Eastern Region, Nigeria

The Eastern Region was one of Nigeria's federal divisions, dating back originally from the division of the colony Southern Nigeria in 1954. Its first capital was Calabar. The capital was later moved to Enugu and the second capital was Umuahia. The region was officially divided in 1967 into three new states,in the East-Central State, Rivers State and South-Eastern State. East-Central State had its capital at Enugu, which is now part of Enugu State.

The Region had the third, fourth and the fifth largest ethnic groups in the country (Igbo, Ibibio, and Ijaw) next to Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba. The then Eastern Region failed to capitalize on this but rather engaged in in-fighting and the wrong labeling of Ibibio and Ijaw as minority ethnic groups.

The region was what later became Biafra, which was in rebellion from 1967 to 1970.

President of the House of Chiefs

Name Period⟨⟩
Chief Nyong Essien, CMG ? - ?

Speakers of the House of Assembly

Name Period
Ernest Egbuna 1954 - ?
Eze Daniel Okereke, CMG ? - ?

Notable people

For complete list, see List of Igbo people.

See also


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