{{Short description|Human settlement in Edo State, Nigeria}} {{Use Nigerian English|date=January 2023}} {{more citations needed|date=June 2011}}
'''Okpekpe''' (sometimes spelled as '''Okphekphe''') is a town in Etsako East Local Government Area of Edo State, Nigeria. It is located about {{convert|25|km}} northeast of Auchi. It has a population of 3155 inhabitants.<ref>{{cite web | title = Edo State Population, World Gazetteer, 2010. | publisher = WikiMapia.org | url = http://wikimapia.org/16403640/Okpekpe | access-date = 2011-06-17 }}</ref> Its people belong to a homogeneous group of people, called the '''Afemai'''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Afemai {{!}} people {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/topic/Afemai |access-date=2024-06-24 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name="auto">{{Cite web |title=Okpekpe township – Okpekpe |url=https://okpekperoadrace.com/race-info/about-okpekpe/okpekpe-township/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |language=en-US}}</ref>
Okpekpe is located at a latitude of 7.2 (7° 12' 0 N) and a longitude of 6.47 (6° 28' 0 E), about 354 kilometers south west (209°) of the approximate center of Nigeria and {{convert|240|km}} south-west (209°) of the capital Abuja.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://geographical.org/geographic_names |title=Archived copy |access-date=2023-03-04 |archive-date=2023-03-04 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230304180728/https://geographical.org/geographic_names |url-status=dead }}</ref>
Okpekpe is in '''North Ibie''', belongs to a large homogeneous group of people, the '''Ibie''' found in Afemai land, which is at the northern part of Edo State.<ref>https://www.afenmaiconnect.com.ng/okpekpe-a-town-surrounded-by-hills-and-rocks/ {{Dead link | date=May 2025 | fix-attempted=yes}}</ref> The '''Ibie''' are bordered by River Niger to the east, Etsako West to the west, Auchi to the south, and Kwara State & Kogi State to the north. Okpekpe is surrounded by other towns and villages like Imiegba, Itsukwi, Imiakebu, Ebelle, Ukhomedokhai, Okeko, Ikphelli, Ukho, Amughe etc. The population of the Ibie people has been estimated to be about 100,000 people, according to the 2006 population census.<ref name="auto"/>
The village head and "clan head" is called Onwueweko of Okpekpe. The clan headship rotates between Apa and Ede title holders. The current Onwueweko is Peter Abalume Osigbemeh.<ref>{{Cite web |title=PETER ABALUME OSIGBEMEH – Royal News |url=https://royalnews.com.ng/tag/peter-abalume-osigbemeh/ |access-date=2024-06-23 |language=en-US}}</ref> Whilst the current Ede is Engr. Donaldson Aloaye Eshilama.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Okpekpe Community Marks Maiden National Day. | url = http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/08042010/news/insideedo/indexnews1.html | access-date = 2011-06-17 | archive-date = 2011-07-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110726115805/http://www.nigerianobservernews.com/08042010/news/insideedo/indexnews1.html | url-status = dead |newspaper=The Nigerian Observer}}{{needs update|date=March 2023}}</ref>
They have several festivals, notably Beans and New Yam Festival locally called Eshile and Ukphakpha respectively.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-05-19 |title=Eshile Festival - Afemai Land |url=https://afemai.org.ng/eshile-festival/ |access-date=2024-06-24 |language=en-US}}</ref> It marks the beginning of the harvest season. Another notable festival in Okpekpe is the National Day celebration.<ref>{{Cite news | title = Attend Okpekpe National Day. | url = http://thenationonlineng.net/web2/articles/36331/1/Attend-Okpekpe-national-day/Page1.html |location=Lagos, Nigeria| access-date = 2011-06-17 |newspaper=The Nation}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | title = Nigeria: FCT's Okpekpe Indigenes Urged to Unite | publisher = AllAfrican.com | url = http://allafrica.com/stories/200312280073.html | access-date = 2011-06-17 }}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
== External links == * [https://archive.today/20130128083552/http://www.mbendi.com/a_sndmsg/place_view.asp?pid=165965%23description/ Okpekpe] * [http://okpekperoadrace.com/ Okpekpe Road Race] * Etsako East
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Category:Populated places in Edo State