464:, UAC, was once reputed to be the largest timber manufacturing complex in the world. In its prime, notably during the 1960s and '70s, it was the town's greatest employer with an estimated 9,000 employees, many of them working in tropical forestry regions supplying the Sapele factory via rafts on the abundant river systems. The forestry business was carefully managed by the United Africa Company to avoid deforestation and preserve timber resources. As well as the export of African hardwoods, AT&P Ltd in Sapele was also famous for the manufacture of many related items: plywood, chipboard (and associated glue products), housing components, prefabricated houses for the army and others, furniture etc. It trained skilled engineers and managers, some of whom were sent to the United Kingdom and Germany for training purposes. It contributed much to the growing infrastructure of the town, such as sports centres/the Sapele Athletic Club, schools, roads, housing, shops, and health provision. The company also had its own health clinic or small hospital from which its workers benefitted.
1063:
Protectorate, 1891; concluded treaty with King of Benin at Benin City, 1892; in command of Hausa force, under Sir
Frederick Bedford, at attack on and capture of Nimbe, and during further operation against Brass Chiefs, 1895; Acting Consul-General, Niger Coast Protectorate 1896–98, and was during that period attached to Sir H. Rawson's intelligence staff, and also in command of a Hausa company for operations in Benin country, including capture of Benin City, 1897; Acting High Commissioner Southern Nigeria, 1900; Chief political Officer Aro Expedition, 1901-1902 Governor of St. Helena, 1902–11; of the Gambia, 1911–14; of South Australia, 1914–20; Hon. Col, 27th Australian Infantry, 1921–46; died 17.6.1949, Who Was Who, 1941–1950.
429:, the Commissioner and Consul-General visited Sapele on 14 November 1891, and approved the site as being eminently suitable. In his Despatch No. 30 the Foreign Office, dated 12 December 1891, the Major said "I consider the Sapoli would be a very good situation for the establishment of a constabulary station; the ground is high, and though covered with forest, could be easily cleared. The people of Sapoli informed me that if I would come and build there, they would clear as much ground as I wished." That was the historic decision that made Sapele the modern township it came to be in later years.
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460:, commonly called Sapele after the town. This Nigerian hardwood has long been in high demand internationally, for multiple uses ranging from guitars to sea defences. Sapele was one of Africa's largest timber producers, alongside a smaller UAC establishment in Ghana. It was frequented by many international shipping companies, such as Elder Dempster. The African Timber and Plywood (AT&P), a Sapele factory from a division of the
62:
288:. The center of the Nigerian timber industry, Sapele houses sawmills and a large plywood and veneer factory where rubber is processed. The city also houses industry for the manufacture of plastics, chemicals, and shoes. After the British established a vice consulate in the city in 1892, Sapele grew in importance as a port; in 1894 it came under
378:. The District Office was at the mouth of Benin River, 8 kilometres (5 mi) from the sea coast. The jurisdiction of the Vice-Consul covered the whole of the Benin country and included the south-western part of the Itsekiri country and the north-western part of the Urhobo country particularly along the Ethiope River.
1062:
Gallwey, Lieut.-Col. Sir Henry Lionel; K.C.M.G., created 1910 (C.M.G. 1899); D.S.O. 1896; born 25 September 1859; (Assumed the surname
Gallway in place of Gallwey 1911); A.D.C. and Private Secretary to Commander-in-Chief and Governor, Bermuda, 1882–89; Deputy Commissioner and Vice Consul, Oil Rivers
420:
October 28: Up anchor at 6 a.m. Half a mile after leaving Sapele I left the main stream and went almost due east up a side creek (or river?). Sapele is the first Sobo market, and from there each bank is dotted at intervals with the oil markets, the few houses on the river-side being a sort of depot
452:
Today, the town has one of
Nigeria's major ports and its river is also non-salty. Its industries include the processing of timber, rubber, and palm oil, as well as furniture, tamarind balm and footwear manufacturing. Sapele also is a hub for oil and gas exploration, with flow stations situated in
373:
River and
Forcados River. Shortly after its establishment, the Forcados River District was removed to Warri trading station which is now the Warri Township. It is with the Benin River District that we are concerned here. The first Deputy Commissioner and Vice-Consul in charge of the Benin River
448:
Details about the settlement of the
Government at Sapele for the next two years are yet unknown and await further research. It is known however that by July 1894, a Medical Department had been established. It is also known that by 1895, the Sapele Vice-Consulate had already been sufficiently
444:
While the machinery of
Government began in the hulk, the excellent site opposite the anchorage was being cleared for the construction of barracks to accommodate sixty men and a detachment of Protectorate troops under a British Officer. That was in 1892. To live and work in a hulk might be an
445:
innovation at Sapele, but the idea was certainly not a new one to
Europeans, especially European traders in the Oil Rivers. By its strategic location, Sapele, like Degema was considered to be an important military and administrative station for the projection of power and authority.
