So today, we are going to take a look at all the 36
state capitals of Nigeria, what they mean and the
stories behind them. As finds them really
interesting, I hope you enjoy the compilation too.
Ready? Let’s go!


Check out the meanings of all the 36 states in Nigeria HERE:
https://www.nairaland.com/2467874/36-states-nigeria-meanings



Source: http://naijarchives.com/36-capitals-of-nigeria-their-meanings/

Lagos - no mans land.

1. ABAKALIKI, Ebonyi Known for its fine rice and irresistible yams, Abakaliki is the capital of Ebonyi State in southeastern Nigeria. The name of the city was derived from Aba Nkaleke which is the name of a community among the Izzi people, one of the predominant ethnic groups in Ebonyi. Izziland is also referred to as Nkaleke. Aba Nkaleke is also translated to mean Main Abakaliki.

2. ABEOKUTA, Ogun The name was derived from two Yoruba words ‘abe’ and ‘okuta’, which mean ‘under’ and ‘rock’ i.e under the rock. The rock being referred to here is the historic Olumo Rock which served as a place of refuge and reconnaissance for the Egba people during various wars.

3. ADO EKITI ‘Ekiti’ is a term that is said to denote a settlement of many hills. Hills are common geographical features in Ekitiland and are responsible for the division of Ekitiland into smaller kingdoms and subunits. Ado has been defined as a name for a political society. History has it that when Ewi (King) Awamaro conquered Ulesun community, he deposed the ruling monarch Elesun and thereafter established a new town that he named Ado, meaning ‘here we encamp’.

4. AKURE, Ondo The story behind the naming of Akure is an interesting one indeed. According to oral folklore, Akure was established by Prince Omoremi, the son of Ekun and the grandson of Oduduwa Omoluabi, believed to be the progenitor of the Yoruba race. At a time, he left the royal city of Ile Ife in Osun State looking for a place to settle after Oduduwa had made him pass through a rigourous test in which he was kept in solitary confinement for nine days (this is still commemorated in Akure till date). When Prince Omoremi entered the city that is now Akure, the heavy royal beads on his neck were said to have snapped or cut and the people exclaimed ‘Àkún rę’ meaning ‘the beads have snapped’. Over time, the usage became constricted to become Akure.

5. ASABA, Delta Also referred to as Ani Mmili, the correct Igbo pronunciation for Delta State’s capital city is Àhàbà. Ahaba is derived from ‘ahabagom’, in the words of Nnebisi, the founding father of Asaba. It means ‘I have chosen well.’ Former Nigerian First Lady, Maryam Babangida was born in Asaba

6. AWKA, Anambra An exciting city, Awka is also spelt as Ọka. It is believed that the first people to settle in Awka were the Ifiteana people and their deity was Okanube (or Okiki-na-ube). Thus, they were referred to as Umu- Okanube meaning ‘worshippers of Okanube’. Later, this was shortened to Umu-Oka, and then its present anglicized version, Oka, or Awka.

7. BAUCHI, Bauchi Nicknamed the Pearl of Tourism. ‘Bauchi’ is Hausa word meaning the southern flanks of Hausaland. Tribes living in the southern parts of the Hausaland were referred to askasashen bauchi and the area they lived in later came to be known simply as Bauchi. Then,kasashen bauchi included the areas that we now call Bauchi itself, Plateau State, Northern Niger, Southern Sokoto (that includes Yauri and Zuru) and Southern Kaduna (hello to my Barnawa friends). It was a major center for the slave raiders of the day. In another rendition, the state was named for Baushe, a famous hunter who settled there before the 19th century while another states that ‘bauchi’ is Hausa word for slavery since it was a center for slave raiders. You decide.

8. BENIN CITY, Edo It is reported that Benin as an empire-state was administered by the Ogisos (Kings of the Sky). Upon the demise of the last Ogiso, a fight broke out as to who would assume the throne. A message was then sent from Benin to Ife addressed to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Oduduwa. It was said that the contents of the letter was an appeal to the Ooni to send them a king. The Ooni responded by sending his grandson, Prince Oranmiyan who upon getting to Benin, had a hard time adapting to the new environment. He was then said to have changed the name of the city to Ile Ibinu (meaning the Land of Anger) in Yoruba language before storming out of the city.

