Lokoja
| Lokoja | |
|---|---|
| LGA and city | |
 Lokoja
|
|
| Coordinates: 7°49′N 6°45′E / 7.817°N 6.750°E | |
| Country |
 Nigeria
|
| State | Kogi State |
| Time zone | WAT (UTC+1) |
| Climate | Aw |
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 Nupe, Hausa, Yoruba, Igala and Ebira are indigenous to the area, other ethnic groups of Nigeria, including the Igbo, Bini/Edo and Tiv, have recently established themselves.
Different ethnic groups lay claim to having named the city.
The area that would become Lokoja has been inhabited for thousands of years by people from different ethnic groups prior to the arrival of Europeans. The migrations of these groups to the area could be in part accounted for by its nearness to the banks of the Niger and Benue rivers. Some of the first groups of people to settle in Lokoja were the Hausa and Nupe. It is said that they migrated from Baro and some parts of present-day Niger state to the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers. This area eventually became a center of trade.
The Nupe and Zazzau emirs agree with the Hausas to be the leader, while the Nupe to be the religion leader as chief imam of Lokoja. Lokoja was ruledby the following Maigari of Lokoja (Hamza, Dauda, Musa, Muhammadu Maikarfi, Abigel) that the British installed who claim to be converted to Islam and called Bukar and reside at Yaragi Madabo Junction of Lokoja as the then new Lokoja palace. Later follow the turn of leadership to Alhaji Yahaya Muhammadu Maikarfi, and after his demise Alhaji Kabiru son of Yahaya Muhammadu Maikarfi take on. They were able to sustain themselves by engaging in farming and hunting activities at Agbaja hill. Even the Patti word is a Nupe word meaning hill, Mount Patti hill and other surrounding hills are hunting area of the Lokoja people, at Mount Patti there is aged three that most of the former hunters write their name in Ajami and the Latin script, that will make you observe that there is no settlement at Mount Patti. This was the status quo until the Europeans arrived. When Dr William Balfour Baikie arrived at Lokoja first in 1854 and later in 1857, through his efforts and encouragements, the people descended from Lokoja. He did this through Muhammadu Maikarfi, then the Maigari of Lokoja, in which after he demise the white men use their power and give it to their servant by the Abigel Which was converted to Islam and name him as Bukar, mean Abubakar in Kanuri tun.
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Wikipedia