Abraka

Last updated

Abraka Town
Abraka
Urban
Abraka.jpg
Roundabout in Abraka Town
Nickname: 
University Town
CountryFlag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria
State Delta State
Government
  TypeMonarchy
   Governor Sheriff Oborevwori
  Ovie King H.R.M(A.V.M) Avwaeke I

(Ovie Of Umiagwa-Abraka Kingdom)

H.R.M Majoroh, Ojeta II

(Ovie Of Oruarive-Abraka Kingdom)
Population
  Religion
Christianity

Igbe Religion

African Traditional Religion
Time zone WAT
Website https://web.archive.org/web/20100529180918/ http://www.abrakaonline.com:80/

Abraka, is a town in Delta state, Nigeria. [1] It is also home to two of the main 24 urhobo kingdoms. It is mostly known as a university town and has the main campus of the Delta State University located there. Abraka town is a favourite destination for domestic and international tourists. The Abraka beach is famous for its natural flowing spring water, and has sports recreational facilities for outdoor activities like canoeing, fishing, swimming, barbecue and picnicking. [2]

Contents

History

Abraka was founded by a Benin Prince, Avwraka according to Abraka oral history. [3] Avwraka (Abraka) is one of the few Urhobo socio-political units whose predecessors did not live elsewhere among non-Urhobo ethnic group before settling in Urhoboland.

Avwraka was a Prince in an Edo-speaking political group which emigrated and settled near other Urhobo people.

The contemporary main version of the historical traditions of Avwraka (Abraka) states that before Avwraka died in Otorho-Avwraka, he had two sons called Aghwa and Ivie. These are the distant ancestors of Umiaghwa and Oruarivie of Avwraka today.

The main settlements of Avwraka (Abraka) today are:

The construction of a link road from Agbor, through Abraka, to Sapele in 1901 increased the commercial activities and population in Abraka. On 6 May 1978, the whole of Abraka resolved to constitute themselves into a kingdom like most Urhobo kingdoms. They decided to have Chief David Oghenegueke Dafe as their Ovie (king) and Chief Joseph Ajarho Atagana from Umiaghwa as their Otota (spokesman). Recent historical development in Avwraka (Abraka) has birthed the need to divide Abraka Kingdom into Umiagwa-Abraka and Oruarive-Abraka Kingdoms. [4] Hence the two separate Avwraka (Abraka) kingdoms now form a vital part of the Ethiope-East Local Government Area of Delta State to which the polity has belonged since 1976. The principal inhabitants of the city are the Urhobo people.

Climate

Abraka has a tropical wet and dry climate, with a lengthy wet season and relatively constant temperatures throughout the course of the year. Abraka's wet season runs from March through October, though August sees somewhat of a lull in precipitation. This lull nearly divides the wet season into two different wet seasons. The remaining months forms the city's dry season. Like a good portion of West Africa, Abraka experiences the harmattan between the months of November and February.

Mudibeach.jpg

Education

Abraka is home to the prestigious Delta State University, Abraka. The Delta State University, was established in the year 1992, [5] with its main campus at Abraka and a campus at Anwai, Asaba. With the 1995 Amended Edict, a new campus was established at Oleh. The University runs a multi-campus system with three campuses within a distance of about 200 km apart. Currently, with a student population of about 36,000 (in the 2007/08 session), the University offers a range of programmes from the full-time certificate, diploma and degree programmes to part-time evening and weekend degree programmes. The University offers post-graduate studies up to a doctoral level. A staff/student counselling centre, an e-learning centre, student accommodation and sporting facilities amidst others are available support services. [6]

DELSU Abraka Main Campus Gate Main gate.jpg
DELSU Abraka Main Campus Gate

Tourism

Abraka is a destination for domestic and international tourism.[ citation needed ] It attracts numerous tourists. Abraka's Rivotel is famous for its natural flowing spring water, and has recreational facilities for outdoor activities like canoeing, fishing, swimming, barbecue. Abraka Turf and Country Club nestles at the Delta State University town of Abraka. [7]

