Apa, Nigeria

Not to be confused with Apa, Lagos.

Apa, Nigeria
LGA
Coordinates: 7°37′47″N7°52′16″E / 7.62972°N 7.87111°E / 7.62972; 7.87111
Country	Nigeria
State	Benue State
Local Government Headquarters	Ugbokpo
Government
• Local Government Chairman and the Head of the Local Government Council	Danjuma Solomon [1]
Time zone	UTC+1 (WAT)

Apa ^[2] is a local government area in Benue State, Nigeria. It was first created on 23 March 1981. It became defunct on 31 December 1983, and was later re-created in August, 1991. The local government is located in the northwestern part of Makurdi, the capital of Benue State. It is bounded to the North by Agatu local government, to the East by Gwer West, to the South by Otukpo and to West by Omala local government area of Kogi State.

It has population of about 100,000 people with a population density of about 200,300 persons per km². The inhabitants of the local government are predominantly Idoma and a few Igalas and other settlers.

The local government has 11 council wards namely, Ugbokpo, Edikwu I, Ikobi, Ojantelle/Akpete, Oba, Iga, Oiji, Ojope, Igoro, Edikwu II and Auke.

Iga-Okpaya Post Office, Apa LGA

Mineral resources found in the local government area are numerous and are awaiting exploitation. They are petroleum deposits at Okwiji, Bitumen at Opaha and salt at Iga-Okpaya. Other minerals found in the local government are kaolin, limestone, gypsum, anhydride and natural gas. The local government also has agricultural products of commercial significance. This include yams, maize, guinea-corn, rice, soybeans, millet, beniseed, beans, groundnuts, bambara nuts, citrus fruits, mangoes, cashew, pineapple, guava, palm products, iron beans, pepper and cassava. Of these, the local government council is one of the major producers of yams, pepper, melon, beniseed, maize, guinea-corn and cassava in the state.

These agricultural potentials are capable of conveniently supporting agro-allied industries like rice milling, palm kernel processing, garri (made from cassava) processing lour milling, juice processing, bakery, oil mills, food processing, timber-lumbering and ceramic. An enabling environment already exists for investment in these areas with existing infrastructures like electricity supply available in the two major towns of Ugbokpo, the local government headquarters and Iga-Okpoya, and other places like Odugbo, Akpanta, Ikobi, Edikwu, Ebugodo, Oba, Obinda, Angwa, Ofoke , Oji, Olojo and Ikampo. There is also pipe-borne water supply at Ugbokpo. The ever-flowing Ochekwu and Okpokwu streams run through the length of the local government area. These, no doubt are adequate sources of water supply for any industrial venture established in the local government area.

The people of the local government, in addition to farming, engage in trading. Markets located at Ugbokpo, Ikobi, Iga-Okpaya, Odugbo, Oiji, Ofoke, Igoro, Oba, Alifeti, Idada, Ikobi, Ugbokpo, Ojantele, Edikwu-Icho and Ugbobi are beehives of business activities on market days. Besides, these places are growing to renowned commercial centers consequently upon the daily business transactions that take place there.

As a positive step to boost commercial activities in the area, the local government council has gone into constructing feeder roads, drainages and culverts. This, no doubt, will go a long way to turning around the economy of the area. The aim is to transform Ugbokpo into a veritable local government council headquarters. Furthermore, the abundant forest resources prevalent in the local government area is boost to the growing timber business in the area.

History

The origins of Apa trace far beyond the colonial era, as the area historically formed part of the ancient Idoma territories that spanned the middle Benue Valley. Oral traditions and archaeological research indicate long-standing Idoma settlements along the Ochekwu and Okpokwu rivers and reference indigenous ritual systems such as the Alekwu ancestral cult. ^[3]

During the pre-colonial era, Apa and surrounding districts were organised into clan-based chiefdoms led by traditional rulers who exercised judicial and ritual authority. These communities traded and maintained cultural links with neighbouring groups such as the Igala, Tiv and Nupe. Later the region came under indirect British administration when the Idoma Native Authority system was instituted in the early 20th century. ^[4]

Apa Local Government Area was first created on 23 March 1981, abolished in December 1983 during a national restructuring of local government units, and subsequently re-established in August 1991. Its headquarters is at Ugbokpo. ^[5]

The area is agriculturally productive, with yams, cassava, maize, sorghum and pepper among principal crops. Reports of unexploited mineral occurrences (for example kaolin, limestone, gypsum and bitumen) exist in regional resource summaries for Benue State. ^[6]

Culture and festivals

The Idoma people of Apa maintain cultural traditions rooted in ancestral reverence and communal rites. The Eje-Alekwu ceremony (commonly referred to as the Alekwu festival in published accounts) is among the region’s most widely observed ritual festivals; it includes masquerades, dances and rites tied to harvest and ancestral observance. ^[7]

Other customary celebrations include new-yam festivals and local market-day ceremonies in towns such as Ugbokpo, Odugbo and Ikobi. ^[8]

Tourist destinations and attractions

• Ochekwu and Okpokwu rivers — scenic waterways supporting fishing and riverside agriculture in the LGA. ^[9]
• Eje-Alekwu festival — seasonal festival featuring Idoma masquerades and rituals attractive to visitors interested in intangible cultural heritage. ^[10]
• Ugbokpo Central Market — a principal trading hub for agricultural produce, crafts and local foodstuffs in southern Benue. ^[11]
• Wooded landscapes and natural trails around Akpanta, Odugbo and Iga-Okpaya suitable for low-impact eco-tourism and nature walks (subject to community and land-use arrangements). ^[12]

