Eket is the second largest city in Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. The name also refers to the indigenous ethnic group of the region and to their language. The city itself, an industrial city that in recent years has become a conurbation engulfing separate villages, has a population of over 200,000, while entire urban area, which covers Nsit Ubium, Afaha Eket and Esit Eket, has a combined population of 364,489, the second largest urban population in Akwa Ibom state.
Economy
An oil refinery is currently under construction in the outskirts of the city along the Oron road. The city has a stadium complex, an airstrip as well as other infrastructures of importance. It also has a number of hotels such as Villa Marina, Royalty Hotels, Crystal Palace Hotel, Roseboom Hotels, Eden Hotel and others.
Eket due to its industrial nature is a relatively expensive city. The government has plans of upgrading the city by the provision of further major roads in the city and the construction of housing estates.
In the 1990s, western environmentalists were concerned over the activities of oil exploitation in and around Eket, such as Shell and Mobil. The area is now newly "oil-rich" and Eket is the thriving hub of a new oil and gas business, with more than 250 companies providing support services such as catering, flights, and exports. However, this success has caused problems, especially a reluctance by local young men to engage in traditional work such as fishing. There are vocal local campaigns to increase the percentage of oil revenue that is given to the local community. Eket as an ethnic group comprises Eket, Esit Eket, Ibeno and Onna LGA
Eket People
The Eket are a people who live in this region. They are a sub-group of the Ibibio people. Eket is also the name of the main sub-language that they speak, a Benue–Congo language. Both languages are similar, but sufficiently distinct to give away the precise district the speaker originates from. The Eket have a form of caste or class society, with the "Amama" being the highest caste, and these are notable for undertaking traditional potlach-like feasts in which the poorer people are fed en masse. In addition to the Amama, groups of "Ekpo Ndem Isong" class rule individual villages and towns, and their will is enforced by the "Ikan" class (traditional masked police) to which entry is by merit rather than birth.
The local religion is one of ancestor-worship, worship of Ala the "earth deity", and seasonal agricultural festivals. Water is abundant in the Niger delta, and the vegetation luxurious. However, over-farming and poor farming practices are depleting soil nutrients on many farms and plots.
Popular surnames include Etteh (actually meaning father), Udofia and Essien. Just like the remainder of West Africa, the family name normally is an indicator of which specific region one is from.
Thursday, October 17, 2013
UYO - The Capital City of Akwa Ibom State
Uyo is a city in south-eastern Nigeria and is the capital of Akwa Ibom State, a major oil producing state of Nigeria. The city became a capital of Akwa Ibom State on September 23, 1987 following the creation of Cross River State. The University of Uyo resides in this city. The population of Uyo, according to the 2006 Nigerian Census which comprises Uyo and Itu, is 436,606. While the urban Area, including Uruan, is 554,906.
Transportation
The city can be accessed by road via the A342 highway, as well as Abak Road, Nwaniba Road, Itu Road, and Aka Road. Nearby airports include the Uyo Airport, also known as the Akwa Ibom International Airport.
Uyo is a fast growing city, as the city has witnessed massive infrastructural growth in the past nine years. It has an intensive network of divided highways, such as the IBB Way, Atiku Abubakar Avenue, Udo Udoma Avenue, Nsikak Eduok Avenue, and Edet Akpan Avenue which is an eight-lane superhighway and currently the widest road in the Uyo metropolis. Currently, flyovers are being constructed to ease traffic. Three flyovers have already been completed at the Itam axis of the urban area which is under Itu jurisdiction. Plans are in process for more flyovers as well as ongoing dualisation of Aka road, ongoing construction of Ring Road 3 with flyovers (a portion of it will be ten lanes) and the dualisation of Wellingtion Bassey Way.
Housing
As a fast growing city, Uyo is home to many notable housing districts such as the Ewet Housing Estate, Shelter Afrik, and other estates located in various parts of the city as well as private estates and other residential districts. The city has two major industrial estates including the Itam Industrial Estate. The city of Uyo is notably neat and hospitable to foreigners and its aborigines. Highbrow residential areas in Uyo include the prestigious Ewet Housing Estate, Shelter Afrik, and a host of other choice areas in the city and its environs. The state government plans to construct newer residential districts as well as a central business district within the metropolis.
