same spot, he erected the first primary school in Northern Nigeria for all Nigerians who wanted to seek freedom from ignorance. The minister said this in a … Even the Patti word is a Nupe word meaning hill, Mount Patti hill and other surrounding hills are hunting area of the Lokoja people, at Mount Patti there is aged three that most of the former hunters write their name in Ajami and the Latin script, that will make you observe that there is no settlement at Mount Patti. Although, Lokoja is a major historical trading city, but it is not as relevant as it used to be now. He did this through Muhammadu Maikarfi, then the Maigari of Lokoja, in which after he demise the white men use their power and give it to their servant by the Abigel Which was converted to Islam and name him as Bukar, mean Abubakar in Kanuri tun. [clarification needed] This was the status quo until the Europeans arrived. Second, Lokoja was said to be a prominent centre for slave trade in the 18th and 19thcenturies due to its strategic location and later served as a centre for freedom. European penetration into Lokoja in the early 19th century represents a significant landmark in the history of the town. Federal University, Lokoja has been official accredited and/or recognized by the National Universities Commission (NUC), Nigeria. All trademarks and copyrights on this page are owned by their respective owners. Lokoja, town and river port, capital of Kogi state, south-central Nigeria, located on the west bank of the Niger River opposite the mouth of the Benue River. 1951 12,000 They were able to sustain themselves by engaging in farming and hunting activities at Agbaja hill. Religiously, Islam, Christianity and traditional religion exist in Lokoja .The Muslims go to their Mosques for their worship while the Christians do the same in their various churches. First, Lokoja was the first administrative and commercial capital of Nigeria when Lord Lugard became the Governor General of Nigeria after Mungo Park and Richard and John Landers explored the River Niger in 1830's. It is said that they migrated from Baro and some parts of present-day Niger state to the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers. Some of the first groups of people to settle in Lokoja were the (Oworo people/yoruba from Ile-Ife), Hausa and Nupe. 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