Education and institutions

• Apa College of Education, Ai-dogodo-Okpoga — a local college of education serving tertiary and teacher-training needs in the area. ^[13]
• Federal College of Education, Odugbo — a federal teacher-training institution located in Odugbo, Benue State. ^[14]

Governance and traditional leadership

Apa is a Local Government Area of Benue State administered by an elected council headed by a Local Government Chairman. Traditional rulers and district heads serve advisory and customary roles within local governance, and are represented in the Benue State Traditional Council. ^[15]

Notable people

• Adama Joseph Adama — entrepreneur and politician from Adija in Apa Local Government Area. ^[16]
• Ojema Ojotu — Member of the House of Representatives for the Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency in the 10th National Assembly. ^[17]
• Godday Odagboyi Samuel — Member of the House of Representatives for the Apa/Agatu Federal Constituency in the 9th National Assembly (elected 2019). ^[18]
• Odaudu Adah Salefu: Controller in the Nigeria Customs Service who served as Area Controller of the Western Marine Command and as Custom Area Controller (FOU Zone D). ^{[19] [20]}
• Arc. Sunday Sylva Togo Echono — architect and public servant; appointed Executive Secretary of the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in 2022 and previously served as Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Education. ^{[21] [22]}
• Late Audu Achigili — served as Secretary to the Benue State Government; died in a motor accident (reported in national press). ^[23]
• Peter Oloche David: Entrepreneur, researcher and philanthropist; founder of the David Oloche Foundation and head of a multinational consortium engaged in research and development initiatives. ^{[24] [25] [26]}
• Danjuma Solomon — listed in local sources as Chairman of the Apa Local Government Council. ^[27]
• Amali Victoria Auchi — elected Chairman of the Apa Local Government Council in 2022. ^[28]
• Adam Ochega Ogwola — reported as Chairman (or Chairman-elect) of the Apa Local Government Council as of October 2024. ^[29]
• Late Ameh Udoh: First elected Chairman of the Apa Local Government Area. ^[30]
• Emmanuel Yahaya Eigege — appointed Gubernatorial Liaison Officer (GLO) for Apa by Governor Hyacinth Alia in December 2024. ^{[31] [32]}
• David Olofu: Former Commissioner for Finance in Benue State and founder of the Apa Legacy Sustainability Initiative, who in 2025 publicly advocated for infrastructure development and in 2025–2027 declared his senatorial ambition for Benue South. ^{[33] [34] [35] [36] [37]}

Economy

The economy of Apa is predominantly agrarian; major crops include yams, cassava, maize, rice and peppers. Fishing and small-scale livestock rearing supplement household incomes. ^[38]

References

1. "Welcome". benuestate.gov.ng.
2. "Apa". Government of Benue State of Nigeria. 2 November 2017. Retrieved 27 June 2018.
3. "The Alekwu Festival among the Idoma of Central Nigeria" (PDF). Idomaland. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
4. "Apa Local Government Area". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
5. "Apa Local Government Area – Overview". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
6. "Benue State – Mineral resources". Wikipedia. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
7. "Justice from the Beyond: The Alekwu Tradition of the Idoma Tribe". Oriire. 2 September 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
8. "Apa Local Government Area – Culture and Economy". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
9. "Apa Local Government Area – Geography". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
10. "The Alekwu Festival among the Idoma of Central Nigeria" (PDF). Idomaland. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
11. "Apa Local Government Area – Markets". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
12. "Apa Local Government Area – Environment". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
13. "Apa College of Education (APACOED)". MySchool. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
14. "Federal College of Education, Odugbo". Federal College of Education, Odugbo. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
15. "Apa Local Government Area – Governance". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
16. "Five Things to Know About Adama J. Adama". Leadership.ng. 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
17. "Ojema Ojotu – 10th National Assembly profile". ParliamentReports. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
18. "INEC – House of Representatives election result (Apa/Agatu) 2019" (PDF). Independent National Electoral Commission. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
19. "Smuggling affecting nation's economy negatively — Customs". Vanguard. 23 May 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
20. "Salefu takes over as Controller Western Marine Customs". Maritime Today Online. 28 January 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
21. "Change of Baton As Echono Takes Over At TETFund". TETFund. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
22. "PMB Appoints Architect Echono ES TETFund". NUC. 21 March 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
23. "Nigeria: Benue SSG is Dead". AllAfrica. 1 January 2011. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
24. "Peter Oloche David – Official Site". David Oloche Foundation. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
25. "Meet Your Candidates for the Members Council Elections 2024". Europeana. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
26. "Unveiling the future: Exploring … (AACR 23, 6 Supplement B014)". American Association for Cancer Research. 14 March 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
27. "Apa, Nigeria – Local leadership". Wikipedia. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
28. "Succession Chart of Apa Chief Executives". I Am Benue. 2022. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
29. "Full List of Newly-Elected Chairmen in Benue State". Idoma Voice. 8 October 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
30. "Nigeria: Scramble for Idoma". AllAfrica. 26 February 2002. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
31. "Benue governor to inaugurate Gubernatorial Liaison Officers for LGs". PM News Nigeria. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
32. "Gov Alia Appoints Liaison Officers For 23 LGAs In Benue". Highstreet. 2 December 2024. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
33. "Olofu proffers solution to insecurity in Benue". Vanguard. 13 June 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
34. "Olofu declares for Senate, receives royal blessings". The Sun. 6 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
35. "2027: Olofu declares Senate ambition, vows to drive growth and development". CityPost Nigeria. 6 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
36. "FG, state govt urged to construct coastal highway along River Benue". Tribune Online. 14 June 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
37. "Dr Olofu declares for Senate". Al Jazirah News. 7 October 2025. Retrieved 19 October 2025.
38. "Apa Local Government Area – Economy". I Am Benue. Retrieved 19 October 2025.