Recreation
The city boasts public recreational areas such as the Ibom Connection and the prestigious Le Meridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort which is still under construction and, when completed, will be the largest hotel in the West African region. The State has other recreational projects under construction, such as the Ibom Tropicana Resort, which will include a 16-story 5-star hotel, a dome, a cinema, a shopping area, water parks, and other recreational facilities. It and similar projects are expected to boost the tourism potential of the state. The city also has a museum.
Education
Uyo is home to the University of Uyo, formerly known as the University of Cross River State. Its name was changed when, in 1991, the government of Nigeria established it as a federal university. Uyo is also home to a campus of the National Open University of Nigeria and the Uyo City Polytechnic.
Transportation
The city can be accessed by road via the A342 highway, as well as Abak Road, Nwaniba Road, Itu Road, and Aka Road. Nearby airports include the Uyo Airport, also known as the Akwa Ibom International Airport.
Uyo is a fast growing city, as the city has witnessed massive infrastructural growth in the past nine years. It has an intensive network of divided highways, such as the IBB Way, Atiku Abubakar Avenue, Udo Udoma Avenue, Nsikak Eduok Avenue, and Edet Akpan Avenue which is an eight-lane superhighway and currently the widest road in the Uyo metropolis. Currently, flyovers are being constructed to ease traffic. Three flyovers have already been completed at the Itam axis of the urban area which is under Itu jurisdiction. Plans are in process for more flyovers as well as ongoing dualisation of Aka road, ongoing construction of Ring Road 3 with flyovers (a portion of it will be ten lanes) and the dualisation of Wellingtion Bassey Way.
Housing
As a fast growing city, Uyo is home to many notable housing districts such as the Ewet Housing Estate, Shelter Afrik, and other estates located in various parts of the city as well as private estates and other residential districts. The city has two major industrial estates including the Itam Industrial Estate. The city of Uyo is notably neat and hospitable to foreigners and its aborigines. Highbrow residential areas in Uyo include the prestigious Ewet Housing Estate, Shelter Afrik, and a host of other choice areas in the city and its environs. The state government plans to construct newer residential districts as well as a central business district within the metropolis.
Recreation
The city boasts public recreational areas such as the Ibom Connection and the prestigious Le Meridien Ibom Hotel & Golf Resort which is still under construction and, when completed, will be the largest hotel in the West African region. The State has other recreational projects under construction, such as the Ibom Tropicana Resort, which will include a 16-story 5-star hotel, a dome, a cinema, a shopping area, water parks, and other recreational facilities. It and similar projects are expected to boost the tourism potential of the state. The city also has a museum.
Education
Uyo is home to the University of Uyo, formerly known as the University of Cross River State. Its name was changed when, in 1991, the government of Nigeria established it as a federal university. Uyo is also home to a campus of the National Open University of Nigeria and the Uyo City Polytechnic.
Monday, October 14, 2013
AKWA IBOM STATE NIGERIA- The Land of Promise
Akwa Ibom is a state in Nigeria named after the Qua Iboe river. It is located in the coastal South-Southern part of the country, lying between latitudes 4°321 and 5°331 North, and longitudes 7°251 and 8°251 East. The State is bordered on the east by Cross River State, on the west by Rivers State and Abia State, and on the South by the Atlantic Ocean and the southernmost tip of Cross River State.
Akwa Ibom is one of Nigeria’s 36 states with a population of over 5 million people and more than 10 million people in diaspora. It was created in 1987 from the former Cross River State and is currently the highest oil and gas producing state in the country. The state’s capital is Uyo with over 500,000 inhabitants . Akwa Ibom has an airport (Akwa Ibom International Airport) and two major sea ports on the Atlantic Ocean with a proposed construction of a world class seaport Ibaka Seaport at Oron. Along with English, the main spoken languages are Ibibio, Annang, Eket, and Oron languages.
Major Cities
Uyo is the capital city of Akwa Ibom State. Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Oron, Abak, Ikot Abasi, and Etinan are a few of many prominent cities.
