By Akwumada Henry Ogli Otowo.
Let me refresh your memory on how Otukpo in Benue State came to be known as “Texas”. This has become necessary in the light of many enquiries of late about the origin of the name.
It was in the year 1986 when a few friends, notably Dr. Ralph Oche; Flight Lieutenant Okechukwu; Wing Commander Sule James Audu; Chief Altine Idikwu; (all deceased), Sqadron Leader Chinedu; one British Project Engineer at Benue Burnt Bricks Ltd Otukpo (I cannot recall his name now); Charlie Bee Ameh; and Myself Akwumada Ogli Otowo, sat at Kakadu joint, owned by Madam Kakadu, on Bookshop road, Otukpo, on a Saturday afternoon to socialize. Kakadu was a very popular joint, and was patronized by young men and women and visitors, especially at weekends.
After some rounds of drinks, the Bristish Engineer, who was my guest (I invited him out as a colleague at Benue BBL where I worked as the Administrative Manager/Company Secretary) started making derogatory and racial remarks about black people. He was clearly drunk. It didn’t go down well with me, and in the process a fracas ensued between himself and myself. Surprised at the turn of events, I was asked what gave rise to the imbroglio, and in offering an explanation, I said “we are in Texas, a constituent state in USA, which was reminiscent of cowboy culture and revolution”. Thereafter, whenever most of these officers were coming to my house at Ugbabe Estate in Otukpo GRA, where parties were held most weekends, they would tell friends that they were going to Texas. This was how the name spread like wild fire and got stuck like a sore thumb till today.
