THE DESCRIPTION OF ONICHA

History of Onicha 

Onicha Local Government Area is located in the southeastern part of Nigeria, in Ebonyi State. It was created in 1996 during the administration of General Sani Abacha, along with several other local government areas in the state.

Prior to its creation, Onicha was a community under the jurisdiction of the Ohaozara Local Government Area. The area has a rich history and cultural heritage, with several traditional festivals and practices that are celebrated by the people.

The name "Onicha" is derived from the Igbo language and means "settlement on a hill". The area is predominantly inhabited by the Igbo people, who have a rich cultural heritage that is reflected in their language, music, dance, and other traditional practices.

Geography of Onicha 

Onicha Local Government Area is located in the southeastern part of Nigeria, in Ebonyi State. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Anambra Basin and is bounded by several local government areas, including Ohaozara to the north, Ivo to the east, Izzi to the south, and Ebonyi to the west.

The area covers a total land area of approximately 265 square kilometers, and it is predominantly rural, with several small communities scattered across the landscape. The terrain is hilly and undulating, with several small rivers and streams flowing through the area. The major rivers in the area include the Oji River, the Ezzamgbo River, and the Nkalagu River.

Economy of Onicha 

Onicha Local Government Area is predominantly an agricultural community with subsistence farming being the main economic activity. The people of Onicha engage in the cultivation of crops such as yam, cassava, rice, maize, beans, and vegetables, among others. The area is known for its fertile soil and favourable climatic conditions that support agricultural production.

In addition to agriculture, the area is also known for its mineral resources, particularly limestone. The limestone deposits in the area have made it an important center for cement production in the state, with several cement factories located in the area. This has led to the development of a small-scale industrial sector, with the establishment of small-scale industries such as block making and processing factories.

Description of Ebonyi State 

Located in the South-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, Ebonyi State (Igbo: ra Ebonyi) shares borders with Benue State to the north and northeast, Enugu State to the west, Cross River State to the east and southeast, and Abia State to the southwest. Abakaliki serves as the capital of Ebonyi State, which was created in 1996 from portions of Abia and Enugustate and is named for the Abonyi (Aboine) River, which flows through the state's southern region. 

Ebonyi, one of Nigeria's 36 states, ranks 33rd in size and 29th in population, with an estimated 2.9 million people living there as of 2016. the Cross-Niger transition woods in the extreme south and the drier Guinean forest-savanna mosaic in the north and east. Important rivers include the Cross River and its tributary, the River Aloma, which run along Ebonyi's southeastern and eastern borders, respectively. The Abonyi (Aboine), Asu, and Eze Aku rivers are all tributaries of the Cross River and flow through the interior of the state. 

After independence in 1960, the territory that is now Ebonyi was a part of the post-independence Eastern Region until 1967, when the region was partitioned and the area became part of the East Central State. There was an attempt at secession from Nigeria less than two months later, with Ebonyi included in the Biafran state that fought for independence from Nigeria for three years. As a result of the war's conclusion and Nigeria's subsequent reunification, the East Central State was rebuilt until 1976, when its northern half split off to form Anambra State and its southern half split off to establish Imo State. Fifteen years later, the eastern portions of Anambra and Imo states became Enugu State and Abia State, respectively. In 1996, the eastern part of Enugu State and the northern part of Abia were separated and merged to establish the new state of Ebonyi. 

Agriculture is the backbone of the economy in Ebonyi State, and the state's farmers rely mostly on yams, rice, oil palm, and cassava. Lead, zinc, and limestone deposits in Abakaliki and locally woven baskets of all sizes in Ntezi make mining and quarrying important secondary economic activities. The state of Ebonyi is home to a large number of higher education establishments and ranks in the top twenty of the country on the Human Development Index. 

Geography 

During the 1996 federal military government of General Sani Abacha, it was one of the six new states formed. Ebonyi State was formed by separating the Abakaliki division of Enugu State and the Afikpo division of Abia State to form its own entity. The Abakaliki division includes the senatorial zones of Ebonyi North and Ebonyi Central, while the Afikpo, Ohaozara, Onicha, and Ivo division is responsible for the Ebonyi South senatorial zone. There are thirteen LGAs in Ebonyi, each with its own set of elected officials and local development centers established by the state government. Several prestigious universities can be found in the state, including Ebonyi State University (EBSU) in Abakaliki, Alex Ekwueme Federal University (Ndufu Alike Ikwo), Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic (Unwana), Federal College of Agriculture (Ishiagu), Federal College of Education (Technical) (Isu), Ebonyi State College of Education (Ikwo), College of Health Sciences (Ezzamgb Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State established the King David University of Medical Science in Uburu, Ohaozara LGA in 2021, along with the Ezza University of Aeronautical Engineering and the Izzi University of Technology. 

Economy

A large portion of the state's population relies on the agricultural economy for their livelihood. Yam, cassava, plantain, banana, maize, and cocoyam are among the crops that are grown. Cocoa, rubber, and palm fruit are a few more. It ranks among the world's top producers of such staples as rice, yams, potatoes, maize, beans, and cassava. Yams and Rice grow mostly in EDDA and are hence a major economic driver for the region. Additionally, Ebonyi is rich in various different types of solid mineral deposits, though intensive industrial mining operations. However, the state has provided a number of incentives to financiers of the agribusiness industry. The large salt deposits in Ebonyi have earned it the nickname "the salt of the nation."accumulate in the Okposi and Uburu Salt Lakes.

Salt is one of the state's mineral resources; it is extracted from the Uburu/Okposi salt lakes.associated with the Ohaozara. The state is home to several manufacturing facilities that make things like plastic, block and the preparation of food.

Natural Resources

The people of Ebonyi work the land for a living. Nigeria's rice, yam, potatoes, maize, beans, and cassava all come from this region, making it a major player in the country's agricultural basket market. Ikwo is known for its rice production, while Izzi is known for its yams. Other areas of the state, including as Amasiri, Edda, and Ezillo, also make significant contributions. Effium and Ezzamgo are known for their cassava output, while Ntezi is known for its baskets. However, there aren't many industrial-sized mines for extracting Ebonyi's lead, crude oil, and natural gas. However, in order to boost production, the state government has offered incentives to investors in the agro-allied sector, but this capacity is still mostly unused. Ebonyi is known as "the salt of the nation" because to the large salt deposits found in the region's Okposi and Uburu Salt Lakes. The state is also home to a number of popular tourist destinations, such as the Abakaliki Green Lake, the Uburu Salt Lake, and the Unwana and Ikwo Beaches.