Stella Dimoko Korkus.com: Nigeria's 36 States And The Origin Of Their Names..

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Monday, August 08, 2016

Nigeria's 36 States And The Origin Of Their Names..

A lot of Nigerians have no clue how most Nigerian states got their names and i was in this category until i read through.
Did you know that most Nigerian states were named after Rivers?Na wah!








1. ABIA:
Abia is an acronym derived from the name of the four main groups of people in the state as at the time it was formed in 1991: Aba Bende Isuikwuato Afikpo


2. ADAMAWA:
This state was named after a warrior that conquered the region in the beginning of the 19th century. His name was Modibbo Adama Bin Ardo Hassan.


3. AKWA–IBOM:
Akwa Ibom is named after a river, the Qua Iboe (or Kwa Iboe) River.

4. ANAMBARA:
It was derived from the name of the Oma Mbal (Omambala)River (in Ibo, the native name of the river is Ànyịm Ọma Mbala).


5. BAUCHI:
There are three versions of how Bauchi got its name. One version says ‘Bauchi’ is Hausa word meaning the southern planks of Hausa land. Tribes living in the southern parts of the Hausa land were referred to as “kasashen bauchi” and
the area they lived in later came to be known simply as Bauchi. 

According to the second version the state was named for Baushe, a famous hunter who settled there before the 19th century while the third states that ‘bauchi’ is Hausa word for slavery since it was a center for slave raiders.


6. BAYELSA:
Bayelsa was formed as a result of the clamour from the three LGAs in old River (Brass LGA known as BALGA, Yenegoa LGA known as YELGA and Sagbama LGA – SALGA).
The name came about from the combination of their
acronymns. BA+YEL+SA = BAYELSA.


7. BENUE:
It is a word from the Batta language ‘Binuwe’ which means ‘Mother of Waters’.


8. BORNO:
The name was derived from ‘Borno’, an alternative name of the Kanuris who form the predominant ethnic group in the state.


9. CROSS RIVER:
The state took its name from a River called Oyono or Cross River.

10. DELTA:
It was named from the delta of the River Niger which formed as it enters the Atlantic Ocean.


11. EBONYI:
The state was named after the Aboine River that cuts through Abakaliki, the state capital.


12. EDO:
Named after the Bini people who had always referred to themselves as Edo or Iduu.

13. EKITI:
‘Ekiti’ is a term that is said to denote a settlement of many hills “Okiti”


14. ENUGU:
Enugu derived its name from two local words enu ugwu which means ‘top of the hill’.


15. GOMBE:
Named after the dialect of Fulani language (Fulfulde)spoken in the area ‘Gombe’.


16. IMO:
This state is named after the Imo River (Imo Mmiri).


17. JIGAWA:
The state was named after its distinctively golden-coloured soil, Jigawa.


18. KADUNA:
The state after the crocodiles in Kaduna River. Kadunas is Hausa plural word for crocodiles.


19. KANO:
The state was named after a blacksmith of the Gaya tribe
who settled in the area while sourcing for iron stone. His name was Kano.


20. KATSINA:
Katsina was named after the wife of the local ruler known as Janzama. Her name was Katsina.


21. KEBBI:
Legend has it that Kebbi was named after the Ka’abba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.


22. KOGI:
The name Kogi was said to have be derived from ‘kogin’, hausa for river. This is to represent the fact that the two biggest Rivers in Nigeria, River Niger and River Benue form a confluence in the state.

23. KWARA:
This was named after the River Niger which forms the Northern border of the state. The Nupes used to call the river Kwara.


25. LAGOS:
The name is a Portuguese word for lakes. The Portuguese were the first set of Europeans to reach Lagos in 1472. The name was inspired by the lagoons and rivers in Lagos.