9. BIRNIN KEBBI, Kebbi Of all the 36, I find Kebbi particularly interesting and controversial at the same time. According to the Kebbi Chronicles, the state was founded as a kingdom in 600 BCE by refugees escaping from the Assyrian Empire after its conquest by forces from Babylon and Medes. But that is not all o, in the Chronicles, Mesopotamian kings were listed out as the earliest ancestral kings of Kebbi. It was also deduced that Kebbi (Kabawa) was derived from the Holy Ka’aba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. You really need to read up the scholarly and extremely detailed work of Dierk Lange to get the full gist (see reference on website). That said, Birnin is a Hausa word for ‘city’.

10. CALABAR, Cross River Nigeria’s Paradise City is also called the Canaan City. The seat of the Eastern Naval Command of the Nigerian Navy, the meaning of Calabar is not certain but Rosalind Hackett in her scholarly work, Religion in Calabar: The Religious Life and History of a Nigerian Town stated that Calabar might have been derived from the Portuguese wordcalabarra or calabaro which means ‘the bar is silent’, in a reference to the calm waters of the estuary. Considering the fact that the Portuguese were some of the first Europeans to land in Nigeria, this may not be an entirely implausible idea. However, another suggestion is that Dutch explorers who also frequented the area in the earlier times referred to the place as Olde Carlburg which is German. Also, when the British came, they pronounced Kalabari (for the Kalabari people whose ancestor was Perebo Kalabari) as Calabar, which later became the name for Old Calabar, an Efik town. Whew!

11. DAMATURU, Yobe Historically a base for pastoral Fulanis, Damaturu is the capital of Yobe State. Turu is a kind of Fulani drum (Turu can also mean the name of a Fulani subethnic group) while Dama is the name of another ethnic group.

12. DUTSE, Jigawa This is quite straightforward. Dutse means ‘stone’ in Hausa. It also means rocks and the name was derived from the hilly rocks that encircled the town of Garu, the headquarters of the Dutse Emirate.

13. ENUGU, Enugu Also known as Nigeria’s coal city, Enugu derived its name from two local words enu ugwu which means ‘top of the hill’. Amazingly, that itself is a derivative of the village of Enugu Ngwo, which is located just to the west of the city. Enugu City itself is not on the hill, it is actually at the base of a plateau but the village is situated right on top of the hill.

14. GOMBE, Gombe Established as emirate during Jihad by Modibbo Buba Yero, a Fulani warrior and student of Uthman Dan Fodio in 1800, the modern-day Gombe State was carved out of Bauchi State. Gombe was known in the 1930s for its groundnuts and for cotton in the 1950s. Today nko? Gombe is mainly populated by Fulanis and the state has been named ‘Gombe’ which is the dialect of Fulani language (Fulfulde) spoken in the area.

15. GUSAU, Zamfara The word was derived from the Hausa word ‘gusa’ which means ‘move’.

16. IBADAN, Oyo Ibadan is a name derived from Yoruba words Ẹ̀bá- Ọ̀dàn, which means ‘Edge of the Savannah.’ The capital city is also nicknamed Ile Oluyole (Oluyole’s residence).

Please, get me the meaning of Niger Delta and Biafra.

good read

17. IKEJA, Lagos
Now, this is an interesting one. IKEJA is an
abbreviation that stands for Ikorodu and Epe Joint
Administration, a term that was used by the British
colonial masters to assist in the administration of the
Lagos colony.


18. ILORIN, Kwara
Ojo Isekuse is one of the legendary founders of
Ilorin. While he was alive, he worked with iron tools
and he had a special stone called Okuta Ilo Irin
(which means stone for sharpening metals, okuta
means stone, irin means metal or iro while lo is to
grind in Yoruba). The Ilorin is a contraction of the Ilo
Irin. The stone is located at the Asaju’s Compound at
Idi-Ape Quarters and can still be seen till date. At a
point, the stone was worshipped and used as a site of
ritual sacrifice.


19. JALINGO, Taraba
According to the book, The Emirates of Northern
Nigeria: A Preliminary Survey of their Historical
Traditions, Jalingo was derived from the Fulani word
which means ‘to conquer’.


