Okrika
About
Okrika is a town and Local Government Area in Rivers State, Nigeria, with Okrika town serving as its administrative headquarters. It is one of the 10 Ijaw LGAs in Rivers State and lies within the Rivers East Senatorial District. The population was estimated at over 379,000 in 2022, spread across 143 communities. The economy is based mainly on fishing, with farming and trade also important, and the area is rich in crude oil and natural gas, which supports oil mining and refining. Christianity is the dominant religion, with some residents practising African Traditional Religion. The area also faces serious environmental pollution linked to oil-related activities.
History
Initially established as a fishing settlement by Ijaw migrants from various central Ijaw clans and from the Wilberforce Island region, Okrika became the capital of the Okrika Kingdom in the early 17th century. During this period, the community, like others in the region, was involved in the slave trade. After the abolition of the slave trade in the 1830s, Okrika became a port for exporting palm oil, though it was less prominent than Bonny and Opobo. By 1912, Okrika had lost its significance as a trading hub, overshadowed by Port Harcourt. It regained commercial relevance in 1965 with the completion of the Port Harcourt refinery and the construction of pipelines to a jetty on Okrika Mainland.
Source: Wikipedia: Okrika
Key Facts
State
Rivers State
Headquarters
Okrika town
Chairman
Achese Igwe
Population
379000 (2022 estimate)