Notable People

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ughelli</span> Place in Delta State, Nigeria

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Uvwie</span> Urban Area in Delta State, Nigeria

Uvwie (/hu-we-ɛ/), is a principal Urban Local Government Area in Delta State. It lies along the Warri River and it is one of the twenty-four Urhobo Kingdoms. The entirety of the LGA is conurbated with the city of Warri, making it a greater part of Warri metropolitan area

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The Delta State University, Abraka - popularly known as DELSU - is a State government-owned university in Nigeria with the main campus located at Abraka, Delta State and its sub-campus at Oleh. The Oleh campus was established with the 1995 Amended Edict. The university is a multiple-campus university having two campuses within a distance of about 52 km apart. Currently, with a student population of about 22,000, the university offers a range of programmes from the full-time certificate, diploma and degree programmes to part-time evening and weekend degree programmes. DELSU offers postgraduate studies up to a doctoral level. DELSU owns a staff/student counselling centre, an e-learning centre, student accommodation and sporting facilities amidst other infrastructures. It is one of over twenty-five state-owned universities which are overseen and accredited by the National Universities Commission.

Demas Akpore was the first elected Deputy Governor of Bendel State (1979–1983), the Principal of Government College, Ughelli, and the founder and principal of Orogun Grammar School.

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The Agbon Kingdom is one of twenty-four subunits of the Urhobo people that have been in existence since before the rise of the Benin Empire in the 1440s and before the arrival of the Portuguese in the Western Niger Delta in the 1480s.

M. G. Ejaife was an Urhobo nationalist from Okpara Inland and the first principal of the premier Urhobo College Effurun,Uvwie. He was one of two recipients of scholarship awards from Urhobo Progress Union during World War II years. He returned to Nigeria after his graduation with a B.A. degree of Durham University in 1948, thus becoming the first Urhobo graduate. He then became the founding Principal of Urhobo College, Effurun. He brought that famous secondary school to its great heights in many fields. Mr. Ejaife later served in many other capacities in Urhobo affairs. He was Urhobo's first Senator, serving with distinction in Nigeria's Upper Chamber during the country's First Republic.

Chamberlain Oyibocha Orovwuje, Ogurimerime I, was the Ovie of Agbon Kingdom from 1958 till 2012. He was also the former chairman of Delta State Council of Traditional Rulers. He ruled the traditional kingdom of Agbon for 54 years and clinched the title of the longest reigning monarch in Delta State.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke Erede Ejohwomu</span> Nigerian monarch

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Victor F. Peretomode is an academic and is the immediate past Vice Chancellor of Delta State University, Abraka, Nigeria. Peretomode was appointed by Delta State governor Emmanuel Eweta Uduaghan on December 1, 2014. His tenure as the Vice Chancellor ended on December 1, 2019.

Rose Oro Aziza is a Nigerian linguist. She is Professor of Linguistics, Head of Department of Languages and Linguistics and Director of the Urhobo Studies Programme at Delta State University (DELSU).

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References

  1. "Abraka Town in Delta Nigeria Guide". www.nigeriagalleria.com. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  2. Dafe, Daniel (2021-03-22). "DELSU Reacts, As 200L Student Drowns In Abraka Beach". Oasis Magazine. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  3. "The history of Urhobo people". www.edoworld.net. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  4. "Uduaghan To Royal Fathers: Ignite Spirit Of Peaceful Co-existence In Youths «  The Pointer News Online". The Pointer News Online. Retrieved 2017-05-14.
  5. "Delta State University, was established in the year 1992, - Google Search". www.google.com. Retrieved 2022-02-17.
  6. "Delta State University, Abraka". www.delsu.edu.ng. Retrieved 2020-05-30.
  7. "Abraka Turf Club: at peace with nature". Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics. 2013-01-26. Retrieved 2020-05-30.