Benue (jiha)
Jihar Benue (ko Binuwai) jiha ce dake yankin Arewa ta Tsakiya a Najeriya,tana da yawan mutane kimanin mutum 4,253,641 bisa kidayar 2006. An ƙirƙiri jihar ne a shekarar  1976 tare da sauran jihohi 7 da aka ƙirƙira a wancan lokacin. Jihar ta samo sunanta ne daga Kogin Benue wanda ita ce kogi na biyu a girma a Najeriya. Sunan Benue ta samo asaline daga kalmar Bantoid "Beer Noræ. Ma'ana, ruwa na dabbar Hipopotamus. Jihar ta haɗa iyaka da Jihar Nasarawa daga arewa; Jihar Taraba daga gabas, Jihar Kogi daga yamma, Jihar Enugu (jiha) daga kudu maso yamma; Jihar Ebonyi da Jihar Cross River daga kudu, da kuma iyaka ta ƙasa da ƙasa da ƙasar Kamaru daga kudu maso gabas. Mutanen Tiv, mutanen Idoma, mutanen Igede da mutanen Etolu ke zaune a jihar. Babban birnin jihar ita ce Makurdi. Benue jiha ce mai albarkar noma, yawancin abubuwan da ake shukawa a jihar sun haɗa da: lemu, mangoro, dankali, rogo, waken suya, dawa, doya, ridi, shinkafa, kyaɗa da kuma kwakwan manja. 

Jihar Benue ta yau ta samo asali ne daga wani sashi da aka ciro daga Yankin Arewacin Najeriya a farkon karni na 20. A da ana kiran yankin da suna Gundumar Munshi, kafin shekarar  1918, lokacin aka fara kiranta da sunan dawwamammen al'amari na yankin wato Kogin Benue.

Jihar Benue ta samo asalin sunan ta ne daga Kogin Benue, kuma an ƙirƙire ta ne daga cikin Jihar Benue-Plateau a shekarar 1976. A cikin shekara ta 1991 ne aka yanke wasu yankuna daga Jihar Benue (yawancin yankunan yaren Ighala) da kuma sassan Jihar Kwara wajen kirkirar sabuwar Jihar Kogi. Ana kuma samun Inyamurai a yankunan dake iyakar jihar kamar kananan hukumomin  Obi, Oju da dai sauransu. Ana kiranta da "Zuciyar Yankin Tsakiyar Najeriya" ko kuma "Wurin shakatawar Yankin Tsakiyar Najeriya" dake arewacin Kogin Neja. Birinin Otukpo, babban birnin al'adu da gudanarwa na mutanen Idoma ana kiranta da "zuciyar zaki kuma kasar gwarzaye".

Samuel Ortom ne gwamnan jihar, tare da Benson Abounu a matsayin mataimakinshi. Dukkaninsu an zaɓe su ne a ƙarƙashin jam'iyyar APC, amma daga baya sun sauya sheka zuwa jam'iyyar PDP.

Tarihin Jihar Benue

Tsarin mutane da yaduwarsu 
Jihar Benue wacce ke yankin Arewa ta Tsakiya na da yawan mutane kimanin 4,253,641 dangane da ƙidayar shekara ta 2006, tare da yaduwar mutane na mutum 99 a duk  km2. Hakan yasa jihar ta zamo ta tara a yawan jama'a a Najeriya. Duk da haka, akwai bambanci tsakanin yawan mutane dangane da kananan hukumomin jihar.

Akwai yankunan dake da ƙarancin yaɗuwar mutane kamar Guma, Gwer East, Ohimini, Katsina-Ala, Apa, Logo da kuma Agatu, duka suna ƙasa da mutum 70 a duk bayan km2. Ƙaramar hukumar Makurdi na da fiye da mutum 380 a duk bayan km2. Maza na da kaso 49.8% na yawan jama'ar jihar, yayin da su kuma mata ke da kaso 50.2%.

Tsarin zamantakewa da habakar birane 
Jihar Benue ta rasa al'ummar ta musamman tun lokacin cinikayyar bayi. Maf akasari jihar kauye ce tare da kwararan gidaje yawanci masu kananan harabu wanda yawansu ke kai mutum  630 kuma mafi akasarinsu manoma ne.

