Ohimini
# Ohimini

Ohimini is a Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Idekpa-Okpiko.Ohimini was created out of the present Otukpo Local Government Area of Benue State. Major districts under the Ohimini local government are Onyagede which share boundary with Kogi state has the following villages, Amoke, Enumona, Ogodu, Awume, Ikpoke, Ogoli, Ogande, Ugofu, Ipolabakpa, Umonomi and Iyaya, Okpiko, Agadagba, Oglewu and Idekpa the capital.

It has an area of 632 $km^2$ and a population of 71,482 at the 2006 census.

## Historical background

Ohimini Local Government Area of Benue State, Nigeria, was created in December 1996 by the military regime of General Sani Abacha from the old Otukpo Local Government of Idomaland along with four other local government councils (LGCs) in the state. These LGCs are Agatu, Obi, Logo and Tarka. The Local Government derived its name “Ohimini” from River Ohimini, the largest river in the council, cutting across the entire local government area. The creation of the Local Government brought tremendous joy to its people who believed that the separation from the Old Otukpo would bring accelerated development to them.

## Geographical Location

Ohimini Local Government is bounded to the North and North East by Otukpo Local Government, South by Okpokwu Local Government and on the West by Ankpa and Olamaboro Local Government Areas of Kogi State. The postal code of the area is 972.

## Population

The 2006 National Population Commission population census figures puts the population of Ohimini as 70,688 people comprising 35,876 and 34,812 males and females respectively.

## Political Structure

The local government is divided into three zones A, B, and C with each zone comprising two clans. These are:

* A -- Ochobo and Oglewu clans
* B -- Agadagba and Okpiko clans
* C – Awume and Onyagede clans.

The Local Government is further sub-divided into ten (10) political wards as follows;

| S/N | Ward | Headquarters |
| - | - | - |
| 1 | Agadagba | Ohugbane |
| 2 | Awume-Ehaje | Ajegbe |
| 3 | Awume-Icho | Ejule |
| 4 | Ehatokpe (Okpiko) | Ugene |
| 5 | Idekpa (Okpiko) | Odelle |
| 6 | Ochobo | Ochobo |
| 7 | Oglewu-Ehaje | Atlo |
| 8 | Oglewu-Icho | Alaglanu |
| 9 | Onyagede-Ehaje | Abakpa |
| 10 | Onyagede-Icho | Ogoli |

## Leadership of the Local Government Administration Since Inception

Since the creation of the Local Government in 1996, the following persons have headed the administration in various capacities either as Sole Administrators, Elected Executive Chairmen, Caretaker Committee Chairmen or Directors General Services and Administration (DGSA).

| S/N | Name | Duration | Status/Designation |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | Mrs.Juliana Ajuma Alogwu | Dec.96 – April 97 | Sole Administrator |
| 2 | Dr. Ocheme Adaji | April 97 – July 98 | Elected Chairman |
| 3 | Mr. Hingah Biem | July 98 – May 99 | Sole Administrator |
| 4 | Hon. Ezekiel Adaji | May 99 – June 2002 | Elected Chairman |
| 5 | Late Hon. Matthias Elaigwu | May 2002 – July 2003 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 6 | Hon. Ezekiel Adaji | July 2003—Feb. 2004 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 7 | Hon. Isaac Ochekliye | Feb.2004—March 2004 | Ag Chairman |
| 8 | Hon. Ezekiel Adaji | April 2004—April 2006 | Elected Chairman |
| 9 | Hon Peter Uloko | Nov 2006—Dec 2006 | Ag Chairman |
| 10 | Hon. Wilfred Adegene | Dec 2006 – June 2007 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 11 | Hon. Paul Agashua | June 2007—July 2007 | Chairman/DGSA |
| 12 | Hon. John Ameh | July 2007—Dec 2007 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 13 | Sir Linus Onuh Ameh (KSJ) | Dec 2007—Dec 2010 | Elected Chairman |
| 14 | Comrade Ogbole Isegbe | Dec 2010—Jan 2011 | Ag Chairman/DGSA |
| 15 | Hon. Francis Eche Ijiga | Jan 2011—May 2012 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 16 | Patrick Elem | 10 May 2012 – 24 May 2012 | Ag Chairman/DGSA |
| 17 | Rt.Hon. Abdulkarim Jibrin | May 2012—Nov.2012 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 18 | Hon. Sunday Eche Mark | Nov.2012—Nov. 2014 | Elected Chairman |
| 19 | Mr. Andrew Ejeh | Nov.2014 – April 2015 | Ag Chairman |
| 20 | Hon Sunday Eche Mark | April 2015 – May 2015 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 21 | Mr. Andrew Ejeh | May 2015—June 2015 | Ag Chairman/DGSA |
| 22 | Comrade Musa Alechenue | June 2015—June 2016 | Caretaker Chairman |
| 23 | Mr Michael Aba | June 2016 -- | Ag Chairman/DGSA |

Similarly, the legislative council of the Local Government was administered by the following officers as house leaders;

| S/N | Name | Duration |
| - | - | - |
| 1 | Hon. Godwin Ejembi | May 99—June 2002 |
| 2 | Hon. Victor Adem | April 2004—April 2006 |
| 3 | Hon. Haruna Audu | Dec 2007—Dec 2010 |
| 4 | Hon. Dave Agbo | Nov. 2012—Nov.2014 |

Note that legislative councils exist only when the executive councils are in place.

## Religion

The Ohimini people are basically Christians with pockets of Muslims mainly in Onyagede clan.

## Occupation

Ohimini is an agrarian society with the farmers taking full advantage of the fertile, well-drained arable land suitable for the cultivation of cassava, yams, millet, sorghum, rice, citrus fruits, palm produce, vegetables and livestock thus contributing to making the status of Benue State the “Food Basket of The Nation”.

It is believed that the Onyagede market (one of the largest market in Idoma land), is a major source of export of garri to neighbouring states like Plateau, Kano, Rivers and Kogi, amongst others.

Though large scale mechanized farming is not practiced by these peasant farmers, there is a bright future for investors of agro-based processing industries as they are assured of basic raw materials.

## Natural resources

According to the Federal Government Geological Survey of Benue State, bricks, clay, bentonite, bauxite and coal are found in abundant quantity in Ohimini for exploration. The natural spring waters at Iyaya in Onyagede and Odelle in Okpiko-which are yet to be developed, will form a beautiful tourist attraction if fully tapped.

## Prospects for investment

The new and developing Local Government is blessed with abundant human and natural resources that can sustain any agro-based industries and other investment.

Its easy accessibility from the eastern part of the country through Enugu in Enugu State, Ankpa in Kogi State, Naka in Gwer-West and Otukpo Local Government Areas both in Benue State as well as availability of constant power supply provided by its connection to the national grid make Ohimini a destination point for investors in Benue State.