353:
at Sapele. The population grew to 33,638 by 1952, because of the cosmopolitan nature of the town and its employment opportunities. People from many
Nigerian ethnic groups have settled there, alongside the many Okpe people, these also include the Itsekiris and
333:
of southern
Nigeria. The town also houses a number of other groups, many of whom migrated due to the growing industry. Today, the town has grown into an urban area unofficially incorporating the townships and villages of Amukpe, Oviri, Okuovwori and Jesse
385:
On 27 October 1891 accompanied by Mr. S. Munro of the
African Association, Gallwey proceeded on the voyage for the survey in a launch hired from Messrs. Bey and Zimmer, a German trading firm at Benin River. The following part of his report is pertinent:
398:
The anchorage here is deep and roomy, and the ground high, though one mass of forest. A most suitable spot to establish factories especially as all the produce from the Sobo markets passes here on the way to the towns near the mouth of the river.
381:
About two months after the establishment of the Protectorate Government, Gallwey was given an important duty to carry out. One of the first assignments to Gallwey was the survey in October 1891, of the Urhobo Oil markets along the Ethiope River.
432:
The Government did not however wait for the work on the site of the proposed Sapele constabulary station to be completed before establishing there. The matter was urgent, and a temporary facility had to be put in place. A ship named the
453:
Shell Road and Oton. It has various oil wells in neighboring towns and villages like Ugborhen, Ugbukurusu, Amukpe, Okirigwe and Oton under Sapele's local Government. Its population was 135,800 in 1995, growing to 242,652 by 2005/6.
449:
established as to warrant the closing down of the Vice-Consulate at Benin River. Thereafter, the Benin River Office was used as a Customs post until 27 October 1905, when the post was removed to Koko Town.
441:, and towed to the Sapele anchorage. The hulk was said to have provided excellent accommodation for four Europeans, a Customs Office, a Consular Court, a Treasury, a Prison and Barracks for civil police.
579:
365:. The administration, consisting of six consular river districts, was under Major (later Sir) Claude M. Macdonald. He was the Commissioner and Consul-General and his headquarters was at
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power generation plants, one of six majors in the country and the nation's second largest with an installed capacity of 1000 MW as well as an NIPP power plant.
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October 27: Left Consulate at 10 a.m. reached Sapele 6 p.m. anchored for the night-roughly 55 miles from Consulate and 60 miles from the mouth of the river.
405:"A great deal of clearing would be necessary to prepare the site, but this would afford work to the natives, and consequently be beneficial to some one.
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By means of a launch all the markets could be reached in a very short time; a launch drawing 6 feet of water could go about 3 miles past Eku.
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The climate is oppressive year-round in Sapele, with the wet season being warm and cloudy and the dry season being hot and partially cloudy.
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In August 1891, the British Government established a Consular Administration over the Oil Rivers Protectorate, later, the
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By the mid-19th century, Sapele was established as a trading centre, occasionally visited by Europeans. In 1891, the
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where the middlemen live and buy oil as it is brought from inland by the Sobo men. Reached Acpara at 4:30 p.m.
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word 'Uriapele', named after a local deity, the shrine of which can still be found in the centre of the city.
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The river water at Sapele is fresh, and one is well clear of the mangrove and fever swamps of the coast.
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I consider Sapele to be a very good place to establish a Vice-Consulate, constabulary barracks, etc.
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708:"David Defiagbon, the last Canadian boxer to win an Olympic medal, dies at 48 - Sportsnet.ca"
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These steamers could tranship cargo to and from the larger steamers in the Forcados River.
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988:"Africa Olympic stories: Blessing Okagbare leaps to glory - despite failing to qualify"
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bought at Bristol was sailed to Benin River. There it was dismantled, fitted up as a
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811:"Sapele has produced more athletes for Nigeria than other cities, says Ojokolo"
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believe the origin of the name is to be an anglicized derivation of the
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The British colonial officials changed the name of the then hamlet to
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in western Delta State. The main town is located 68 km south of
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785:"INTERVIEW - Fasuba: How I Was Robbed Of World Indoor Medal In 2006"
358:, as well as the Urhobo people from surrounding towns and villages.
630:"Dafinone: The accomplished accountant, politician, administrator"
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Leadership News - Nigeria News, Breaking News, Politics and more
759:"Why I Left Track & Field for British Royal Navy, By Fasuba"
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Steamers drawing 14 to 15 feet of water could run up to Sapele.