Administrative Areas
Akwa Ibom is divided into 31 Local Government Areas:
Abak
Eastern Obolo
Eket
Esit-Eket
Essien Udim
Etim-Ekpo
Etinan
Ibeno
Ibesikpo-Asutan
Ibiono-Ibom
Ika
Ikono
Ikot Abasi
Ikot Ekpene
Ini
Itu
Mbo
Mkpat-Enin
Nsit-Atai
Nsit-Ibom
Nsit-Ubium
Obot-Akara
Okobo
Onna
Oron
Oruk Anam
Ukanafun
Udung-Uko
Uruan
Urue-Offong/Oruko
Uyo
History
The region of the State was created out of Cross River State on September 23, 1987.
Demography
The people are predominantly of the Christian faith. The main ethnic groups of the state are:
Ibibio
Annang
Oron
Obolo
The Ibibio, Annang, who speak a dialect of the Ibibio Language, Oron and Obolo, comprising Ibono (Ibeno) and Eastern Obolo people, are the largest ethnic groups. The Oro [Oron] is an ethnic group similar to the Efik, which is predominant in neighbouring Cross River State, and found in five of the state's Local Government Areas. Located at the Atlantic Ocean seafront are the Ibeno and Eastern Obolo people. The Ibono have similarities with the Oro and Obolos. The Igbo language is also spoken in Akwa Ibom in the northern and western land borders.
The Ibibio language belongs to the Benue–Congo language family, which forms part of the Niger–Congo group of languages.
Despite the homogeneity, no central government existed among the people of what is now Akwa Ibom State prior to the British invasion in 1904. Instead, the Annang, Oron, Efik, Ibonos and Ibibio were all autonomous groups.
Although several Scottish missionaries arrived in Calabar in 1848, and Ibono in 1887, the British did not firmly establish control until 1904. In that year, the Enyong Division was created encompassing the area of the current state of Akwa Ibom, with the headquarters at Ikot Ekpene, an Annang city emerged described by the noted Africanist Kaanan Nair, as the cultural and political capital of Annang and Ibibio. The creation of Enyong Division, for the first time allowed the numerous ethnic groups to come together. This further provided a venue for the creation of the Ibibio Welfare Union, later renamed Ibibio State Union. The social organization was first organized as a local development and improvement forum for educated persons and groups who were shut out from the colonial administration in 1929. Nonetheless, some historians have wrongly pointed to the union to buttress their argument about the homogeneity of groups in the area. The Obolo Union comprising Ibono and Andoni stock was another strong socioeconomic and cultural Organisation that thrived in the region. The Ibono people have fought wars to maintain their unique identity and territory in the region more than any other group.
When Akwa Ibom state was created in 1987, Uyo was chosen as the state capital to spread development to all regions of the state.
Education
The current region of Akwa Ibom State in old Calabar Kingdom were the first to encounter Western education in Nigeria with the establishment of Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar in 1895, Methodist Boys High School, Oron in 1905 and other top flight schools such as the Holy Family College at Abak and Regina Coeli College, Essene. Currently various institutions for higher education have sprung up and spread across the state.
Some Educational Institutes in the state include:
University of Uyo
Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron
Akwa Ibom State University
Obong University, Obong Ntak Inyang
Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic
Uyo City Polytechnic
Apex Polytechnic
Herritage Polytechnic, Eket
School of Nursing; Uyo, Eket, Oron, Ikot Ekpene, Etinan
Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit
School Of Basic Studies
College of Arts & Sciences, Nnung Ukim
Politics
Politics in Akwa Ibom state is dominated by the three main ethnic groups, the Ibibio, Annang and Oron. Of these three, the Ibibio remain the majority and have held sway in the state since its creation.
Akwa Ibom is one of Nigeria’s 36 states with a population of over 5 million people and more than 10 million people in diaspora. It was created in 1987 from the former Cross River State and is currently the highest oil and gas producing state in the country. The state’s capital is Uyo with over 500,000 inhabitants . Akwa Ibom has an airport (Akwa Ibom International Airport) and two major sea ports on the Atlantic Ocean with a proposed construction of a world class seaport Ibaka Seaport at Oron. Along with English, the main spoken languages are Ibibio, Annang, Eket, and Oron languages.
Major Cities
Uyo is the capital city of Akwa Ibom State. Eket, Ikot Ekpene, Oron, Abak, Ikot Abasi, and Etinan are a few of many prominent cities.
