Eleme | |
---|---|
LGA | |
Country | Nigeria |
State | Rivers State |
Date created | 1996 |
Seat | Ogale |
Area | |
• Total | 53 sq mi (138 km2) |
Population (2006) | |
• Total | 190,884 |
Time zone | WAT (UTC+1) |
Eleme is a local government area in Rivers State, Nigeria, located east of the Port Harcourt LGA, it is part the Greater Port Harcourt metropolitan area. It covers an area of 138 km2 and at the 2006 Census had a population of 190,884. Its headquarters was changed from Nchia to Ogale by the legislative council during the Chairmanship of Honourable Olaka Nwogu now of the National Assembly. The administrative offices have always being located in Ogale, believed to be the first town of Eleme.
The Eleme people are Eleme's main indigenous ethnic group, with ten main towns ruled by a king as His Majesty 'The Oneh Eh Eleme (Chief of Eleme)' with his current king as His Majesty chief Oluka Ejire (though having a court case with His Royal Highness chief Emere Nkpornwi who argue that a regent can not and has never become a king. Until this issue is settle by court of competent jurisdiction, none of them can fully be recognise as the king of Eleme). who serve as a regent after the death of his long ruled king 'Late chief Ngei O. Ngei who rule for 30 years as king. Prior to the reign of Late chief Ngei O.Ngei as King of Eleme,was His Royal Majesty Chief Walter Gbute Ngegwe who ruled the people of Eleme until the Nigerian Civil War.
The Eleme language, of the Ogonoid group of the Cross-River branch of the large Niger-Congo language family, is the main spoken language.
Eleme has two of Nigeria's four, as of 2005, petroleum refineries and one of Nigeria's busiest sea ports and the largest sea port in West Africa located at Onne, a famous town with numerous industries.
Christianity is the widely practiced religion of the people with fewer who fall in the ancestral believe of their deity's, the Eleme people are talented people with diversity of cultural practice and festivals that is enrich with colorful masquerade display and dance.
The Eleme are an enthusiastic God fearing and aspiring group of people. Despite the influx of multinational chemical industries and their workforce into Eleme, a strong sense of society is retained by the Eleme people.