Cigaban birane a jihar bata da alaka da lokacin turawan mulkin mallaka. Tsirarun yankunan da suka cigaba lokacin mulkin mallaka sun kasance kanana (kasa da mutum  30,000) har zuwa lokacin da aka kirkiri Jihar Benue a 1976.

Ana iya kasa Jihar Benue zuwa gida uku dangane da yawan mutane. Kashi na farko suna da yawan mutane kimanin 80,000 zuwa 500,000, kamar Makurdi babban birnin jiha, da kuma  Gboko da Otukpo, cibiyoyin manyan kabilu guda biyu masu yawan mutane kimanin mutum 125,944 da 88,958. Kashi na biyu sun hada da birane masu yawan mutane tsakanin  20,000 zuwa 50,000, kamar su  Katsina-Ala, Zaki-Biam, Ukum, da kuma Adikpo, Kwande (wadannan sun kasance cibiyoyin kananan hukumomi ne). Kashi na uku kuma sun hada da yankuna masu yawan mutane tsakanin mutum 10,000 zuwa 19,000, kamar su  Vandeikya, Lessel, Ihugh, Naka, Adoka, Aliade, Okpoga, Igumale, Oju, Utonkon, Ugbokolo, Wannune, Ugbokpo, Otukpa, Ugba da Korinya ((wadannan sun kasance cibiyoyin kananan hukumomi da gundumomi na dan baya-bayan nan). Wasu daga cikin sabbin kananan hukumomi sun hada da mutane kasa da 10,000, kamar su Tse-Agberaba, Gbajimba, Buruku, Idekpa, Obagaji da kuma Obarikeito. Yawancin yankunan kauyuka suna dogara ne akan noma, da kuma sauran muhimman hidimominsu sun ta'allaka ne da biranen jihar. Jihar Benue bata da matsalar tsayayyar babban birni, hasali ma, yankuna uku suke aiwatar da muhimman harkokin sarrafe sarrafe da kasuwanci, sune: Makurdi, Gboko da Otukpo. Sun kasance tsaffin birane kuma suna cigaba fiye da sauran kananan yankunan.  

An kirkiri Jihar Benue a ranar 3 ga watan Febrerun 1976, kuma an kirkire ta ne a lokacin mulkin soja na  General Murtala Mohammed, wanda ya kara yawan jihohi daga 13 zuwa 19. An sauya iyakokinta bayan kirkirar sabuwar jihar Kogi. Jihar Benue a yau na da kananan hukumomi 23 wanda gundumomin kananan hukumomi ke gudanar da su.

Yanayin kasa da muhalli 
Jihar Benue na zaune a kasar Kogin Benue da ke tsakiyar kasar Najeriya. Lambobinta na wuri sune longitude 7° 47' da kuma 10° 0' Gabas, Latitude 6° 25' and 8° 8' Arewa. Kuma ta hada iyakoki da jihohi biyar Jihar Nasarawa daga arewa; Jihar Taraba daga gabas, Jihar Kogi daga yamma, Jihar Enugu (jiha) daga kudu maso yamma; Jihar Ebonyi da Jihar Cross River daga kudu, da kuma iyaka ta kasa da kasa da kasar Kamaru daga kudu maso gabas. Benue ta mamaye filin kasa 34,059sqkm.

Tsarin kasa 
Dangane da kasafin yanayi na  Köppen, Jihar Benue ta fada cikin kasafin  AW, kuma tana fuskantar lokuta guda biyu, lokacin rani da lokacin damina. Lokacin damina na kasancewa tsakanin watannin Aprelu da Oktoba, tare da ruwa mai yawan 100-200mm a duk shekara. Lokacin rani kuwa na farawa ne daga watan Nuwamba ya kare a watan Mayu. Yanayin zafi/sanyi na faduwa tsakanin 21 – 37 degrees Celsius duk shekara. Yankin gabashin jihar kusa da tsaunin Obudu-Cameroun na fuskantar sanyi fiye da kowanne sashi na jihar (irin sanyin Plateau Jos).

