Imperial Science College, Modakeke

HOW THE 36 NIGERIAN STATES GOT THEIR NAMES:

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1. Abia

Abia is an acronym from the four main groups of people in the state as at the time it was formed in 1991: Aba Bende Isuikwuato Afikpo.

2. Adamawa

Adamawa was named after a warrior, Modibbo Adama Bin Ardo Hassan, that conquered the region in the beginning of the 19th century.

3. Akwa-Ibom

Akwa Ibom is named after the Qua Iboe (or Kwa Iboe) River.

4. Anambra

The state got its name from the corrupted version of Oma Mbala (Ànyịm Ọma Mbala), a popular river in the area.

5. Bauchi
'Bauchi’ is Hausa word meaning the southern flanks of Hausaland. Tribes living in the southern parts of the Hausaland were referred to as "kasashen bauchi" and the area they lived in later came to be known simply as Bauchi.

6. Bayelsa

Bayelsa is a combination of the acronyms of three local government areas which were pulled out of old Rivers state — Brass LGA known as BALGA, Yenegoa LGA known as YELGA and Sagbama LGA known as SALGA. in the formation of their names is BA + YEL + SA

7. Benue

The state was named after the "europeanised" corruption of 'Binuwe', the Batta word for ‘Mother of Waters’.

8. Borno

The alternative name of the Kanuris, the predominant ethnic group in the state, is 'Borno' which gave inspiration for the naming of the state.

9. Cross River

The state took its name from a River called Oyono or Cross River.

10. Delta

The state is where the River Niger forms a delta as it enters the Atlantic Ocean.

11. Ebonyi

Ebonyi is the anglicised version of 'Aboine', a river that cuts through Abakaliki, the state capital.

12. Edo

The Bini people who dwell in the area had always referred to themselves as Edo or Iduu. This inspired the name of the state.

13. Ekiti

‘Okiti’ is a term that is said to denote a settlement of many hills. It later became 'Ekiti'.

14. Enugu

Due to the many hills and rocky terrain in the area, the people named it in igbo, "Enu Ugwu" meaning "top