What is Nigeria
Nigeria is a geographical
expression, the name Nigeria is derived from ‘Niger’ which is the name of the
river that constitutes the most remarkable geographical feature of the country
infact the name was first suggested by show to mean people living around
Nigeria area.
According
to Awolowo (1947), ‘Nigeria is not
a Nation. It is a mere geographical expression. There are no Nigerians in the
same sense as they is merely a distinctive appellation to distinguish those who
live within the boundaries of Nigeria
form those who do not” famous.
In 1953,
during the famous debate on the motion for independence by Chief Anthony Enahoro,
Awolowo emphasized his fact when he said
“sixty
years there was no country called Nigeria. What is now Nigeria
consisted of a number of large and small communities all of which were
different in their outlook and benefits. The advent of the British and of
Western education has not materially altered the situation and these many and
varied communities have not knit themselves into a composite unit”---
they are
therefore various national or ethical groups in the country. Ten such main
group were recorded in the 1931 census as follow.
1. Hausa (2) Yoruba (30 igbo (4) Fulani
(5) Kanusi (6) ibibio (7) TIV (8) Edo (9) Nupe
and (i) Ijaw.
According
to Nigeria Hndbook eleventh edition, there are also great number of other
smaller tribes too numerous to enumerate seperatley, whose combined total
population amounts to 4,683,044. It is a Mistake to designate them ‘tribes’.
Each of them is a nation by itself with many tribes and clans. There is a much
difference between them as there is between Germans, and English and between
Russians and Turks. The face that they have a common president does not destroy
this fundamental difference. (Nsirimobi 2001). The only means of communication between
the Ethnic groups is English language. There cultural backgrounds and social
outlooks differs greatly and their indigenous political institutions have
little in common.
The People of Nigeria
The confluence
of river Niger
and its main tributary, River Benue, effectively divides the country into
three. The North the West and the East. The document ethnic group on the
Northern part of the country is the Hausa Fulani most of whom are Muslims other
major ethnic groups of the North are the Nupe, Tiv, and Kanuri. The Yoruba
people are predominate in the west, About half of the Yoruba’s are Christian
and the other half Muslim. The predominantly Christian Igbo
are the largest ethnic groups in the East, with the Efik, Ibibio and Ijaw
forming a substantial segment of the population of the East.
Geographical features
Location/position
Nigeria lies within latitude 4oN-14oN
of the Equator and longitude 3oE-15oE of the Greenwich
Meridian. This means that Nigeria
has a latitudinal stretch of 10o and longitudinal extent of 12o.
Nigeria
is located on the gulf
of Guinea in West
African. She is bounded to the East by the republic of Cameroon,
to the west by the republic
of Benin, to the North by
Nigeria
and Chad Republic and the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Nigeria is thus, surrounded by
French-speaking Countries with the exception of the south where a vast
coastline of the Atlantic ocean measuring
about 800km exist.
Size: In terms of size, Nigeria
occupies a land area of 356,669 square miles; which is about 923,768 square
kilometer. This is the size of France,
Britain
and Netherlands
combined. Nigeria
is the fourth largest country in Nigerian is the most populous country on the
African continent with 50% greater population than Egypt and is infact more populous
than the other fifteen West African countries put together
Relief’s: Nigeria landscape consists of
lowlands, plains, highlands and plateau.
The lowlands in Nigeria refers
to area with heights generally below 300 meters and lies along the coats and
along the valleys of the main rivers.
1. The Sokoto plains, in the North-west
(200-300m)
2. The Nigeria-Benue
trough, wrapping around the North-Central plateau (100-300m)
3. The Chad Basin or Bornue plain, in the
north-East (100-3000 meters)
4. The coastal lowlands of western Nigeria
(100-300m)
5. The lower River basin (120-180 meters)
6. The cross River basin 9120-180 meters)
7. The coastal plains (0-100 meters)
Economic importance of lowlands
1. Lowlands are usually associated with
various rocks such as alluvial deposits, limestone, sand stones, shale, clays
etc, the coastal lowlands are rich sources of mineral deposits such as iron are
and crude oil.
2. Lowlands especially depositional plains are rich fertile
soils which favours intensive Agriculture while the River plans provides
employment in fishing.
3. Level
lowlands are good for human habitant and favours the construction of
communication networks such as roads, railways, air ports etc. the Highlands or
plateaux in Nigeria refers to areas. Over 300 meters above sea level. The
highlands in Nigeria
can be grouped unto four namely:
1. The
North-Central highlands lies within the centre of Northern
Nigeria and covers nearly one-fifth of the area. The highlands
here includes
(a) the high
plains of Hausa and whose average elevation stands at 750 meters form the lower
step.
(b) The
Jos-plateaux with an elevation of 1500m to 1800meters.
Many rivers in Northern
Nigeria rise form the North-central highlands. The Hadejia,
Komadugu, Gana and Gongola
River flow to the east.
The Sokoto, Kaduna,
marriage and Guara flow westwards to the Nigeria while other small rivers
like the mada and Gbako flow south-wards.
1. That western Highlands:
the western High and is in the western part of Nigeria around Ogun, Osun, Oyo,
kwara, Ondo and Edo
States. The outstanding
hills found within this area are Idanre, Efon laiye ridge, Apata hill, Epeme
hill, Kikuruku hill, Iseyin hill, Abeokuta
hill etc.
2. Many Rivers take up their source form
these uplands. Some flowing Netherworlds such as River Avum and Moshi which
empty their water into River Niger.
Other flows southwards such as River Ogun, Osse and Osun which empty the water
unto the Atlantic Ocean.
