Auchi is a city in Edo State, Nigeria. Auchi, a part of Etsako West Local Government Area of Edo State, serves as the Local Government headquarters. Other towns in the Etsako West local government area include: Uzairue, South Ibie, Agbede and The Anwain Clan. During the British colonial rule, Auchi was the headquarters of the Kukuruku Division, it serves as the administrative headquarters of five districts which was also referred to as quarters and they are Utsogu, Akpekpe, Aibotse, Igbhei and lyekhei. It is the home of Auchi Polytechnic.

History

There are varied historical accounts relating to the origins of the Auchi people. The most popular of these legends asserts that a mass migration from Udo in present-day Benin City led by a man called Uchi accompanied by his family, and followers headed north and finally settled for the relative calm of the Guinea Savannah belt known today as Etsako land. This migration is believed to have taken place in the mid-15th century, during the reign of Oba Ewuare of the Benin Kingdom. This period in the Benin empire was characterised by constant wars and incessant strife.

Language

The language spoken by the Auchi people is 'Yekhè' or Etsako amongst the Afenmai language. It is an Edoid language dialect or variant.

Geography

Auchi town is divided into five grand quarters which could also be referred to as districts; these are in turn made up of 25 villages. The five grand quarters are:

Culture and traditions

Auchi Kingdom is headed by a monarchy and the traditional ruler is referred to as the Otaru of Auchi. The 8 January is designated as Auchi Day. This commemorative day was previously called Uchi Day.

Religion

Auchi has been a major Islamic town. Oba Momodu was the first person to embraced Islam in the area, and also the dynamic king of the kingdom and passed on 1944, Auchi followed quickly in the wake of his action. The people live peacefully. The welcoming and hospitable nature of the Auchi people has to a very large extent contributed to the cultural and religious diversity of the town.

Population

The population grew to 42,638 by 1952, including people from many Nigerian tribes. As of 1995, its population was 140,612. As of 2005–2006, currently, the population is about 150,000 persons. In 2019, Auchi was regarded amongst the fastest growing urban area in Edo State, Nigeria.

List of Otarus (traditional kings)

Notable people

Institutions and infrastructure

Auchi is home to:

Climate

The climate at Auchi, which has an elevation of 0 meters (None feet) above sea level, is tropical wet and dry or savanna (Aw classification). The district's average annual temperature is -0.74% lower than Nigeria's averages at 28.72 °C (83.7 °F). 183.14 millimeters (7.21 inches) of precipitation and 265.4 rainy days (72.71% of the time) are typical yearly totals for Auchi.

Erosion

Some parts of Auchi have been seriously devastated due to soil erosion. The Federal Government of Nigeria through the Nigeria Erosion and Watershed Management Project (NEWMAP), assisted by the World Bank, are now tackling the menace and are making fast progress.

Gallery