Asaba City

For the town in Japan, see Asaba, Shizuoka.

Asaba Àhàbà Ahaba
City
Nickname(s): Ani Mmili
Asaba Location in Nigeria
Coordinates:
Country	Nigeria
State	Delta State
Climate	Aw

Asaba City, or simply Asaba (Igbo: Àhàbà), is a city, strategically located on a hill at the western edge of the Niger River, overlooking its sister city, Onitsha, an economic hub, across the Niger Bridge. It is the capital of Nigeria's Delta State. A fast developing urban area, Asaba has an estimated population of 150,032 (2006 census) and a cosmopolitan population of over half a million people.

Etymology

Ahaba in Igbo language is from 'Ahabagom', meaning I have chosen well, a quote from the founding father (Nnebisi) of Asaba.

History

The city of Asaba was once the colonial capital of the Southern Nigeria Protectorate. It was founded in 1884. Between 1886 and 1900, it hosted the Royal Niger Company, which the British authorities set up to stimulate trade and the exportation of goods to England. That company has grown today into the UAC Nigeria PLC. "After our salutations, I spoke of friendship, of trade, and of education, and particularly enlarged upon the evils of war, and the benefits of peace, all of which was well received", remarked William B. Balkie when signing a trade treaty with Igbo chief, Ezebogo in Asaba on August 30, 1885.

Owing to Asaba's influential history and geography, and current strategic political and economic influence in Nigeria, Asaba is generally known as the regional capital of Anioma area, the western section of Igboland. The clamour for creation of Anioma state has been on-going for decades.

Geography

Asaba is situated on a terrace of the lower Niger River, overlooking the point where the Anambra River flows into it. Beyond the river banks, on the high plains which are far more extensive than the river basins, secondary forest vegetation flourishes. The historic Niger River is a trans-African link beginning from West Africa and down into the Atlantic Ocean. Asaba forms a connector between western, eastern and northern Nigeria through the Niger River from the north and via the Asaba Niger Bridge, an east west link and a Nigeria landmark.

Asaba lies approximately 60 degrees north of the equator and about the same distance east of the meridian; about 160 kilometres (100 mi) north of where the River Niger flows into the Atlantic Ocean. The greater Asaba occupies an area of about 300 square kilometers. It maintains an average tropical temperature of 32 °C during the dry season and an average fertile rainfall of 2,700 millimetres (106 in) during the rainy season.

Demographics

Asaba is traditionally led by the highly revered Asagba of Asaba, to whom the head (“Diokpa”) of each of the five Ebos reports directly into on matters affecting Asaba. Greater Asaba includes some of the other neighbouring indigenous Igbo communities- Ogwashi Ukwu, Igbuzo, Okpanam and Oko Anala on the western section of the Niger River. Culturally and linguistically, the lower Niger River, which divides Igboland into two unequal parts, has from ancient times continued to provide easy means of communication and unity amongst the indigenous Igbo people on both sides of the river, as well as promoted trade and movement of people between Igboland and rest of the world.

Since, becoming the administrative capital of Delta State and, its nearness to the regional economic hub, Onitsha, Asaba has grown in population to over half a million very hospitable people. Today, it maintains a cosmopolitan population of predominantly non-indigenous people. Some of the other groups in the city include Urhobo, Isoko, Ijaw, Ukwuani, Hausa, Itsekiri and Yoruba people.

Notable people

• Chief Dennis Osadebay.
• Chief J.I.G. Onyia.
• Joseph Chike Edozien
• Maryam Babangida.

See also

• Asaba massacre
• Warri
• Abraka
• Ekumeku Movement

External links

• Asaba Online
• Asaba Association Non-profit Group
• Asaba Development Association in the United Kingdom
• Asaba Portal
• Asaba History and Culture Collaboration Research Platform