14/11/2022
The History And People Of Bende Lga Of Abia State
Today am writing about Bende LGA of Abia State Nigeria, but before i go on i need to tell you alittle about the state in which Bende is located.
Abia State was carved out of the former Imo State in 1991.The name "Abia" is an abbreviation of four of the state's densely populated regions Aba, Bende, Isuikwuato, and Afikpo of which Afikpo later waz carved out to form the present day Ebonyi State.
The present day Bende LGA was formally caled Old Bende which administrative and geo-political area stretched At that time,from Arochukwu to Umuahia and included such towns as Ututu, Ihechiowa, Ohafia, Abiriba, Nkporo, Abam, Umuhu, Bende, Igbere, Item,Alayi,Ozu-item, Isiukwu-ato, Uzuakoli, Nkpa, Umuahia, and Ikwuano with a population of 3 million people.
Citizens from the Old Bende LGA area are simply referred to as "Bende People".The term Bende is in honor of a town called "Bende" which was the seat of Local Government under the Old Bende LGA era of governance. Even today, the Bende town is still the administrative seat of Bende in the present day Abia state local government areas structure.
BACK TO BENDE LOCAL GOVT AREA.
BENDE today has many towns namely; Nkpa, Nkpokpa, Amaohoro, Eluama, Agbaiyi, Umuede, Umuewu, Ugwu, Obilaji, Okpobia , Alayi, Item ,Okporoenyi, Ugwueke , Eziukwu, Igbere and Odua with the toatal population of about 128.227 based on 2006 population census. Bende is predominantly farmers and local traders.
Bende is blessed with so many natural resources like Salt, Gold, Phosphate, Laterite Gravel and Lime Stone.It is also one of the three agricultural backbone of Abia state.The people cultivate yam, cassava, coco yam and harvest Large Palm oil plantation for commercial and personal consumption which waz formerly the heavy earner for the people in the LGA before the Oil boom and has now been neglected.
Bende people are known for their bravery and self-reliance.They showed a lot of these great traits in the wars of survival during the Nigeria Bifran War. so also in those days and still being practiced total in some selected towns Victories over enemies were copiously celebrated with our trademark and famous Bende War Dance which is very unique and very popular, The War Dance is a constant staple in our cultural diet. Through their bravery, Bende people were able to survive during the era when Might was Power.
Bende today despite producing top men like ace actor, Mr. James Iroha, aka Giringory Akabuogu of new Masquerade cast, Chinedu Ikedieze A.K.A Aki,Okechukwu Edward Ukeje also known as Mr. Raw, DR Orji Uzor Kalu former govnor of Abia state 1999/2006 plus other top Educationalist, intellectual clans and heavy weights of Abia politic,is still suffering from mismanagement.
Please when next you visit Abia state try pay a visit to bende, kindly forget the bad roads that paint the town red and blue and tap into the hospitality of our good people, so also the abundant but neglected resources most especially the Oil Palm plantation within "money dey dier ooh " .
You are all welcome.
Bende kwenu , Igbo kwenu oo
Thanks.
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