Ma'adinai 

Jihar na da arzikin ma'adinai iri-ri, wanda ke wanzuwa a kananan hukumomi daban daban na jihar. Ana samun farar kasa a yankin  Tse-Kucha kasa da Gboko, Kaolinite a Otukpo. Sauran ma'adinai sun hada da;  Baryte, Gypsum, Feldspar, Wolframite, Kaolinite, mineral salt da kuma Gemstone.

Arzikin kasa 
Ana kiran Jihar Benue da "kwandon abincin jiha" saboda arzkin noma da take dashi yayinda ake noma doya, shinkafa, wake, rogo, dankali, masara, waken suya, gero, dawa, riɗi, cocoyam da dai sauransu. Jihar ta kwashe kaso 70% na yawan waken suya da ake nomawa a Najeriya.

Noma shine muhimmin tattalin arzikin jihar, inda kusan kashi 75% na manoman jihar sun dogara da shi. Har wayau, jihar na takama da daya daga cikin manyan rafuka dake Najeriya, wana ke da amfani ta fuskar sana'ar kifi, busashen kifi, noman rani, da kuma hanyoyin sufuri na ruwa.

Daji ya mamaye sashin kudancin jihar, wanda ke samar da bishiyoyi don yin timba, kuma ta samar da muhalli ga wasu dabbobi da dangunan su. Jihar ta haka, na da damar habaka daji da gandun daji.

Tudu da kwari 

Kasar jihar kwari ce (matsakaicin mitotci 100m-250m) da tuddai kanana kamar  inselbergs, Knoll, Laterite da dai sauransu. Sannan yankunan kananan hukumomi  Kwande da Oju na kan matsakaicin tudu. Kogin Benue na daga cikin muhimmin wuri a jihar. Akwai kuma Kogin Katsina Ala wanda shine babban sashin Kogin Benue, sannan akwai kananan rafuka kamar Mkomon, Amile, Duru, Loko Konshisha, Kpa, Okpokwu, Mu, Be, Aya, Apa Ogede da kuma Ombi. Magunansu na da kududdufai da kuma koramu wanda ake amfani dasu wajen noman rani.

Mafi akasarin ruwayen jihar Benue na gudana ne dangane da lokaci (rani ko damuna). A dalilin haka ana samun karancin ruwa a lokacin rani a kananan hukumomi kamar  Guma, Okpokwu, Ogbadibo, Gwer West (Naka, Najeriya) da kuma Oju.

Mutane da al'adu 
Jihar na da mutane da al'adu iri iri, kamar su: Tiv, Mutanen Idoma, Igede, Etulo, Abakpa, Jukun Hausawa, Inyamurai, Akweya da kuma Nyifon. Kabilar Tiv sun mamaye kananan hukumomi 14, inda yarukan Etulo, Jukun, Idoma, Igede, Igbo, Akweya da Nyifon suka mamaye kananan hukumomi 9.

Mafi akasarin mutanen Tiv manoma ne, wadanda ke kusa da ruwa kuma suna harkokin kamun kifi a matsayin sana'arsu na farko ko muhimmin sana'a na biyu. An san mutanen jihar da wasa da kuma tarar baki da kuma al'adu na arziki.

Shugabanni na gargajiya 
Gwamnatin Jihar Benue na girmama shugabanni na gargajiya dangane da muhimman rawar da suke takawa a matsayin jagorori kuma silar cigaban jihar. Har ila yau, ana girmama matsayinsu na tabbatar da zaman lafiya da aminci daga tushen zamantakewa. Domin inganta gudummuwarsu acikin harkokin jihar, gwamnatin jihar ta tsara majalisu uku na shuwagabannin gargajiya da suka hada da:  Local Government Area Traditional Councils, Area Traditional Councils da kuma the State Council of Chiefs tare da Sarkin Tivi a matsayin chiyaman.

Al'adu 
Jihar Benue ta gaji al'adu da dama wadanda suka kunshi kaya masu launuka iri iri, dodannin maskured, raye-raye da wake-wake. Raye-rayen gargajiya na Jihar Benue sun samu yabo a tarukan kasa da na duniya baki daya. Raye-rayen da sukayi fice sun hada da  Ingyough, Ange, Anchanakupa, Swange da Ogirinya da dai sauransu.

