The history of Nigeria can be traced to prehistoric settlers (Nigerians) living in the area as early as 1100 BC. Numerous ancient African civilizations settled in the region that is today Nigeria, such as the Kingdom of Nri, the Benin Empire, and the Oyo Empire. Islam reached Nigeria through the Borno Empire between and Hausa States around during the 11th century, while Christianity came to Nigeria in the 15th century through Augustinian and Capuchin monks from Portugal. The Songhai Empire also occupied part of the region. Lagos was invaded by British forces in 1851 and formally annexed in 1861. Nigeria became a British protectorate in 1901. Colonization lasted until 1960, when an independence movement succeeded in gaining Nigeria its independence.
British Cameroons was a British Mandate territory in British West Africa. Today, the territory forms parts of Northern Nigeria in West Africa and Cameroon in Central Africa.
Lokoja is a city in Nigeria. It lies at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers and is the capital of Kogi State. While the Bassa Nge, Yoruba, Igala and Ebira are indigenous to the area, other ethnic groups of Nigeria, including the Igbo, Bini/Edo, Tiv, and Nupe, have recently established themselves.
Idah is a town in Kogi State, Nigeria, on the eastern bank of the Niger River in the middle belt region of Nigeria. It is the headquarter of the Igala Kingdom, and also a smaller Local Government Area with an area of 36 km² around the town, with a population of 79,815 at the 2006 census.
Igala is a Volta–Niger language. It is spoken by the Igala ethnic group of Nigeria. In 1989 an estimated 800,000 spoke Igala, primarily in Kogi State, but also in fringe portions of Delta State (Ebu), Edo State and Anambra state. Dialects include Ebu, Idah, Imane, Ankpa, Dekina, Ogugu, Ibaji and Ife.
Ibrahim Idris is a Nigeria businessman who was elected Governor of Kogi State in Nigeria in April 2003, and reelected in April 2007. He is a member of the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP). Ibrahim Idris was replaced as governor by his brother-in-law Captain Idris Wada, who won an election in December 2011 and took office in January 2012.
Yoruboid is a 'megagroup' of 14 related dialect/language clades, composed of the Igala group, of related dialects spoken in central Nigeria, and the Edekiri group, the members of which are spoken in a band across Togo, Ghana, Benin and southwestern Nigeria. The name Yoruboid derives from its most widely spoken member, Yoruba, which has more than 35 million speakers. Another well-known Yoruboid language is Itsekiri. The Yoruboid group is a branch of Defoid, Defoid being a short form of "Ede" the word for Language in most languages within the grouping and - "Foid"). The Defoid group itself is a branch of the Benue–Congo subfamily of the Niger–Congo language family.
Alhaji Aliyu Ocheja Obaje was the paramount ruler of the Igala Kingdom in Nigeria.
Queen Idia was the mother of Esigie, the Oba of Benin who ruled from 1504 to 1550. She played a very significant role in the rise and reign of her son. She has been described as a great warrior who fought relentlessly before and during her son's reign as the Oba (king) of the Edo people. When Oba Ozolua died, he left behind two powerful sons to dispute over who would become Oba. His son Esigie controlled Benin City while another son, Arhuaran, was based in the equally important city of Udo about 30 kilometres (20 mi) away. Idia mobilised an army around Esigie, which defeated Arhuaran, and Oba Esigie became the 16th king.
The First Republic was the republican government of Nigeria between 1963 and 1966 governed by the first republican constitution.
Igbira Tribal Union was a political organization formed by educated servicemen from Igbira Native Administration of Northern Nigeria, headed by George Ohikere. The union was one of the non Hausa-Fulani organizations that was affiliated with the dominant Northern People's Congress during the elections of the 1950s. However, there were strains in the political alliance with NPC in 1958-1959, with both parties presenting candidates for the 1959 parliamentary election.
The Nigerian National Assembly delegation from Kogi comprises three Senators representing Kogi Central, Kogi East, and Kogi West, and nine Representatives representing Adaui/Okehi, Ijumu/Kabba-Bunu, Idah/Ofu/Ibaji/Igala-Lamela-Odolu, Bassa/Dekina, Ankpa Olamaboro Omala, Lokoja/Kogi/KK, Yagba East/West/Mopa-muro, Ajaokuta, and Okene/Ogori/Magongo.
Nigerian passports are issued to Nigerian citizens to travel outside of Nigeria. Nigeria now offers only electronic passports for new passport applications. These electronic passports, known also as the e-passport, are classified as either Standard or Official e-passport, depending on intended use.
The Igala Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Idah, Ane-Ìgàlá, is a pre-colonial West African state, north central Nigeria. The kingdom was founded by the Igala, with its capital at Idah. It was influenced founded by the Igbo, Yoruba, Bini and Jukun kingdoms.
Ahmed Tijani Ahmed was a Nigerian politician who was Senator for the Kogi Central constituency in Kogi State from 1999 to 2003 as a member of the People's Democratic Party (PDP).
The Itsekiri language is a major branch of the Yoruboid group of languages, which as a group, is a key member of the Volta–Niger sub-family of the Niger–Congo family of African languages. Itsekiri is spoken by nearly 900,000 people in Nigeria as a first language and by many others as an additional language notably in the Niger Delta and in parts of Edo and Ondo states of Nigeria. The other key members of the Yoruboid group are Yoruba and Igala along with the various Yoruba dialects spoken in Benin and Togo.
Emmanuel Dangana Ocheja is a Nigerian Senator who represented Kogi East senatorial district in the National Assembly, and a member of the All Progressives Congress.
