Oritseseundede- Ogheneruemu Ojigbo

Which state has the slogan "Salt of the Nation" I bet you'll need Google for help 😆 Ebonyi State is not called Salt of the Nation for fancy ooo. Once you know the history that name carries you'll understand. If you've ever eaten locally produced Nigerian rice or salt there’s a very high chance it was produced in Ebonyi state. The state has earned its reputation as one of the top rice producing states in the country. Rice cultivation here dates back to 1942, when colonial agricultural officers identified the swampy soils of Abakaliki, Afikpo and Ohaozara as ideal for the crop. Local farmers were initially skeptical, with some Izzi and Ezza communities fearing it would anger ancestral deities protecting their yam harvests. Within a few decades, Ebonyi farmers had fully embraced it, because rice matured faster and was easier to grow than yam or cassava. State officials have repeatedly described Ebonyi as Nigeria's leading rice producer, citing figures as high as 4 million metric tonnes in a single year, while independent agricultural data places the state consistently among the top 4 rice-producing states nationally. Fact: Ebonyi state has the Biggest Commercial Rice Processing Farm in Nigeria. Beyond rice, Ebonyi produces yam, cassava, oil palm, maize, groundnut, potatoes, cocoyam, melon, sugarcane, beans, plantain and cocoa, and is home to Nkali Poultry, one of Nigeria's largest poultry operations. And then there's the part most people forget entirely: Ebonyi's "Salt of the Nation" nickname isn't just a slogan. The Okposi and Uburu Salt Lakes have been producing salt by traditional methods for over 400 years, making them among the oldest natural salt-producing sites in West Africa. During the Nigerian Civil War, when coastal supply routes were blocked, these inland salt lakes reportedly became a genuine lifeline, supplying salt to communities that could no longer access it from the coast. Ebonyi holds its own on tourism too. Unwana Beach, along the Cross River basin in Afikpo North, is a golden sand beach popular for swimming, canoe-racing and weekend relaxation. This beach is called the "Moving Island" bcs its sand disappears underwater during the rainy season and reappears in the dry season, while creating the physical sensation that the ground is moving beneath your feet. Amanchor Cave, about 4 kilometres long, sits in Afikpo South, while Amasiri and Oferekpe Waterfalls round out the state's natural attractions. And the food.. Ebonyi's table runs on what its farms and lakes produce. Pounded yam and fufu come paired with Ofe Okazi, Ofe Oha, Ofe Onugbu or Ofe Egusi, while Abacha (African salad) and Ofe Akwu are everyday staples. You genuinely cannot talk about Nigerian rice, or the salt that quietly kept a wartime nation fed. Shout out to the hard working Igbo people from Ebonyi May the universe bless your land and double your harvest. Lanre NaijaFarmer.