Wadannan al'adu na addinai da zamantakewa da raye-raye da kaloli na da amfani ga masu yawan bude idanu. Bikin iyaye da kakanni na Alekwu na mutanen Idoma misali, suna dauka cewa iyayensu da kakanninsu na zuwa don saduwa da masu rai ta hanyar dodunan maskured.

Akwai kuma bikin Doya na Igede-Agba Yam Festival wanda mutanen Igede na karamar hukumar Oju da Obi ke yi a duk zagoyar watan Satumba. Sannan akwai ranar mutanen Tivi (Tiv Day), biki ne na daure-dauren aure da gasar rawa (misali, rawar Swange) na da kayatarwa sosai. Har ila yau, akwai kuma wasan mutanen Tiv mai kayatarwa wato Kwagh-Hir.

Rayuwar Jihar Benue ta kunshi abubuwa da wuraren nishadi iri-iri. Bayan wuraren hutawa, gabar teku, raye-raye da maskurade da aka lissafo a sama, manya-mayan otel dake Makurdi, , Gboko da Otukpo na da kayan motsa jini acikinsu. Akwai kuma wuraren wasan gof kamar su: Makurdi Club, Railway Club, Police Club da Air Force Club, inda ake saida kayan sha da kuma wasanni iri-iri.

Akwai wurin wasan kwaikwayo ingantacce, waurin wasanni na zamani, kamar su Aper Aku Stadium, wanda ke da filayen wasan tennis, kwallon kwando, kwallon volley ball da kwallon hannu, sannan akwai wurin wasanni daka da kududdufi na wanka na zamani a Makurdi. Akwai kananan filayen wasan kwallon kafa a Gboko (J. S. Tarka Stadium), Katsina-Ala, Adikpo, Vandeikya da kuma Otukpo. Gasar BCC Lawn Tennis na jawo 'yan kallo daga sassa daban daban na jihar. Jihar Benue na da manya manyan kungiyoyin wasannin kwallon kafa kamar su  Lobi Stars F.C. a Sashin wasanni na 1, BCC Lions FC a sashin wasanni na biyu, da kungiyar wasan kwallon kwando na Mark mentors.

Babban Birnin Jihar 

Makurdi, wato babban birnin jihar ta samo asali daga shekarar 1927 kuma an habaka ta a karni na ashirin. A matsayinta na jiha mai gabar teku, ta janyo ra'ayin kamfanoni da dama kaman su  United Africa Company of Nigeria da kuma John Holt plc. Birnin ta kara habaka ne musamman lokacin da aka kammala gadar jirgin ruwa a shekarar 1932. A shekarar 1976, garin ta zamo babban birnin Jihar Benue ta yau. 

Kogin Benue ta raba birnin zuwa gida biyu, gabar arewa da na kudu, wanda gada biyu ta hade su; Tsohon Gadar, Makurdi wacce aka gina a 1932, da kuma gadar dual carriage bridge da aka bude a 1978. 

Kudancin birnin sun hada da unguwanni kamar su:  Central Ward, Old GRA, Ankpa Ward, Wadata Ward, High Level, Wurukum (Low Level), New GRA etc. Gine-gine masu muhimmanci a yankin nan sun hada da: Gidan gwamnati, Sakateriya ta Jiha, Sakateriya ta kasa, helikwatan yanki na Babban Bankin Najeria, Bankunan 'yan kasuwa, Kamfanonin Layikan waya da Sadarwa, Helikwatan 'Yan sanda, Gidan Yarin Najeriya, filin wasan kwallon kafa na Aper Aku Stadium, Sansanin Sojojin Sama na Najeriya Makurdi, Kasuwar Zamani na Makurdi, Medical Centre na Gwamnatin Tarayya, Tashar Jirgin Kasa na Najeriya, Kamfanin Wallafa Littattafai na Benue, Tashar Telebijin na Najeriya, Nigerian Postal service, Benue Hotels Makurdi, Benue Plaza hotel, Jam'iar Benue da sauran wurin sarrafa giya da makamantan su. 

