Ogbaru is a local government area in Anambra State, south-central Nigeria. The area's local government headquarters is in the port city of Atani. It is part of the Greater Onitsha Metropolis.
Ogbaru | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Coordinates: 6°00′N 6°42′E / 6°N 6.7°E | |
| Country |  Nigeria |
| State | Anambra State |
| Area | |
• Total | 387.7 km2 (149.7 sq mi) |
| Population (2022)[1] | |
• Total | 318,200 |
| • Density | 820/km2 (2,100/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
 | |
See also
editOgbaru Local Government Area has its administrative center in the town of Atani and is located in Anambra State in Nigeria's South-East Geopolitical Zone. Parts of Rivers and Delta State border the Ogbaru LGA, which is made up of a number of cities and villages such Obeagwe, Oluta, Ochuche, Umunankwo, Okpoko, Odekpe, Atani, and Umuzu. Ogbaru LGA is expected to have 197,808 residents, with the bulk of these people belonging to the Igbo ethnic group. In the LGA, the Igbo language is widely spoken, and Christianity is a very popular religion there. Ogbaru LGA has a number of vibrant festivals, including as the Ogbaru Boat Regatta Festival, while prominent local landmarks include the Nigerian Navy.[2]
History
editOgbaru people are farmers as well as known warriors from its history; the Ogbaru people share clan lineage and boundaries with Anioma people in Delta State and Ndoni people in Rivers State.[3]
Economy
editOgbaru has a Nigerian naval base, an industrial river harbor, a refinery, a federal road under-construction leading to Rivers State in Nigeria. Ogbaru is a projected link road to other parts of the southeast and south zones of Nigeria with construction of more inland link roads and the construction of a Second Niger bridge.[4]
Geography
editThe Ogbaru people consider the Niger-River waters that run through its region as their territorial lands. Ogbaru is surrounded by river Niger to the west, from okpoko town to Ogwu-ikpele boundary with Rivers state (west end) and the Orashi River to the East along Ogwu-aniocha and Osomari forest reserve (east end), Ogbaru boundary with Ihiala and goes up to Okija, Ihiala, Owerri Onitsha road, also borders Ozubulu, Oraifite and Oba to its northeast.[5]
Climate
editThe shallow depth of the River makes the area subject to frequent flooding due to heavy rainfall in the rainy season which impacts local farms and crops.[6][7] A major flood in 2018 killed 12 people and polluted nearby rivers.[6][7] In 2020, a major flood displaced 1000 people and again impacted farms in the region.[6][8]
Towns within the region include Atani, Akili-Ogidi, Akili-Ozizor, Amiyi, Mputu, Obeagwe, Ohita, Odekpe, Ogbakugba, Ochuche Umuodu, Ossomala/Ossomari, Ogwu-aniocha, Umunankwo, Umuzu, Okpoko, and Ogwu-Ikpele. Ogbaru is neighbored to the north by Onitsha, a major commercial city in Nigeria also located in Anambra State.
Ogbaru is an Igbo clan that stretched into three Nigerian states, Anambra State, Delta State and Rivers State in Nigeria. Ogbaru was a food basket in Biafra country, during the civil war.(But little logistics for distribution across the war torn land). Civil war never came to Ogbaru it was inaccessible by road, or air, and covered in forest.
2022 Flooding
editThe overflow of River Niger and downpour in the past few days fuelled the rise of the water level. Houses, farmlands, markets and business houses have been swallowed by the flood. Flood has taken over places like[9] Ogwu Ikpele, Akili Ogidi, Obeagwe, Ossomala, Umunankwo, Ogbakuba, Ochuche, Akili Ozizor, Atani, Ohita, Odekpe, Amiyi, Iyiowa, Ogbeukwu, Okoti, Ochuche Umuodu and parts of the slum Okpoko near the commercial city of Onitsha. Total number of 76 citizens living in flood-ravaged areas Ogbaru were drowned when their boat capsized trying to leave their flooded homes.[10] According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Ogbaru has the highest number of victims with 286,000 persons.[11] One of the impact of the flood is house collapse causing death in the community.[12]
Education
editSecondary schools in Ogbaru Local Government Area include Ogbaru High School, Ogbakuba Ideke Grammar Secondary School, odekpe Unity Comprehensive Girls' High School, Okpoko Community Boys' Secondary School, Okpoko Community Girls' Secondary School, Okpoko Community Secondary School, Atani Government Technical College, Osomala Community Secondary School, Odekpe Josephine Oduah Memorial Secondary School, and Akili-Ozizor Anthony Obaze Memorial Community Secondary School, Ochuche Umuodu.[13]
People
editNotable people and personalities from Ogbaru include:
- Oseloka H. Obaze, diplomat and author, born in Ochuche Umuodu
- Stella Oduah, Nigerian Senator and former Minister of Aviation, born in Akili-Ozizor[14]
- Omu Okwei, the "Merchant Queen of Osomari", born in the region in 1872[15]
- Oscar N. Onyema, chief executive officer of the Nigerian Stock Exchange, from Ogwu-Ikpele[16]
- Chief Stephen Osita Osadebe, Igbo highlife musician, born in Atani[17]
References
edit- ^ "Anambra State: Subdivision". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
- ^ "Ogbaru Local Government Area". www.manpower.com.ng. Retrieved 2023-10-05.
- ^ "History". Media Nigeria. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Second Niger Bridge reaches 43 per cent completion in Anambra". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2020-07-19. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
- ^ "Ogbaru Local Government Area". www.manpower.com.ng. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ a b c "Flood displaces 1,000 persons, submerges farmlands in Anambra community". Pulse Nigeria. 2020-09-15. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
- ^ a b Onyeizugbe, Rita; Onyejiaka, Joseph Chukwudi (March 2020). "The Effect of Flood on Land Utilization in Ogbaru L.G.A. of Anambra State". Environmental Review ER. 7 (1): 117–123. ISSN 0147-2496.
- ^ Okafor, Chiamaka (2023-07-16). "SPECIAL REPORT: After fatal floods in 2022, Anambra community awaits forecasted rains with fear". Premium Times Nigeria. Retrieved 2023-08-13.
- ^ "ANAMBRA, DELTA DEADLY FLOODS: 70-yr-old killed while sleeping in submerged home". Vanguard. 16 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Nigeria's worsening flood menace". The Sun. 15 October 2022.
- ^ "Nigeria's Worsening flood Menace". The Sun. 15 October 2022. Retrieved 16 October 2022.
- ^ "Floods: One dies in Anambra building collapse The Nation Newspaper". 2022-10-04. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Government Secondary Schools in Ogbaru, Anambra State". www.manpower.com.ng. Retrieved 2022-11-25.
- ^ "Stella Oduah's official citation: A catalogue of lies and deceits". Premium Times Nigeria. 2014-01-07. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
- ^ Emmanuel Kwaku Akyeampong; Henry Louis Gates (2 February 2012). Dictionary of African Biography. OUP USA. pp. 4–. ISBN 978-0-19-538207-5.
- ^ "About Oscar Onyema's single status". The Sun Nigeria. 2019-11-02. Retrieved 2020-09-20.
- ^ Colin Larkin (1995). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Guinness Pub. ISBN 978-1-56159-176-3.
Further reading
edit- LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN ANAMBRA STATE dated July 21, 2007; accessed October 4, 2007