20. JOS, Plateau
The original name for the city of Jos was Gwosh
which was actually the name of an old village that
was located at the site of the present-day Jos.
Another explanation has it that Jos is a shortened
form of ‘Jasad’ which meant ‘body’ in order to
distinguish it from the surrounding hill tops. It was
referred to as ‘Jas’ but when the British colonists
mispronounced it as ‘Jos’.


21. KADUNA, Kaduna
In Hausa language, kaduna means crocodiles, in
apparent reference to the ones living in the Kaduna
River. Simple. Kada is singular for crocodile.


22. KANO, Kano
The legendary Kano Emirate was said to have been
established around the AD 999 and it was named
after Kano, a blacksmith of the Gaya tribe who
settled in the area while sourcing for ironstone (from
which iron can be smelted) around the Dalla Hill.
Kano itself was initially called Dalla and would
eventually be captured by the rampaging British in
1903.


23. KATSINA, Katsina
Founded in cc. 1100, Katsina was named for Katsina,
the wife of Janzama, the local ruler at that time. She
was also a princess of Daura.


24. LAFIA, Nasarawa
Lafia means ‘peace’ in Hausa, Fulani and Arabic.

ILORIN : ILO + IRIN... in Yoruba, 'Ilo' means 'to weld' and 'Irin' means 'iron'..

25. LOKOJA, Kogi There are various explanations for the meaning of Lokoja. A 1986 publication of theJournal of the Historical Society of Nigeria states that according to tradition, the origin of Lokoja can be traced to one of the kings of the Patti, a hill-top settlement. This king was named Oki and he called his town Olo Koja (which means the Strong). In the local Oworo languages, there is another version where Lokoja is said to mean ‘ a fine place that has men attracted to it’. There is another Nupe explanation that renders it as Patti Lakonji meaning ‘Hill of the Dove’. But that is not all, Baikie speakers say Lokoja means ‘the tree with the red bark.’ The Yoruba version states that it is derived from Ilu Oke Oja meaning ‘country of the scattered villages’. Now, pick yours!

26. MAIDUGURI, Borno Duguri is a Kanuri word which means ‘bottom’ or ‘low’. Borno is one of the two Kanuri-majority states in Nigeria. The other is Yobe. Mai means king. You do the collabo yourself na

27. MAKURDI, Benue Established in the early 1920s, Makurdi is renowned as one of the food baskets of Nigeria. Makurdi is a river port and is older than the state itself which was created in 1976. The first settlers in the area were Hausas and the name of the city was derived from the Hausa word ‘kurdi’ which means a flow of water from a central point to create a lagoon, in reference to the swift flow of water from the Benue River. Kurdi itself was coined from kurdawa. However, an alternate explanation states that it means Mai Kudi, meaning ‘a person who has money’, also of Hausa origin.

28. MINNA, Niger Minna is the corrupted form of myina, a Gwari word meaning ‘to spread fire’. The word itself can be traced back to the ancient annual ritual bonfire and festival celebrated in front of the Gwari chief’s residence on top of the Paida Hill. Some of the most prominent Gwari indigenes from the state including former heads of state and army generals Abubakar Abdulsalami and Ibrahim Babangida.

29. OSHOGBO (OSOGBO), Osun Osogbo is said to be translated to mean ‘misfortune’ or in another variant, Oso Igbo, the goddess of the Osun River, after which the state itself was named.

30. OWERRI, Imo The proper name of the capital of Imo State is Owere but it has been anglicized to Owerri. History has it that the city was founded in the 14 th century by Ekwem Oha. Ekwem had fled from Umuori Village in Uratta when an argument broke out with his younger brother, Ndum, over the funeral cow of their late dad. Over fears that Ndum wanted to assassinate him over disagreement on how to share the cow, Ekwem, who was the first son, fled to Egbu, a neighbouring town where he settled. However, his sister was not too comfortable at Egbu thinking that Ndum could still kill him there and told him to move further. Thus, one night, assisted by an owa (native torch) he left Egbu with some assistants and headed to an unknown destination where they eventually settled permanently far from the sight of the devious Ndum. This new place was on a hill and was called Ugwu Ekema. Tired after the long journey, upon reaching the hill top they cried out in excitement: ‘Owere la ihe maraya aka’ Meaning: He has taken what is his right, or what rightly belonged to him. Thereafter, he beat the drums as his sister had advised so that they could know his new location. Thereafter, she went to his new location and they celebrated.