3. The
Eastern Scarpland: This area is found in the eastern region of Nigeria
especially around Enugu and Nsukka the Major highlands in the area is the
Usi-Nsukka The major rivers that take up their sources form this scarp land
include River Anambra, Imo and Cross River.
4. The Eastern
highlands: The Eastern highlands are areas which represent the
highest zone in Nigeria
and can be located between the Nigeria
and Cameroon
border fringe. Among these highlands are;
* Adamawa Monitain
* Alantika and Shebshi bills
* The Mandara Mountain
* Obudu and Oban hills
* Bin Plateau
The rivers
that take their sources from this zone include yedseram, Ngadam Gana, Katsina Ala
etc.
Economic
importance of Highlands
* Most
highlands in Nigeria
are sources of Minerals like coal (Enugu)
tin and columbite (Jos plateau) gold diamond and limestone.
* Most highland
in Nigeria
serves as sources of many rivers and streams.
* Serves as tourist attraction and have
cool climate which aid settlement of people.
Rivers
The Rivers in Nigeria Can be divided
into four main groups
* The Niger and Benue
river system
* The river West of the lower Niger
* The rivers East of the lower Nigeria
* the rivers flowing into lake Chad
1. Niger-Benue river system
The river Niger is the
largest and longest river in Nigeria
with a length of 2600 miles form its source in Futa: Jalon (Guinea). It
passes through Mali
and Niger
before flowing eastwards and later. Southwards of Nigeria.
River Niger has a lot of tributaries in Nigeria and the
Major ones are river Kaduna,
river Anambra, River Moshi and river Awun.
River Benue has its soruce from the Eastern
highlands of Mandwa mountain and its may or tributaries. Include
river Gongola, river Katsina
Ala, River Wast and River donga.
2. The
Rivers West of the lower Niger
These Rivers
are found on the Western highland or Yoruba highlands which include the
following. River Ogun Oshun, Osse and Ossiomo which flow directly into the Atlantic Ocean.
3. The
rivers East of the lower Niger
These are
rivers that take their sources from the Eastern scarp land and eastern highland
thereby employing their water into river Niger, Benue
and the Atlantic Ocean. The rivers include
River Donga, Katsum-Ala, Anambra, Imo, Cross River
and Taraba.
4. The
Rivers that Flows into lake Chad
These
rivers take their sources from the North-Central Highlands
basically Jos Plateau. Most of these rivers flow into lake Chad. The major
rivers found within the said area are Hadeija, Katogum, Komadugu, Gana,
Yederam, others include, Zamfara, Rima, Gongola, Sokoto, Kontagora Mada etc.
Economic importance of Nigeria rivers.
* Irrigation: Some of Nigeria Rivers are
used for irrigation purposes especially in areas where rainfall is inadequate.
This aids crops cultivation. This practice can be seen along river Sokoto, Rima
and Hadeja.
* Hydro-DAMS Electric Power: many of
Nigerian rivers are damned in area where rapid and water falls tend to be
present for the purpose of either generating power is dammed at new Bassa named
Kainji Dam for the purpose of producing hydro-electric power. Today all towns
and villages in Nigeria
depend as their source of electricity.
* Navigation: Nigeria Rivers are used for
transportation of foodstuffs, manufactured goods, logs from lumberable trees.
* Construction of ports and seaports.
Rivers in Nigeria
are used for development of river ports and seaport in Nigeria Examples of
these river ports can be located in Sapele, Onitsha, Lokoja and seaports in Lagos (Tincan and wharf seaports) Warri, Porthercourt and
Calabar ports.
* Tourism and recreations. Rivers are
used as tourist centres and recreation places thereby generating foreign
exchange revenue for the government.
* For fishing-fishing is often done
along most Nigeria
rivers and creeks by their inhabitants thereby creating for them employment opportunities.
* Domestic/Industrial uses.
* For festival purposes
Vegetation of Nigeria
Vegetation
are classified according to the appearance of the plant. The vegetation of Nigeria is
divided into three major zones namely
* The forest vegetation
* The Savanna vegetation
* The Montane vegetation
THE FOREST VEGETATION
The forest
vegetation can be sub-divided into different belts. These are;
a. The swamp forest
b. The mangrove swamp forest
c. The fresh water swamp forest
d. Equatorial Rain forest
e. Deciduous or Monsoon forest
The swamp forest
- Occupies the
southern part of Nigeria
hence, it is found along the coast and is wider at the Niger Delta and around
the mouth of Cross river. The Swamp forest is divided into two.
a. The mangrove
swamp forest- is found north of the Atlantic Ocean.
It covers the delta, Creeks and the tidal waters of the coastal areas. The
waters here are salty or brackish in nature. It has no nature forest apart from
the presence of water hyacinth which tends to occupy the surface of the water
e.g Calabar and Porthercourt.
b. The fresh water swamp forest: are found
north of the Mangrore Swanp forest.
The presence of mangroves tree are
noticed. Their roots are of economic importance b’cos they can be used in the
construction of railway sleepers, the trees served as fuel and a type of acid
called tannia used for leather works can
be obtained form the borks. The mangrove trees also serves as pit-props used
for supporting the roots of cool-mine. The soil in this area is swampy and
unsuitable for Agriculture e.g Warri, Ahoada, Bomadi etc. the major occupation
of the people living within the environment is fishing.
Equational Rain forest
- Consist of very dense trees and
undergrowth of creepers Trees found in this area are evergreen, hence they are
exploited for their timber. A lot of lumberables tree like hard work or soft
word are available. The had word includes Iroko mahogany, cedar, African
walnut, Ebonyi and Obeche.