Enugu State

Enugu State
—  State  —
Nickname(s): Coal City State, Wawa State[1] Igbo: Ọrā nke Ama ichekù
Location of Enugu in Nigeria
Coordinates: 6°30′N 7°30′E / 6.5°N 7.5°E / 6.5; 7.5Coordinates: 6°30′N 7°30′E / 6.5°N 7.5°E / 6.5; 7.5
Country	Nigeria
Date created	27 August 1991
Capital	Enugu
Government
– Governor[2]	Sullivan Chime (PDP)
Area
– Total	7,161 km2 (2,764.9 sq mi)
Area rank	29 of 36
Population (2005 estimate)[3]
– Total	5,590,513
– Rank	22 of 36
– Density	780.7/km2 (2,022/sq mi)
Time zone	WAT (UTC+01)
Area code(s)	042
ISO 3166 code	NG-EN
Website	enugustate.gov.ng

Enugu State is a mainland state in southeastern Nigeria. Its capital is Enugu, from which the state - created in 1991 from the old Anambra State - derives its name. The principal cities in the state are Enugu, Agbani, Awgu, Udi, Oji, and Nsukka.

Geography

Enugu State is one of the states in the eastern part of Nigeria. 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.

Enugu, the capital city of Enugu State, is approximately 2½ driving hours away from Port Harcourt, where coal shipments exited Nigeria. Enugu is also located within an hour's drive from Onitsha, one of the biggest commercial cities in Africa and 2 hours drive from Aba, another very large commercial city , both of which are trading centers in Nigeria. The average temperature in this city is cooler to mild (60 degrees Fahrenheit) in its cooler months and gets warmer to hot in its warmer months (upper 80 degrees Fahrenheit) and very good for outdoor activities with family and friends or just for personal leisure.

Enugu has good soil-land and climatic conditions all year round, sitting at about 223 metres (732 ft) above sea level, and the soil is well drained during its rainy seasons. The mean temperature in Enugu State in the hottest month of February is about 87.16 °F (30.64 °C), while the lowest temperatures occur in the month of November, reaching 60.54 °F (15.86 °C). The lowest rainfall of about 0.16 cubic centimetres (0.0098 cu in) is normal in February, while the highest is about 35.7 cubic centimetres (2.18 cu in) in July.

History

The name of 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, Albert Kitson. In his quest for silver, he discovered coal in the Udi Ridge. Colonial Governor of Nigeria Frederick Lugard took 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, British Bank of West Africa and 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.

Politics

The State Government and the Local Government are the two levels of government in Enugu State and in all other states of Nigeria. Sullivan Chime is the current executive governor for the whole of Enugu State. He was elected by the people of Enugu State in April 2007^[4] and was sworn into office on May 29, 2007.^[5] The governor is above a group of commissioners who he has placed as heads of ministries that oversee various portfolios such as Health and Housing; both the governor and the commissioners form the Executive Council of Enugu State. Government House, Enugu is where the government of the state is based.

Administrative divisions

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 17 Local Government Areas in Enugu State:^[6]

• 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

Economy

Economically, the state is predominantly rural and agrarian, with a substantial proportion of its working population engaged in farming, although trading (18.8%) and services (12.9%) are also important. In the urban areas trading is the dominant occupation, followed by services. A small proportion of the population is also engaged in manufacturing activities, with the most pronounced among them located in Enugu, Oji, Ohebedim and Nsukka.

Energy

Electricity supply is relatively stable in Enugu and its Environs. The Oji River Power Station (which used to supply electricity to all of Eastern Nigeria) is located in Enugu State. With the deregulation of electricity generation in Nigeria, and the proposed privatisation of the National Electric Power Authority (NEPA), the State Government would assist private investors to negotiate the take over and reactivation of the Oji Power Station. This is more so with the proximity of the Enugu coal mines to the power station, a driving distance of about 20 minutes. There are also traces of crude oil in Ugwuoba, in the same Oji-River Local Government area of the state. The state will also negotiate with investors interested in investing in the coal mining in Enugu. The coal industry use to be one of the biggest employer of labour in the state and the state is looking to attract investors in the industry.

Education

Every community in Enugu State has at least one Primary/Elementary school and one Secondary school, funded and run by State Government. There are also large numbers of private nursery, primary and secondary schools in Enugu State.

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), Enugu State College of Education Technical, Enugu, Caritas University, Amorji-Nike, Renaissance University, Ugbawka; Federal Government College Enugu, Federal School of Dental Technology & Therapy College of Immaculate Conception, Enugu; Queen’s School Enugu a Preeminent high school for girls in the Eastern region; 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; Corpus Christi College, Royal Crown Academy, Nsukka, Enugu State,Achi; Our Saviour Institute of Science and Technology, Enugu; and the Federal College of Education, Eha-Amufu Seat of Wisdom Secondary School Trans Ekulu Enugu. There are also a host of private computer schools and training centres concentrated in Enugu and Nsukka.

Medicine

The University of Nigeria Teaching Hospital (UNTH) is located in Enugu State, as is the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital and College of Medicine. In addition to numerous private hospitals and clinics in the State, there are seven District Hospitals at Enugu Urban, Udi, Agbani, Awgu, Ikem, Enugu-Ezike, and Nsukka and at least one health center or cottage hospital in every one of the seventeen (17) Local Government Areas and thirty nine (39) Development Centres in the State.

Demographics

Enugu State has a population of over 3.3 million people and counting. It is home to the Igbo of southeastern Nigeria.

Religion

Christianity and Odinani. and neutralist

References

1. ^ Williams, Lizzie (2008). Nigeria: The Bradt Travel Guide. Bradt Travel Guides. p. 196. ISBN 1-841-62239-7. http://books.google.com/books?id=fwuQ71ZbaOcC&pg=PA196. 
2. ^ See List of Governors of Enugu State for a list of prior governors
3. ^ "Enugu". FIFA. http://www.fifa.com/u17worldcup/destination/cities/city=10116/index.html. Retrieved 2010-05-10. 
4. ^ Nwokwor, Uderi (December 14, 2007). "AC’s argument on substitution of Enugu deputy governorship candidate". The Daily Sun (Sun News). 
5. ^ "Chime Avoids Workers Again". Daily Independent. May 4, 2010. http://allafrica.com/stories/201005050238.html. Retrieved 2010-09-03. 
6. ^ Nigerian National Bureau of Statistics

External links

• State government website
• Insight into Enugu, Igbo Culture and Language