Onitsha

Onitsha
/oh nich"euh/, n.
a city in SW Nigeria, on the Niger River. 220,000.

* * *

      port and market town in Anambra state, southern Nigeria. The town lies on the east bank of the Niger River just south of its confluence with the Anambra River. Founded by adventurers from Benin (nearby, to the west) in the early 17th century, it grew to become the political and trading centre of the small Igbo (Ibo) kingdom of Onitsha. Its monarchical system (rare among the Igbo people) was patterned after that of Benin. An Onitsha obi (“king”) negotiated in 1857 with William Balfour Baikie (Baikie, William Balfour), a British trader, for the establishment of a British trading post in the town.

      Onitsha remains the chief entrepôt for goods coming upstream from the Niger River delta and those transported downstream from towns on the Niger and Benue rivers. Roads lead to the town from Enugu and Owerri, and the completion in 1965 of the 4,606-foot (1,404-metre) bridge across the Niger River to Asaba provides Onitsha with a direct road link to Benin City and Lagos. Palm oil and kernels are the most important local exports, but yams, cassava (manioc), corn (maize), citrus fruits, palm produce, rice, taro, fish, and beef also are traded in the Onitsha market. The market building, one of the largest in Nigeria, was destroyed in 1968 in the Nigerian Civil War (1967–70), but it was rebuilt.

      The town is the site of the Roman Catholic Holy Trinity Cathedral (1935) and the Anglican All Saints Cathedral (1952). Its oldest secondary schools, including the Dennis Memorial Grammar School (1925; Anglican), St. Charles Teacher Training College (1929; Roman Catholic), and Christ the King College (1933; Roman Catholic), are noted for their academic excellence. Onitsha is also known for the annual Ofala Festival, which honours the obi.

      Onitsha's industries include tire retreading, sawmilling, printing, and soft-drink bottling. A textile plant is located on an industrial estate south of the town near the bridge. Pop. (2006) local government area, 261,604.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Onitsha — en un mapa de Nigeria. Onitsha es una ciudad y un puerto en la orilla oriental del río Níger en el estado de Anambra, en el sureste de Nigeria. En el año 2005 tenía una población estimada de 561.066 habitantes …   Wikipedia Español

  • Onitsha — ville du Nigeria (état d Anambra), sur le Niger; 269 000 hab. Centre commercial …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Onitsha — For the novel, see Onitsha (novel). Onitsha Ọnịcha Mmili   City   Top: Onitsha landscape. Middle: River Niger Bridge head …   Wikipedia

  • Onitsha — 6.13333333333336.7833333333333 Koordinaten: 6° 8′ N, 6° 47′ O …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Onitsha — 6° 10′ 00″ N 6° 47′ 00″ E / 6.16667, 6.78333 Onitsha est une ville portuaire sur la rive gauche …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Onitsha — Onịtsha   [ tʃa], Stadt in Südostnigeria, im Bundesstaat Anambra, am linken Ufer des Niger, 371 900 Einwohner; Sitz eines anglikanischen und eines katholischen Erzbischofs. Onitsha ist Großhandelszentrum mit einem der größten Märkte Westafrikas; …   Universal-Lexikon

  • Onitsha — Original name in latin Onitsha Name in other language Onicha, Onitsha, QNI State code NG Continent/City Africa/Lagos longitude 6.14543 latitude 6.78845 altitude 59 Population 561066 Date 2012 01 18 …   Cities with a population over 1000 database

  • Onitsha (novel) — Onitsha   Author(s) J. M. G. Le Clézio …   Wikipedia

  • Onitsha (Roman) — Onitsha ist ein 1991 auf Französisch erschienener und 1993 ins Deutsche übersetzter Roman von Jean Marie Gustave Le Clézio.[1] Der Titel bezieht sich auf die nigerianische Stadt Onitsha, in der der Hauptteil der Handlung während eines Jahres… …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Onitsha-Ado — is the small, original village that was later incorporated and formed the city of Onitsha, on the east bank of the river Niger in eastern Nigeria, in the area currently called the Anambra state of Nigeria. The Onitsha Ado were originally Igbo… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
… Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”