Onitsha 614105 220768287 2008-06-21T14:04:56Z DOI bot 6652755 Citation maintenance. You can [[WP:DOI|use this bot]] yourself! Please [[User:DOI_bot/bugs|report any bugs]]. {{Infobox Settlement <!--See the Table at Infobox Settlement for all fields and descriptions of usage--> <!-- Basic info ----------------> |official_name ={{PAGENAME}} |other_name = |native_name = <!-- for cities whose native name is not in English --> |nickname = |settlement_type = <!--For Town or Village (Leave blank for the default City)--> |motto = <!-- images and maps -----------> |image_skyline = |imagesize = 300px |image_caption = |image_flag = |flag_size = |image_seal = |seal_size = |image_shield = |shield_size = |image_blank_emblem = |blank_emblem_type = |blank_emblem_size = |image_map = |mapsize = |map_caption = |image_map1 = |mapsize1 = |map_caption1 = |image_dot_map = |dot_mapsize = |dot_map_caption = |dot_x = |dot_y = |pushpin_map = Nigeria<!-- the name of a location map as per http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Template:Location_map --> |pushpin_label_position =bottom |pushpin_map_caption =Location in Nigeria <!-- Location ------------------> |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = [[Image:Flag of Nigeria.svg|25px]] [[Nigeria]] |subdivision_type1 = [[States of Nigeria|State]] |subdivision_name1 = [[Anambra State]] |subdivision_type2 = |subdivision_name2 = |subdivision_type3 = |subdivision_name3 = |subdivision_type4 = |subdivision_name4 = <!-- Politics -----------------> |government_footnotes = |government_type = |leader_title = |leader_name = |leader_title1 = <!-- for places with, say, both a mayor and a city manager --> |leader_name1 = |leader_title2 = |leader_name2 = |leader_title3 = |leader_name3 = |leader_title4 = |leader_name4 = |established_title = <!-- Settled --> |established_date = |established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) --> |established_date2 = |established_title3 = <!-- Incorporated (city) --> |established_date3 = <!-- Area ---------------------> |area_magnitude = |unit_pref =Imperial <!--Enter: Imperial, if Imperial (metric) is desired--> |area_footnotes = |area_total_km2 = <!-- ALL fields dealing with a measurements are subject to automatic unit conversion--> |area_land_km2 = <!--See table @ Template:Infobox Settlement for details on automatic unit conversion--> |area_water_km2 = |area_total_sq_mi = |area_land_sq_mi = |area_water_sq_mi = |area_water_percent = |area_urban_km2 = |area_urban_sq_mi = |area_metro_km2 = |area_metro_sq_mi = |area_blank1_title = |area_blank1_km2 = |area_blank1_sq_mi = <!-- Population -----------------------> |population_as_of =1991 |population_footnotes = |population_note = |population_total = 328,000 |population_density_km2 = |population_density_sq_mi = |population_metro = |population_density_metro_km2 = |population_density_metro_sq_mi = |population_urban = |population_density_urban_km2 = |population_density_urban_sq_mi = |population_blank1_title =Ethnicities |population_blank1 = |population_blank2_title =Religions |population_blank2 = |population_density_blank1_km2 = |population_density_blank1_sq_mi = <!-- General information ---------------> |timezone = |utc_offset = |timezone_DST = |utc_offset_DST = |latd=6 |latm=10 |lats= |latNS=N |longd=6 |longm=47 |longs= |longEW=E |elevation_footnotes = <!--for references: use <ref> </ref> tags--> |elevation_m = |elevation_ft = <!-- Area/postal codes & others --------> |postal_code_type = <!-- enter ZIP code, Postcode, Post code, Postal code... --> |postal_code = |area_code = |blank_name = |blank_info = |blank1_name = |blank1_info = |website = |footnotes = }} '''Onitsha''' is a [[city]], commercial centre and [[river port]] on the eastern bank of the [[Niger river]] in [[Anambra State]], southeast [[Nigeria]]. As of 1991 Onitsha had an estimated population of 328,300. <ref name=britannica>{{cite web | title = "Encyclopædia Britannica" | url = http://www.britannica.com/ebc/article-9057141 | accessdate = 2007-04-06}}</ref> == History == Immigrants from the [[Kingdom of Benin]] are believed to have founded Onitsha in the [[16th century]], which was originally called Ado N'Idu.