31. PORT HARCOURT, Rivers Port Harcourt was named after Lewis Vernon Harcourt, 1 st Viscount Harcourt who was then the Colonial Secretary (Secretary of State of the Colonies since 1910 to 1915) in charge of the area (see photo below). Upon the establishment of the port in 1912, there was a furore as to what name to give it. In August 1913, Sir Frederick Lugard, the Governor- General wrote to Harcourt:“…in the absence of any convenient local name, I would respectfully ask your permission to call this Port Harcourt.” To which he replied: “It gives me pleasure to accede to your suggestion that my name should be associated with the new Port.

32. SOKOTO, Sokoto
Named after the defunct Sokoto Caliphate, an empire
that stretched from Burkina Faso to Cameroon. The
Caliphate itself once consisted of more than 30
different emirates. Sokoto (or Sakwatto) is the
anglicized version of the Arabic word ‘suk’ which
means ‘market’ or ‘place of commerce’. Sakwatto
Birnin Shehu da Bello means Sokoto, the Capital of
Shehu and Bello, in reference to Shehu Usman Dan
Fodio, the founder of the Caliphate and first Sultan of
Sokoto. Mohammed Bello was his son and second
Sultan. Upon his death, his brother, Abu Bakr Atiku
took over.


33. UMUAHIA, Abia
The name ‘Umuahia’ started off as a Central Market
Post referred to as Ama Ahia which means
market place. With time, the name was transformed
to become what it is called today: Umuahia.


34. UYO, Akwa Ibom
Uyo is named for the wild apple fruit called uyo in
the area. Uyo people from Edik were said to have
settled in the area in search of the uyo which was
commonly found in the area as an indigenous. The
uyo fruit is edible, has medicinal properties and in
fact, it is used in making a popular dish and it is
called ‘Efere Mbukpap Uyo’.


35. YENAGOA, Bayelsa
Yenagoa was named after Yenagoa, one of the most
popular traditional market centers. Others include
Lobia, Patani, Tereke, Iwoama and Igwueama.


36. YOLA, Adamawa
Yola is derived from the Fulfulde (the language of the
Fulanis is called Fulfulde) wordyolde meaning ‘an
extensive rising ground’, or an elevated point.





Source: http://naijarchives.com/36-capitals-of-nigeria-their-meanings/

Ahaba amaka

Very educative and interesting.

I rep Owerri!

Benin City

The original people and founders of the Benin Empire, the Edo people, were initially ruled by the Ogiso (Kings of the Sky) dynasty who called their land Igodomigodo. The rulers or kings were commonly known as Ogiso. Igodo, the first Ogiso, wielded much influence and gained popularity as a good ruler. He died after a long reign and was succeeded by Ere, his eldest son. In the 12th century, a great palace intrigue and battle for power erupted between the warrior crown prince Ekaladerhan son of the last Ogiso and his young paternal uncle. In anger over an oracle, Prince Ekaladerhan left the royal court with his warriors. When his old father the Ogiso died, the Ogiso dynasty was ended as the people and royal kingmakers preferred their king's son as natural next in line to rule.

The exiled Prince Ekaladerhan, who was not known in Yoruba land, somehow earned the title of Oni Ile-fe Izoduwa which is now corrupt to yoruba language as Ooni (Oghene) of Ile-Ife Oduduwa and refused to return, then sent his son Oranmiyan to become king. Prince Oranmiyan took up his abode in the palace built for him at Usama by the elders (now a coronation shrine). Soon after his arrival he married a beautiful lady, Erinmwinde, daughter of Osa-nego, was the ninth Enogie (Duke) of Ego, by whom he had a son. After some years residence here he called a meeting of the people and renounced his office, remarking that the country was a land of vexation, Ile-Ibinu (by which name the country was afterward known) and that only a child born, trained and educated in the arts and mysteries of the land could reign over the people. He caused his son born to him by Erinmwinde to be made King in his place, and returned to Yoruba land Ile-Ife. After some years in Ife, he left for Oyo, where he also left a son behind on leaving the place, and his son Ajaka ultimately became the first Alafin of Oyo of the present line, while Oranmiyan himself was reigning as Oni of Ife. Therefore, Oranmiyan of Ife, the father of Eweka I, the Oba of Benin, was also the father of Ajaka, the first Alafin of Oyo.