Arewacin gabar tekun kuwa na dauke da Jami'ar Tarayya na Noma, Makarantan Sojojin Najeriya na Injiniyanci, Helikwatan sojojin saman na 72 Airborne Battalion, Akawe Torkula Polytechnic (ATP), da kuma Helikwata ta Jiha Sashin Custom da Horarwa. 

Za'a iya zuwa Makurdi a jirgi, ta titin jirgin kasa, titin mota, ruwa amma tashar jirgin sama na jihar bai aiki a yanzu. Hanyar zuwa arewacin Najeriya sune titunan Makurdi – Lafia – Jos. Hanyar shiga kudu kuwa itace ta titunan Makurdi – Otukpo – Enugu da kuma Makurdi – Yandev – Adikpo – Calabar. 

Za'a iya gyara gabar Kogin Benue don samar da wurin shakatawa. Shi kanshi rafin ana iya amfani dashi wajen hawa kwale-kwale, wanka da dai sauransu. Har wayau, akwai wurin ajiye dabbobi mai suna Makurdi Moratorium wanda ke dauke da dabbobi iri-iri harda wadanda ire-irensu basu da yawa.

Gwamnati 

Gwamnatin Jihar Benue ke gudanar da harkokin siyasar jihar tare da  Samuel Ortom a matsayin gwamna.

Kananan Hukumomi
Jihar Benué nada  Kananan Hukumomi guda ashirin da uku(23). Sune:

Harsuna
Harsunan Jihar Benue dangane da kananan hukumomin da ake amfani dasu:

Tattalin arziki

Albarkatun noma 

Noma shine muhimmin al'amari na JIhar Benue, wanda fiye da kaso 70% na mutanen garin manoma ne. Hakan yasa Jihar Benue ta zamo tushen samar da abincin Najeriya. Mafi akasarin manoman yankin basu da ilimin noma na zamani saboda haka ana bukatan bunkusa sashin noma a yankin. Ana kara amfani da hanyoyin noma na kasashen waje, taki, ingantaccen iri da makamantansu. Muhimman albarkatu na siyarwa sun hada da; waken suya, shinkafa, gyaɗa, mangoro, Manja, Barkono, Tumatir, da dai sauransu.

Sauran albarkatu sun hada da; Doya, Dankali, Rogo, Wake, Masara, Dawa, Gero, kayan ganye da makamantan su. Akwai karancin  hanyoyin noman rani.

Fannin kiwo kuwa akwai dabbobi kaman Saniya, Aladu, kaji, da akuyoyi da makamantansu.

Kasuwar doya na "Zaki Ibiam International Yam Market" shine kasuwa mafi girma da ake saida abinci iri daya tal.

Kasuwanci da ma'aikatu 
Ana gudanar da harkokin banki saboda akwai reshe na kowanne banki na Najeriya tare da reshe na Babban Bankin Najeriya (CBN) a Makurdi. Akwai kuma Kamfanin Siminti na Dangote dake wanda ke jihar kuma yana samarwa tsirarun mutane aikin yi.

Kiyasin ayyuka na jihar kamar hake:  kaso 75% manoma, kaso 10% 'yan kasuwa, kaso 6% ma'aikatan gwamnatu, kaso 9% masu sana'ar kansu.

Jihar Benue na iya daukan ma'aikatu a sassan noma da albarkatu duk da cewa ba'a fara hakosu ba har yanzu.

Kayan more rayuwa da zurga-zurga 
Kasancewar Jihar Benue a tsakiyar Najeriya tare da wanzuwar gadoji guda biyu akan manyan ruwa Kogin Benue) da Kogin Katsina Ala yasa jihar ta zamo mahadar hanyoyi a yankin. Manyan tituna sun hada Yankin Gashin Najeriya da na Arewa da Arewa maso Gabas. Gwamnatin yanzu ta mayar da hankali wajen gina tituna a babban birnin jihar da sauran sassan jihar. Akwai tituna masu kyau a jihar.

Gwamnatin jihar na kan gyaran filin jirgin sama na Makurdi don zama daya daga cikin manyan tashoshin sufuri kayan abinci a kasar.

Rafukan Kogin Benue da kuma Katsina-Ala na bukatar a gyara hanyar ruwan kuma a tashohin jirgin ruwa na zamani da aka gina Makurdi, Turan, Buruku da kuma Katsina-Ala suna taimakawa wajen daukan kaya zuwa sauran sassan kasar.

