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 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 km² 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 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:
The Local Government is further sub-divided into ten political wards as follows;
S/NWardHeadquarters
1AgadagbaOhugbane
2Awume-EhajeAjegbe
3Awume-IchoEjule
4Ehatokpe Ugene
5Idekpa Odelle
6OchoboOchobo
7Oglewu-EhajeAtlo
8Oglewu-IchoAlaglanu
9Onyagede-EhajeAbakpa
10Onyagede-IchoOgoli

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.
S/NNameDurationStatus/Designation
1Mrs.Juliana Ajuma AlogwuDec.96 – April 97Sole Administrator
2Dr. Ocheme AdajiApril 97 – July 98Elected Chairman
3Mr. Hingah BiemJuly 98 – May 99Sole Administrator
4Hon. Ezekiel AdajiMay 99 – June 2002Elected Chairman
5Late Hon. Matthias ElaigwuMay 2002 – July 2003Caretaker Chairman
6Hon. Ezekiel AdajiJuly 2003—Feb. 2004Caretaker Chairman
7Hon. Isaac OchekliyeFeb.2004—March 2004Ag Chairman
8Hon. Ezekiel AdajiApril 2004—April 2006Elected Chairman
9Hon Peter UlokoNov 2006—Dec 2006Ag Chairman
10Hon. Wilfred AdegeneDec 2006 – June 2007Caretaker Chairman
11Hon. Paul AgashuaJune 2007—July 2007Chairman/DGSA
12Hon. John AmehJuly 2007—Dec 2007Caretaker Chairman
13Sir Linus Onuh Ameh Dec 2007—Dec 2010Elected Chairman
14Comrade Ogbole IsegbeDec 2010—Jan 2011Ag Chairman/DGSA
15Hon. Francis Eche IjigaJan 2011—May 2012Caretaker Chairman
16Patrick Elem10 May 2012 – 24 May 2012Ag Chairman/DGSA
17Rt.Hon. Abdulkarim JibrinMay 2012—Nov.2012Caretaker Chairman
18Hon. Sunday Eche MarkNov.2012—Nov. 2014Elected Chairman
19Mr. Andrew EjehNov.2014 – April 2015Ag Chairman
20Hon Sunday Eche MarkApril 2015 – May 2015Caretaker Chairman
21Mr. Andrew EjehMay 2015—June 2015Ag Chairman/DGSA
22Comrade Musa AlechenueJune 2015—June 2016Caretaker Chairman
23Mr Michael AbaJune 2016 --Ag Chairman/DGSA

Similarly, the legislative council of the Local Government was administered by the following officers as house leaders;
S/NNameDuration
1Hon. Godwin EjembiMay 99—June 2002
2Hon. Victor AdemApril 2004—April 2006
3Hon. Haruna AuduDec 2007—Dec 2010
4Hon. Dave AgboNov. 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, 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, bengonite, 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.