26. NASARAWA:
It was so named by the founder of Nasarawa kingdom,Makama Dogo.
Nasarawa means Victorious.


27. NIGER:
Named after the popular River Niger.


28. OGUN:
Named after the Ogun River.


28. ONDO:
This was named after the settlers of the old Ondo Kingdom.Ondo is a word for settlers.


29. OSUN:
Like a number of other Nigerian states, it was also named after a river; River Osun.


30. OYO:
It was named after the Old Oyo empire.


31. PLATEAU:
The state was named for the Jos Plateau.

32. RIVERS:
A state with many water bodies, Rivers State was named for
many of the rivers present in the area.


33. SOKOTO:
Named after the defunct Sokoto Caliphate. Sokoto is the anglicized version of the Arabic word ‘suk’ which means ‘market’ or ‘place of commerce’. Or “assukuut” which means “silence” in Arabic.

34. TARABA:
The state was named after the Taraba River.


35. YOBE:
The state was named after Komadugu Yobe (Waube or Ouobe) or River Yobe (or River of Yo).


36. ZAMFARA:
Zamfarawa is one of the sub dialects of Eastern Hausa linguistic group and that is where the name came from zan- fara noma


by INFORMATION NIGERIA


71 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. Yet we claim to be religious. No wonder plenty mamy water full for this country.

      Delete
    2. Yet we claim to be religious. No wonder plenty mamy water full for this country.

      Delete
    3. Lagos is from Portuguese of Lagoon = Lagossa

      Delete
  2. i know crocodile to be "kada" in hausa not kadunas. anyway i fail hausa language in waec wetin i know sef.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Wow!

    Thanks for bringing this here, Stellz.

    I learnt a lot from it.

    Bookmarked.

    #WhiteDiamondOut

    ReplyDelete
  4. Very good,i have always know about Edo

    ReplyDelete
  5. Quite interesting,now I know
    #ProudlyCrossriverian

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where in crossriver state are you from miss ferragamo? It's so hard here in abuja getting friends from my state.

      Delete
    2. Nice one..
      #ProudlyCrossriverian
      #OgojaBabe....

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by the author.

      Delete
    4. Anon 18:28,I live in lagos dearie and I'm from Obudu

      Delete
    5. Proud Crossrivarian





      EFIK EBURUTU



      Haaala.








      @Galore

      Delete
    6. Proud crossrivarian.... Bansara LG, Ogoja

      Delete
  6. Hian! Almost all of them are named after a river....

    ReplyDelete
  7. Information Nigeria got it wrong for Plateau State. Plateau state derives its name from the geographical description of the landscape that predominate this area. Plateau derives its name because of its mountains. While Jos the capital of Plateau State was originally referred to as "Gwosh" in Berom language but the Europeans couldn't pronounce Gwosh but rather decided to call it Jos. Jos is the capital of Plateau state.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Do you know you've just said the same thing. Jos has a plateau on the top of the Highland. No need for plenty geography grammar. A plateau is a mountain or highland with a flat surface.

      Delete
    2. Do you know you've just said the same thing. Jos has a plateau on the top of the Highland. No need for plenty geography grammar. A plateau is a mountain or highland with a flat surface.

      Delete
  8. Hmmmmm.... nice! we learn everyday.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Replies
    1. IS ABUJA A STATE???

      And besides, it was a state created during the military regime to become the central location of government! Hence, Federal Capital Territory.

      Delete
  10. Will this be a form of question for job interview? If no, then no need.




    Mother Nature

    ReplyDelete
  11. Will this be a form of question for job interview? If no, then no need.




    Mother Nature

    ReplyDelete
  12. A job really well done. It's very educative and also informative




    *Larry was here*

    ReplyDelete
  13. Almost all came via one river or the other.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Wow! Knowledge is indeed power. But.afikpo is now a part of ebonyi state o.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Oh okay...@ Lagos. No wonder the pronunciation sounded funny in that Captain America civil war.it's actually a Portuguese word.#Amazeballs. Always knew my state's name was derived from a river, Cross river.

    ReplyDelete
  16. I still don't know why my people enjoy spelling anambra as anambara.

    ReplyDelete
  17. You go fear mammy water names.

    ReplyDelete
  18. I saw a clip on NTA some years back, but didn't finish it. Thanks for bringing it.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Abeg none of the meaning is Captivating...

    ReplyDelete
  20. Latest promixing training,organic materials,all your 100% skin care products BBM 2B97FEAA Whatsapp 081608453608 August 2016 at 16:51

    So informativE I must say.I love it I read all thru.