Tashar jirgin kasa na Gabas na hada garuruwan Makurdi, Otukpo, Taraku, Utonkon da Igumale da sauran sassan kasar. Tsawon titin na jihar ya kai 180km.

Wutar Lantarki 
Jihar Benue kamar dai kowacce jiha ta Najeriya na fuskantar matsalolin rashin isashen wutan lantarki, wurare kadan ne kawai kamar markurdi, Otukpo and Gboko ke samun kaso 60% na wutan jihar. Kamfanoni na da wasu hanyoyin samun wutansu.

Sadarwa 

Jihar Benue na da kayan samar da sadarwa na waya. Sannan Akwai gidajen rediyo 5 da gidajen TV biyu a jihar.

Yawon bude idanu da shakatawa 

Jihar Benue na da wuraren ziyara da dama wajen bude idanu wanda har yanzu ba'a fara amfani dasu ba. Jihar na bunkasa wuraren bude idanu don masu ziyara ta hanyar samar da kayan more rayuwa a yankin. 

Shirye-shiryen habaka tituna, sabis na waya da kuma imel, wutar lantarki, ingantaccen ruwan sha, wuraren more rayuwa da amsar baki na mutanen gari zai bude dama ga masu son ziyarar garin. An gina wajen shakatawa da kuma Zoo a birnin Makurdi. Akwai wurin namun daji a lkwe tare da zauren taro da dakuna da aciki. wuraren bude idanu na jihar na iya kasuwa zuwa wuraren kimiyya, wuraren tarihi da kuma bukukuwan gargajiya. 

Wuraren ziyara na zahiri sun hada da tuddai da hawa kamar su Ikyogen, Abande, Ngokur, Mkar, Ushongo da kuma Harga. Akwai kuma kasurgumin daji mai manyan itace da ke yankin Tse-Mker wanda ke dauke da mugayen namun daji kamar macizan python. Gurgul wani masaukar ruwa ne (waterfall) dake Katsina Ala. A lokutan rani, yawan ruwa a Kogin Benue da rafin Katsina Ala kan rage, inda yage bada gabar ruwa da yashi mai taushi. Ana amfani da ruwa wurin shakatawa da wasan karamin jirgin ruwa. Akwai korama mai dumi a Orokam dake karamar hukumar Ogbadibo. A garuruwan Epwa-Ibilla, Andi-Ibilla, Uchenyum-Ibilla, Okochi-Uwokwu, Irachi-Uwokwu, Ette-Uda-Uwokwu, Odepa-Uwokwu, Igbegi-Ipinu-Uwokwu, Edde-Ibilla-Uwokwu, da kuma Ohuma-Uwokwu of Oju, akwai koramu na ruwa masu kyau.

Wuraren tarihi a jihar sun hada da kamfanin hada-hada na zamanin turawa wato Royal Niger Company Trading Stores dake Makurdi, da kuma Gbileve dake Katsina Ala.

Akwai kuma kasurgumin daji a yankin Utonkon da manyan itace, wanda ada take matsayin kasuwar cinikayyar bayi, amma yanzu akwai wuraren bauta na gargajiya da kuma kasuwanni na lokaci-lokaci. Akwai wurin bauta na gaigajiya wato Swem wanda ke yankin Kamaru a karamar hukumar Kwande inda ake tsammani daga nan ne mutanen Tivi suka samo asalinsu.

Ilimi 
Manyan makarantun jihar sun hada da: 

 Akawe Torkula Polytechnic, ATP, Makurdi.
 Benue State Polytechnic, Ugbokolo
 Benue State University, Makurdi
 University of Agriculture, Makurdi
 University of Mkar
 College of Education,Katsina-Ala

Shahararrun mutane 

 George Akume
 David Mark
 Daniel Amokachi
 Lawrence Onoja
 Gabriel Suswam
 Samuel Ortom
 Paul Orhii
 Iorchia Ayu
 Aper Aku
 Orshio Adasu

Mahadar waje 

 Official Benue State website

Manazarta

Jihohin Nijeriya