Rivers State, also known as Rivers, is a state in the Niger Delta region of southern Nigeria. Formed on 27 May 1967, when it was split from the former Eastern Region, Rivers State borders include Imo and Anambra to the north, Abia and Akwa Ibom to the east, and Bayelsa and Delta to the west.The State capital, Port Harcourt, is a metropolis that is considered to be the commercial center of the Nigerian oil industry.
The Kalabari are a sub-group of the Ijaw people living in the eastern Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Originally, they were known as the Awome. The name Kalabari was derived from their ancestor Perebo Kalabari who was a son of Meinowei. Their original settlement was spelt as Calabar by the Portuguese which was pronounced Kalabari. This settlement (town) was abandoned as the people moved to other fishing settlements. Portuguese settlers continued to maintain the name Calabari which became surrounded by the Efik people of Duke town. When the British came the word Calabari was pronounced as Calabar (Kalaba) instead of Kalabari. At this time the original Ijoid Kalabaris had moved to a new location which became the new Calabar territory since the old Calabar is occupied by different people. Old Calabar became an Efik town with time which has the name Calabar.
Rivers State House of Assembly is the legislative branch of the Government of Rivers State inaugurated in 1979. It is a unicameral body with 32 members elected into 32 state constituencies. The current Speaker of the State Assembly is Rt. Hon. Martins Chike Amaewhule, DSSRS.
Dẹgẹma is an Edoid language spoken in two separate communities on Degema Island in the Niger Delta, Nigeria, by about 120,000 people, according to 1991 census figures. The two communities are Usokun-Degema and Degema Town in the Degema Local Government Area in Rivers State. Each community speaks a mutually intelligible variety of Dẹgẹma, known by the names of the communities speaking them: the Usokun variety and the Degema Town variety. Both varieties are similar in their phonological, morphological, syntactic and semantic properties.
Abonnema is a town in Nigeria that was founded in 1882 by eleven (11) independent, equal and autonomous founding fathers in 1882. Abonnema has NO MONARCHY but is governed by the principle of “primus inter pares”, meaning first among equals.
The Bille tribe of the Ijaw people lives in central Rivers State, Nigeria. Bille is one of the Ancient Ijaw Kingdoms in the Eastern Niger Delta region. The tribal seat is the town of Bille. Bille Town is the headquarters of the Ancient Bille Kingdom founded by Queen Ikpakiaba in the 9th century. It is a choice place for tourism because of its rich unadulterated culture of the Ijaw people. The people are friendly, accommodating and fun loving. Bille is one of the places on earth where the dignity of womanhood is upheld. Democracy is enshrined in its culture and therefore there is a practice of equal rights.
The Kula tribe of the Ijaw people lives in Akuku Toru Local Government Area, southwestern Rivers State, Nigeria. The Kula people were not originally speaking Kalabari as their language but has lost their real language due to trade and close interactions with the Kalabaris. The small Kalabari-speaking tribe is sometimes classified as a Kalabari community rather than as its own tribe. The tribal seat is the town of Kula founded and established by King Sara 1.
Odual is a poorly studied Central Delta language spoken by the Odual community in the Abua–Odual Local Government Area of Rivers State and Ogbia LGA of Bayelsa State, Nigeria.
Ogba–Egbema–Ndoni is a Local Government Area of Rivers State, in South-South Nigeria under Rivers West Senatorial District, with its headquarters at Omoku. With about 258,700 People according to 2006 Census. It is bounded by Imo, Delta, Bayelsa, and Anambra States and also by Ahoada West, Ahoada East and Emohua Local Government Areas of Rivers State. They are part of the Igboid speaking Areas of Rivers State with three Tribes starting with Ogba as the dominant tribe with 12 legislative wards, the Egbema and Ndoni people who are also found in Ogbaru L.G.A and Ukwuani L.G.A both with 2&3 legislative wards respectively. It is majorly upland and home to the highest upstream Oil and Gas exploration/exploitation activity in the State since the early 1960's with about 12 mining/producing fields operated by AGIP, Total Energies and Shell/NPDC with many other reserve/untapped fields. It is part of the Ogba / Egbema / Ndoni / Ahoada West constituency of the Nigerian House of Representatives. Hon. Vincent Job is the Executive Chairman of ONELGA.
Numan, also known as Nomweh, is a town and a Local Government Area in Adamawa State, Nigeria. It is a port town that lies on the confluence of Benue River and Gongola River.
Degema is a Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria. Its headquarter is in the town of Degema.
Andoni is a Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is located in Ngo-Town. It has an area of over 233 km2 and a population of over 311,500 at the last census. The postal code of the area is 504. The current Executive Chairman of Andoni Local Government Area is Hon. Lazarus Nteogwuile Gogoteh. Lazarus Nteogwuile Gogoteh. Andoni shares boundaries with Khana to the North, Opobo Nkoro to the east, Bonny to the west and the Atlantic Ocean to the south.
Buguma City is a larger town in Rivers State, Nigeria. It is the headquarters of the Asari-Toru Local Government Area and base of the Kalabari Kingdom, a Nigerian traditional state.
Elections in Rivers State are supervised and conducted by two major electoral bodies, Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). There are 23 local government areas, 319 electoral wards and 4442 polling units in the state. Elections for Governor and the House of Assembly are held every four years, along with federal elections for President and the National Assembly.
Port Harcourt Local Government Area (PHALGA) is a Local Government Area (LGA) of Rivers State in Southern Nigeria. It is one of the 23 local government areas created for the state. Its administrative seat is located in Port Harcourt. Although the LGA consists of two different ethnic groups, the Ikwerre and Obulom (Abuloma). The Abuloma people of Rivers State speak 'Obulom- Ochichi' language.
Rivers West senatorial district is one of the three senatorial districts in Rivers State, Nigeria. It is currently represented by Betty Okagua Apiafi.
Oseleye D. Ojuka is a Nigerian businessman and politician. He was born into a Christian family on August 29, 1956, in Kaduna to Pastor and Elder (Mrs.) Morland Dennis Ojuka who come from the Dabiri Dennis Ojuka and Numbere Bobonari families respectively all of Buguma in Asari Toru LGA.
Boma Goodhead, is a Nigerian politician and federal lawmaker representing Asari-Toru Federal Constituency in Rivers State. She is a member of the Peoples Democratic Party.
The 2023 Rivers State gubernatorial election will take place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Rivers State, concurrent with elections to the Rivers State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent PDP Governor Ezenwo Nyesom Wike is term-limited and cannot seek re-election to a third term.
The 2023 Nigerian presidential election in Rivers State will be held on 25 February 2023 as part of the nationwide 2023 Nigerian presidential election to elect the president and vice president of Nigeria. Other federal elections, including elections to the House of Representatives and the Senate, will also be held on the same date while state elections will be held two weeks afterward on 11 March.