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682:"Nigerian billionaires' children following in dads' footsteps"
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FabWoman | News, Style, Living Content For The Nigerian Woman
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605:"Simulated historical climate & weather data for Sapele"
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is a primary town and one of the Local Government Areas of
733:"Nigeria-born boxers that represented other countries"
336:(Akpobome, Mosogar, Ajititor, Mosagon & Michaga).
862:"Kefee to be buried July 11 | Premium Times Nigeria"
1074:Adogbeji Salubi, "The Origins of Sapele Township",
467:The Ogorode district of the city houses two of the
1043:Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
1013:"Blessing Okagbare Biography | Profile | FabWoman"
914:The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
888:Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
815:The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
737:Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics
660:The Guardian Nigeria News - Nigeria and World News
1039:"Remembering Ola Rotimi: Complete man of theatre"
963:"National Trials: Okagbare Faces Nwokocha Hurdle"
313:Sapele city seats on the indigenous lands of the
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656:"Family, Urhobo leaders remember David Dafinone"
223:Name derived from ‘Uriapele’ an indigenous deity
499:Nigerian U20- Women's National team Head Coach
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369:. Two of the river districts were located at
292:and served as a local administrative center.
1076:Journal of the Historical Society of Nigeria
936:"Top 8 Nigeria's Fastest Women In History!"
456:The surrounding forest especially features
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391:General Account of the Visit in Diary Form
268:(1991 est. pop. 123,000) is a port in the
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884:"Remembering Kefee, the Branama queen"
1332:Local Government Areas in Delta State
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272:region of Southern Nigeria along the
837:"Kefee Buried In Sapele Delta State"
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506:, Olympic boxing silver medalist
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1078:, December 1960, pp. 115-135.
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28:Place in Delta State, Nigeria
518:, gospel singer and composer
214:African Traditional Religion
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491:, accountant and politician
458:Entandrophragma cylindricum
16:LGA in Delta State, Nigeria
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363:Niger Coast Protectorate
194: • Ethnicities
317:, a major group of the
245:est pop. 220,000 (2023)
1175:Local government areas
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207: • Religions
184:30 ft (10 m)
555:"Sapele | Infoplease"
462:United Africa Company
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374:District was Captain
146:Local Government Area
280:and is connected to
19:For other uses, see
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841:Channels Television
662:. 30 September 2019
98: /
74:Location in Nigeria
1019:. 11 February 2021
559:www.infoplease.com
286:A2 federal highway
175:Sheriff Oborevwori
41:Nickname(s):
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916:. 17 October 2019
817:. 17 October 2019
528:Blessing Okagbare
522:Endurance Ojokolo
284:and Benin by the
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160: • Type
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1111:5.900; 5.667
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612:. Retrieved
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290:British rule
266:
265:Sapele city
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211:Christianity
107:5.900; 5.667
25:
1297:Warri South
1292:Warri North
1237:Ndokwa West
1232:Ndokwa East
1227:Isoko South
1222:Isoko North
1158:Delta State
1109: /
763:THISDAYLIVE
315:Okpe people
297:Okpe people
270:Niger Delta
256:Delta State
139:Delta State
105: /
541:References
534:Ola Rotimi
512:, sprinter
278:Benin City
189:Population
155:Government
1217:Ika South
992:BBC Sport
609:meteoblue
530:, athlete
524:, athlete
435:Hindustan
351:consulate
229:Time zone
181:Elevation
163:Executive
1326:Category
170:Governor
1282:Ukwuani
1049:27 June
1023:27 June
997:27 June
972:27 June
946:27 June
920:27 June
894:26 June
868:26 June
846:26 June
821:26 June
795:26 June
769:26 June
743:26 June
717:26 June
692:26 June
666:26 June
640:26 June
475:Climate
367:Calabar
347:British
341:History
260:Nigeria
127:Nigeria
118:Country
1262:Sapele
1257:Patani
1197:Burutu
1192:Bomadi
1097:5°40′E
1094:5°54′N
564:4 June
425:Major
324:Urhobo
308:Sapele
252:Sapele
220:
201:Urhobo
150:Sapele
93:5°40′E
90:5°54′N
68:Sapele
35:Sapele
1287:Uvwie
1168:Asaba
516:Kefee
371:Benin
356:ijaws
282:Warri
234:UTC+1
21:Delta
1242:Okpe
1051:2021
1025:2021
999:2021
974:2021
948:2021
922:2021
896:2021
870:2021
848:2021
823:2021
797:2021
771:2021
745:2021
719:2021
694:2021
668:2021
642:2021
616:2023
591:2023
566:2022
439:hulk
301:Okpe
295:The
198:Okpe
1267:Udu
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