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Azikiwe |first=Nnamdi |authorlink=Nnamdi Azikiwe |year=1930 |month=October |title= Fragments of Onitsha History |journal= The Journal of Negro History |volume=15 |issue=4 |pages= 474|id= |url= http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0022-2992(193010)15%3A4%3C474%3AFOOH%3E2.0.CO%3B2-1 |doi=10.2307/2714208 |accessdate= 2007-12-24 |quote= }}</ref> It soon became capital of an [[Igbo (people)|Igbo Kingdom]]. In [[1857]] [[Great Britain|British]] traders in [[palm oil]] established a permanent station in the city, and [[Christian]] [[missionaries]] soon followed. In [[1884]] Onitsha became part of a British [[protectorate]]. The British colonial government and Christian [[missionaries]] penetrated most of Igboland to set up their administration, schools and churches through the river port at Onitsha. Historically, the former Eastern Nigeria did not experience a prolonged period of indigenous urbanisation like Ibadan in the southwest or Kano and Zaria in the north. Onitsha became an important trading port for the Royal Niger company in the mid 1850's. Following the abolition of slavery, trade in palm kernels and other cash crops boomed around this river port. Immigrants from the hinterland were drawn to the emerging boom town as did the British traders who settled there and coordinated the palm oil and cash crops trade. In 1965, a bridge was built across the Niger River to replace the ferry crossing,<ref name=britannica/> and plans are in place to add a second bridge as well. <ref name="daily sun">{{Citation | title = "The second Niger Bridge" | newspaper = "The Daily Sun" | date = 2007-02-20 | url = http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/opinion/editorial/2007/feb/20/editorial-20-02-2007-001.htm | accessdate = 2007-04-06}}</ref> Trade soared between the east and west of Nigeria. This made Onitsha the strategic gateway for trade between the former eastern and western regions. The Biafran war years brought widespread devastation to Onitsha. The subsequent oil boom years brought a huge influx of immigrants into the city. The war-damaged facilities, still under repair, could not cope with the pace of the rural-urban exodus into the city. [[Slum|Slums]] consequently began to emerge from the hasty haphazard building construction to accommodate the huge influx. It lies at a major east-west crossing point of the [[Niger River]], and occupies the northernmost point of the river regularly navigable by large vessels. These factors have historically made Onitsha a major centre for trade between the coastal regions and the north, as well as between eastern and western Nigeria. Onitsha possesses one of the very few road bridge crossings of the mile-wide Niger river. == Economy == Modern day industrial products include [[textiles]], [[beer]], [[mineral water]], [[shoe]]s, [[lumber]], [[tyres]], nails and printed publications. Traditional occupations include [[fishing]] and [[canoe]]-building. Local [[agriculture]] produces [[palm oil]], [[maize]], [[nut (fruit)|nut]]s, [[vegetables]], and [[fruit]]. == Religion and politics == The city has both [[Catholic Church in Nigeria|Catholic]] and [[Church of Nigeria|Anglican]] [[cathedral]]s. It is the residence of the traditional ruler of Onitsha, the [[Obi of Onitsha]]. There is also a teacher training [[college]] for women and a famous [[leper]] colony. Despite being one of the biggest commercial cities of west Africa, Onitsha remains congested from the over-concentration of all her huge markets within the old city center and minimal expansion of the colonial roads infrastructure. In February 2006, armed militants killed at least 24 ethnic Hausa Fulani (Muslims) and burned a few Muslim sites including two mosques.<ref name=aljazeera1>{{Citation | title = "Scores killed in Nigeria riots" | publisher = "Al Jazeera" | date = 2006-02-23 | accessdate = 2007-04-06}}</ref> <ref name=aljazeera2>{{Citation | title = "Toll rises in Nigeria sectarian riots" | publisher = "Al Jazeera" | date = 2006-02-24 | accessdate = 2007-04-06}}</ref> <ref name=washingtonpost>{{Citation | title = "Nigerian Christians Burn Corpses" | newspaper = "The Washington Post" | date = 2006-02-24 | last = Timberg | first = Craig | url = http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/02/23/AR2006022300647.html | accessdate = 2007-04-06 | pages = A10}}</ref> The riots were in response to riots by Muslims in the city of [[Maiduguri]] days earlier, where at least 18 Christians were killed, sparked by the [[Jyllands-Posten Muhammad cartoons controversy|cartoon controversy]] in Denmark. ==See also== *[[Onitsha Market Literature]] - literature sold at the main market in the 1950s and 60s. *''Onitsha'' is also the title of a novel by [[Jean-Marie Gustave Le Clézio]]. *[[Ryszard Kapuscinski]] writes of "The Hole of Onitsha" in his book ''The Shadow of the Sun'' ==References== {{Reflist}} {{Niger River}} {{coor title dm|6|10|N|6|47|E|region:NG_type:city(328300)}} [[Category:Cities, towns and villages in Anambra State]] [[Category:Onitsha| ]] [[de:Onitsha]] [[et:Onitsha]] [[fr:Onitsha]] [[nl:Onitsha]] [[pl:Onitsha]] [[pt:Onitsha]] [[ro:Onitsha]] [[sv:Onitsha]]