About Enugu State, Nigeria

The Slogan

Coal City State


Date Of Creation

27 August 1991

See Also: About The 36 States Of Nigeria

About Ekiti State, Nigeria

About Kano State, Nigeria


Geography

Enugu State is one of the states in the eastern part of Nigeria located at the foot of the Udi Plateau. The state shares borders with Abia State and Imo State to the south, Ebonyi State to the east, Benue State to the northeast, Kogi State to the northwest and Anambra State to the west


Brief History

The name of the state derives from its capital city, Enugu. The word “Enugu” (from Enu Ugwu) means “the top of the hill”. The first European settlers arrived in the area in 1909, led by a British mining engineer named Albert Kitson. In his quest for silver, he discovered coal in the Udi Ridge which is why the state is regarded as coal city state. The Colonial Governor of Nigeria Frederick Lugard took a keen interest in the discovery, and by 1914 the first shipment of coal was made to Britain. As mining activities increased in the area, a permanent cosmopolitan settlement emerged, supported by a railway system. Enugu acquired township status in 1917 and became strategic to British interests. Foreign businesses began to move into Enugu, the most notable of which were John Holt, Kingsway Stores, the British Bank of West Africa and the United Africa Company.

From Enugu the British administration was able to spread its influence over the Southern Province of Nigeria. The colonial past of Enugu is today evidenced by the Georgian building types and meandering narrow roads within the residential area originally reserved for the whites, an area which is today called the Government Reserved Area (GRA).

From being the capital of the Southern Provinces, Enugu became the capital of the Eastern Region (now divided into nine States), the capital of now defunct Federal Republic of Biafra, thereafter, the capital of East Central State, Anambra State, (old) Enugu State, and now the capital of the present Enugu State through a process of state creation and diffusion of administrative authority


The Local Government area

Enugu State consists of 17 Local Government Areas.They are:

Aninri
Awgu
Enugu East
Enugu North
Enugu South
Ezeagu
Igbo Etiti
Igbo Eze North
Igbo Eze South
Isi Uzo
Nkanu East
Nkanu West
Nsukka
Oji River
Udenu
Udi
Uzo-Uwani


The Governor

Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (PDP)


The Deputy governor

Cecilia Ezeilo (PDP)


The Senators

E: Chimaroke Nnamani (PDP)
N: Utazi Chukwuka (PDP)
W: Ike Ekweremadu (PDP)


Representatives

ConstituencyMember
MemberParty
Aninri/Awgu/Oji RiverToby OkechukwuPDP
Enugu East/Isi-UzoCornelius NnajiPDP
Enugu North/Enugu SouthOfor Gregory ChukwuegboPDP
Ezeagu/UdiDennis Oguerinwa AmadiPDP
Igbo-Etiti/Uzo-UwaniMartins OkePDP
Igboeze North/UdenuSimon AtigwePDP
Nkanu East/Nkanu WestNnolim NnajiPDP
Nsukka/Igbo-Eze SouthPat AsaduPDP


The Website

enugustate.gov.ng


Major Cities

Enugu


Prominent Places

Ohum
Oji River
Nsukka
Igbo Eze Sout


Mineral Resources

Here are all natural resources you can find in Enugu state:

  • Gypsum.
  • Glass sands.
  • Iron ore.
  • Coal.
  • Limestone.
  • Oil shade.
  • Alum.


The population

Population (2006 Census)
• Total 3,267,837


Postal Code

400001;


Culture and tourism


Notable People

Rear admiral Allison Madueke – Former Chief Naval Staff
Justice Anthony Aniagolu
Commodore Anthony Ogugua – Military Governor of Imo state
Justice Augustine Nnamani
Sen Ayogu Eze
Prof. Barth Nnaji – Former Minister of Power
Bianca Ojukwu Nee (Onoh)
Lolo Cecelia Ezilo – The first female Deputy Governor of Enugu State.
Justice Charles Onyeama – Justice of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and International Court of Justice
Senator Chimaroke Nnamani – Ex Governor Enugu State
Chiwetel Ejiofor – British Actor
Christian Chukwu – Ex super eagles captain and coach
Chief C.C. Onoh – Governor Old Anambra, First Indigenous Chairman Coal Co-operation
Prof Onwumechili Cyril – The first Nigerian Nuclear Physicist and First African Professor of Agricultural Science
Daniel Kanayo Daniel
Dillibe Onyeama – Nigerian Author and publisher, the first black person to finish his studies at Eton College
Akuabata Njeze – Former Minister of Aviation and Ambassador
Frank Edward
Frank Nweke – Former Minister and DG Nigerian Economics Summit Group
Geofrey Onyema – Minister of Foreign Affairs
Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi – Governor Enugu state, Former Three times member House of Representative
Senator Ike Ekweremadu – Longest Serving Deputy Senate President in Nigeria and First Nigerian Speaker of ECOWAS Parliament
Commodore James Aneke – Military Governor of Imo state
Jim Ifeanyichukwu Nwobodo – Ex Governor Old Anambra state, Minister and Senator
John Nnia Nwodo – President Ohaneze Ndigbo and Former Minister of Information
John Okafor (Aka Mr. Ibu)
Group Capt. Joe Orji – Military Governor Gombe state
Justina Eze – Ambassador
Senator Ken Nnamani – Former Senate President
Kenneth Okonkwo
Mike Ejeagha
Nkem Owoh
Ogbonna Onovo – I.G.P
Ogonna Nneka Nnamani – American indoor volleyball player, former member of the United States National and Olympic Team
Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo – Governor Old Enugu State and Former National Secretary PDP
Prof. Chinedu Nebo – Former V.C. University of Nigeria Nsukka and Federal University Oye Ekiti, Former Minister of Power
Prof Osita Ogbu
Patience Ozokwor
Justice Nnaemeka Agu


Languages

It is home of the Igbo of southeastern and few Idoma/Igala people in Ette (Igbo-Eze North) of Enugu State, Nigeria.


Institutions

Nigeria’s first indigenous university, (University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN)), is located in Enugu State. The state also hosts the Enugu State University of Science & Technology (ESUT), Institute of Management and Technology (IMT), Federal Cooperative College, Oji River (FCCO); Enugu State College of Education Technical, Enugu; Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Renaissance University, Ugbawka; Command Day Secondary School Enugu, Federal Government College Enugu, Federal School of Dental Technology & Therapy, College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu, Queen’s School Enugu a Prominent high school for girls in the Eastern region; St. Theresa’s College, Nsukka; Special Science Boys’ Secondary School Agbani, Nkanu West L.G.A; [St. Patrick’s Secondary School, Emene, Bigard Memorial Seminary, Enugu; Awgu County College, Nenwe; Community Secondary School, Ugbo-Okpala, Ugbo; Corpus Christi College, Achi, Royal Crown Academy, Nsukka, Enugu State, Enugu]; Our Saviour Institute of Science and Technology, Enugu; and the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu, Seat of Wisdom Secondary School Trans Ekulu Enugu, Osisatech boys secondary school. There are also a host of private computer schools and training centres concentrated in Enugu and Nsukka. There are also notable private Tertiary Institutions in Enugu such as Caritas University, a Catholic university founded by a Catholic Priest: Father Edeh, and Renaissance University.

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