It may not be out of quote if we say that about 50% of Nigerians does not know how the 36 states in the country got their names. While some citizens believed that there must be reasons behind the names, but they are yet to get right answers to their doubt.
That’s why we bring this publication to educate our fellow Nigerians to understand the true meaning and how states in Nigeria got it names.
As normal, we start from the A to Z which is how the Nigerian states are named.
1). Abia State
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 State
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 State
Akwa Ibom is named after the Qua Iboe (or Kwa Iboe) River.
4). Anambra State
The state got its name from the corrupted version of Oma Mbala (Ànyịm Ọma Mbala), a popular river in the area.
5). Bauchi State
‘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 State
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 State
The state was named after the “europeanised” corruption of ‘Binuwe’, the Batta word for ‘Mother of Waters’.
8). Borno State
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 State
The state took its name from a River called Oyono or Cross River.
10). Delta State
The state is where the River Niger forms a delta as it enters the Atlantic Ocean.
11). Ebonyi State
Ebonyi is the anglicised version of ‘Aboine’, a river that cuts through Abakaliki, the state capital.
12). Edo State
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 State
‘Okiti’ is a term that is said to denote a settlement of many hills. It later became ‘Ekiti’.
14). Enugu State
Due to the many hills and rocky terrain in the area, the people named it in igbo, “Enu Ugwu” meaning “top of the hill”. The state is named after the anglicised version, Enugu.
15). Gombe State
Gombe is the dialect of Fulani language (Fulfulde) spoken in the area.
16). Imo State
Just like many of the Nigerian states, Imo took its name from the popular river, Imo Mmiri.
17). Jigawa State
Jigawa takes inspiration from its distinctively golden-coloured soil.
18). Kaduna State
‘Kadunas’ is the plural form of crocodile in Hausa. The state therefore got its name from the many crocodiles in Kaduna River
19). Kano State
Kano was the name of a blacksmith from the Gaya tribe who settled in the area while sourcing for ironstone. The state was named after him.
20). Katsina State
The state was named after the wife of a popular local ruler known as Janzama. Her name was Katsina
21). Kebbi State
It is said that Kebbi was named after the Ka’abba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.
22). Kogi State
Since the popular confluence in Nigeria is located in the state, Kogi is said to have been derived from ‘kogin’, the hausa word for river.
23). Kwara State
River Niger used to be called River Kwara by the Nupes at the Northern border of the state. The state was named after this.
24). Lagos State
In 1472, the first set of Europeans to set foot in Lagos were the Portuguese. Due to the many lagoons and rivers in the town, they named it Lagos, which is the Portuguese word for ‘lakes’.
25). Nasarawa State
Nasarawa is a native word for ‘victorious’. The state was named by the founder of Nasarawa kingdom, Makama Dogo
26). Niger State
This was named after the River Niger
27). Ogun State
This state was also named after a river — Ogun River.
28). Ondo State
Ondo is a word used for settlers. The state was named after the settlers of the old Ondo Kingdom.
29). Osun State
This state was also named after a river — the River Osun.
30). Oyo State
The state was named after the Old Oyo empire.
31). Plateau State
The state was named after the picturesque Jos plateau. Jos got its name from the mispronunciation of the town ‘Gwosh’
32). Rivers State
Rivers State was named after the many water bodies present in the area.
33). Sokoto State
Sokoto is the anglicized version of the Arabic word ‘suk’ meaning ‘market’ or ‘place of commerce’. The state itself was named after the defunct Sokoto Caliphate.
34). Taraba State
Taraba state got its name from the Taraba River.
35). Yobe State
Komadugu Yobe (Waube or Ouobe) or River Yobe (or River of Yo) inspired the name of the state.
36). Zamfara State
This state was named after Zamfarawa, one of the subdialects of the Eastern Hausa group.
FCT: Abuja
“Abuja” was in the earlier 20th century the name of the nearby town now called Suleja.
“The indigenous inhabitants of Abuja are the Gbagyi (Gwari), with the Gbagyi language formerly the major of the region language
“It Was Majorly Suleja & A Collection of Other Gbagyi Villages, When It Was Decided To Be Capital & Didnt Know What To Name It, Then Emir of Suleja Suggested It Shud Be Named After The 1st Emir of These Gbagyi Villages Who Was Abu.. *Ja* Is “Lightskin” In Hausa, So Abuja.
List compilation credit: Twitter/NigerianStories