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    ReplyDelete
  21. hungry states dat depend on others for survival.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Wow, thanks for these leassons i knew few got their names from rivers but now, i know them. Thank u once again. Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  23. Wow, thanks for these lessons i knew few got their names from rivers but now, i know them. Thank u once again. Cheers

    ReplyDelete
  24. Wow! Just learnt something new today, thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Why are they all named after rivers???
    That's creepy!

    ReplyDelete
  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Only Bayelsa and Kaduna makes sense. What is Cross River sef? That meaning there is BS.
    It was named Cross River because wherever you enter from you must cross a river, shekina. We don't have any river called cross river mbok.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Where are you from pls? So you don't know Cross river on your way to Akwa ibom? Smh for u abeg.

      Delete
    2. You deyy mind information Nigeria






      @Galore

      Delete
    3. On the contrary, there's no river to cross when you're going in from Benue(vandekia) through Bekwarra. Kapish?

      Delete
  28. Thanks, very educative

    ReplyDelete
  29. This is highly informative... Thanks ma.

    ReplyDelete
  30. I actually knew the origin of quite a number of them cos we were taught that in social studies. Especially the old states before all these new ones came up. Quite educative I must say.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Now I know why we have Qua Iboe church in Akwaibom state, and water spirit as well.

    I see...

    Stella tnxx for this piece, quite insightful.

    #IRepAkwaibom

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Haba sister, there's Qua Iboe church in Cross river "nagha"

      Delete
  32. Concerning Akwa Ibom state, it's so not true.

    Akwa Ibom is short form for Akwa-Abasi Ibom meaning Almighty God. Direct translation is Big God of all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You deyy mind Information Nigeria



      I am sure they had F9,in History class.





      @Galore

      Delete
  33. LAGOS IS PORTUGUESE AND A TOWN IN PORTUGAL. SINCE THEY(PORTUGUESE) CANNOT PRONOUNCE LAGO-DU- KURUMO(A), HENCE LAGOS WHICH THEY ARE USED TO IN PORTUGAL.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sure they landed in Lagos on a slave trade mission. It follows.

      Delete
  34. Interesting.
    Learnt something new today.
    Tnx.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Have learnt somthing oo am from Akwa ibom

    ReplyDelete
  36. Good to know this

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  37. Please get this corrected, in the case of Akwa Ibom, the word Akwa means great, big or large. Akwa Ibom literary means Great God of the universe, and is short for "Akwa Abasi Ibom". Water in all Akwa Ibom languages is referred to as mmong, so 'akwa (or aqua) and ibom have nothing to do with water. It is the only state in Nigeria whose name has direct bearing with God. Others prefer English names as if they don't have a language and culture, especially the so called South-South states, and that's why I love Yoruba, Hausa and especially Igbo people. Check out Bayelsa(an acronym that has nothing to do with their language and culture=meaningless), Cross River(meaningless), Rivers(waters=meaningless), Delta(triangular=meaningless), Lagos(Lagoon=meaningless), Niger(black or darkness=meaningless) does it sound as if indigenous people of these communities live there? No. So, even if I want to name my place "water", why not in my own language? Tell me one community in the western world where you can call a name in any Nigerian or African languages and they will accept.

    ReplyDelete
  38. Please get this corrected, in the case of Akwa Ibom, the word Akwa means great, big or large. Akwa Ibom literary means Great God of the universe, and is short for "Akwa Abasi Ibom". Water in all Akwa Ibom languages is referred to as mmong, so 'akwa (or aqua) and ibom have nothing to do with water. It is the only state in Nigeria whose name has direct bearing with God. Others prefer English names as if they don't have a language and culture, especially the so called South-South states, and that's why I love Yoruba, Hausa and especially Igbo people. Check out Bayelsa(an acronym that has nothing to do with their language and culture=meaningless), Cross River(meaningless), Rivers(waters=meaningless), Delta(triangular=meaningless), Lagos(Lagoon=meaningless), Niger(black or darkness=meaningless) does it sound as if indigenous people of these communities live there? No. So, even if I want to name my place "water", why not in my own language? Tell me one community in the western world where you can call a name in any Nigerian or African languages and they will accept.

    ReplyDelete

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