Source: wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benin_City

INTROVERT:
Lagos - no mans land.

Ma'am, atleast you should have waited for the Op to educate us more before rushing to comment. It isn't about game of drones or cartoon network, it's about what your history teacher couldn't teach you.

Am I mistaking here, shouldn't I be talking to her about SOCIAL STUDIES or INTEGRATED SCIENCE?

Ibadan-Ibi ti ole ti n jare olohun

Febup:
Benin City

The original people and founders of the Benin Empire, the Edo people, were initially ruled by the Ogiso (Kings of the Sky) dynasty who called their land Igodomigodo. The rulers or kings were commonly known as Ogiso. Igodo, the first Ogiso, wielded much influence and gained popularity as a good ruler. He died after a long reign and was succeeded by Ere, his eldest son. In the 12th century, a great palace intrigue and battle for power erupted between the warrior crown prince Ekaladerhan son of the last Ogiso and his young paternal uncle. In anger over an oracle, Prince Ekaladerhan left the royal court with his warriors. When his old father the Ogiso died, the Ogiso dynasty was ended as the people and royal kingmakers preferred their king's son as natural next in line to rule.

The exiled Prince Ekaladerhan, who was not known in Yoruba land, somehow earned the title of Oni Ile-fe Izoduwa which is now corrupt to yoruba language as Ooni (Oghene) of Ile-Ife Oduduwa and refused to return, then sent his son Oranmiyan to become king. Prince Oranmiyan took up his abode in the palace built for him at Usama by the elders (now a coronation shrine). Soon after his arrival he married a beautiful lady, Erinmwinde, daughter of Osa-nego, was the ninth Enogie (Duke) of Ego, by whom he had a son. After some years residence here he called a meeting of the people and renounced his office, remarking that the country was a land of vexation, Ile-Ibinu (by which name the country was afterward known) and that only a child born, trained and educated in the arts and mysteries of the land could reign over the people. He caused his son born to him by Erinmwinde to be made King in his place, and returned to Yoruba land Ile-Ife. After some years in Ife, he left for Oyo, where he also left a son behind on leaving the place, and his son Ajaka ultimately became the first Alafin of Oyo of the present line, while Oranmiyan himself was reigning as Oni of Ife. Therefore, Oranmiyan of Ife, the father of Eweka I, the Oba of Benin, was also the father of Ajaka, the first Alafin of Oyo.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Benin_City

Interesting analysis, it sounds more convincing than the view that Oduduwa came from an Arab country.

Nice one op.... .. . For a job well done, u have 36 cold origin from me... ...

mrvitalis:
Nice one op.... .. . For a job well done, u have 36 cold origin from me... ...

thanks bro

coolestrogue:
Please, get me the meaning of Niger Delta and Biafra.

biafra simply means come and join

Waiting for OP to give the meaning for Owerri.

kendo101:
Waiting for OP to give the meaning for Owerri.

It was up there. See it here:
30. OWERRI, Imo The proper name of the capital of Imo
State is Owere but it has been anglicized to Owerri. History
has it that the city was founded in the 14 th century by
Ekwem Oha. Ekwem had fled from Umuori Village in Uratta
when an argument broke out with his younger brother,
Ndum, over the funeral cow of their late dad. Over fears
that Ndum wanted to assassinate him over disagreement
on how to share the cow, Ekwem, who was the first son,
fled to Egbu, a neighbouring town where he settled.
However, his sister was not too comfortable at Egbu
thinking that Ndum could still kill him there and told him to
move further. Thus, one night, assisted by an owa (native
torch) he left Egbu with some assistants and headed to an
unknown destination where they eventually settled
permanently far from the sight of the devious Ndum. This
new place was on a hill and was called Ugwu Ekema.
Tired after the long journey, upon reaching the hill top they
cried out in excitement: ‘Owere la ihe maraya aka’
Meaning: He has taken what is his right, or what rightly
belonged to him. Thereafter, he beat the drums as his
sister had advised so that they could know his new
location. Thereafter, she went to his new location and they
celebrated.

justirich:

thanks bro

yea