Administrative Areas
Akwa Ibom is divided into 31 Local Government Areas:
Abak
Eastern Obolo
Eket
Esit-Eket
Essien Udim
Etim-Ekpo
Etinan
Ibeno
Ibesikpo-Asutan
Ibiono-Ibom
Ika
Ikono
Ikot Abasi
Ikot Ekpene
Ini
Itu
Mbo
Mkpat-Enin
Nsit-Atai
Nsit-Ibom
Nsit-Ubium
Obot-Akara
Okobo
Onna
Oron
Oruk Anam
Ukanafun
Udung-Uko
Uruan
Urue-Offong/Oruko
Uyo
History
The region of the State was created out of Cross River State on September 23, 1987.
Demography
The people are predominantly of the Christian faith. The main ethnic groups of the state are:
Ibibio
Annang
Oron
Obolo
The Ibibio, Annang, who speak a dialect of the Ibibio Language, Oron and Obolo, comprising Ibono (Ibeno) and Eastern Obolo people, are the largest ethnic groups. The Oro [Oron] is an ethnic group similar to the Efik, which is predominant in neighbouring Cross River State, and found in five of the state's Local Government Areas. Located at the Atlantic Ocean seafront are the Ibeno and Eastern Obolo people. The Ibono have similarities with the Oro and Obolos. The Igbo language is also spoken in Akwa Ibom in the northern and western land borders.
The Ibibio language belongs to the Benue–Congo language family, which forms part of the Niger–Congo group of languages.
Despite the homogeneity, no central government existed among the people of what is now Akwa Ibom State prior to the British invasion in 1904. Instead, the Annang, Oron, Efik, Ibonos and Ibibio were all autonomous groups.
Although several Scottish missionaries arrived in Calabar in 1848, and Ibono in 1887, the British did not firmly establish control until 1904. In that year, the Enyong Division was created encompassing the area of the current state of Akwa Ibom, with the headquarters at Ikot Ekpene, an Annang city emerged described by the noted Africanist Kaanan Nair, as the cultural and political capital of Annang and Ibibio. The creation of Enyong Division, for the first time allowed the numerous ethnic groups to come together. This further provided a venue for the creation of the Ibibio Welfare Union, later renamed Ibibio State Union. The social organization was first organized as a local development and improvement forum for educated persons and groups who were shut out from the colonial administration in 1929. Nonetheless, some historians have wrongly pointed to the union to buttress their argument about the homogeneity of groups in the area. The Obolo Union comprising Ibono and Andoni stock was another strong socioeconomic and cultural Organisation that thrived in the region. The Ibono people have fought wars to maintain their unique identity and territory in the region more than any other group.
When Akwa Ibom state was created in 1987, Uyo was chosen as the state capital to spread development to all regions of the state.
Education
The current region of Akwa Ibom State in old Calabar Kingdom were the first to encounter Western education in Nigeria with the establishment of Hope Waddell Training Institute, Calabar in 1895, Methodist Boys High School, Oron in 1905 and other top flight schools such as the Holy Family College at Abak and Regina Coeli College, Essene. Currently various institutions for higher education have sprung up and spread across the state.
Some Educational Institutes in the state include:
University of Uyo
Maritime Academy of Nigeria, Oron
Akwa Ibom State University
Obong University, Obong Ntak Inyang
Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic
Uyo City Polytechnic
Apex Polytechnic
Herritage Polytechnic, Eket
School of Nursing; Uyo, Eket, Oron, Ikot Ekpene, Etinan
Akwa Ibom State College of Education, Afaha Nsit
School Of Basic Studies
College of Arts & Sciences, Nnung Ukim
Politics
Politics in Akwa Ibom state is dominated by the three main ethnic groups, the Ibibio, Annang and Oron. Of these three, the Ibibio remain the majority and have held sway in the state since its creation.
PORT HARCOURT - The Garden City
Port Harcourt (Igbo: Diobu, Iguocha or Ugwuocha; Pidgin: "Po-ta-kot") is the capital of Rivers State, Nigeria. It lies along the Bonny River and is located in the Niger Delta. According to the 2006 Nigerian census Port Harcourt has a population of 1,382,592. The Mayor of Port Harcourt City is Chimbiko Akorolo. From Iguocha Port Harcourt was renamed by Frederick Lugard after Lewis Vernon Harcourt in 1913 who was the Secretary of State for the Colonies.
The area that became Port Harcourt in 1913 was originally the farmlands of the Diobu village group of the Ikwerre, an Igbo sub-group. The colonial administration of Nigeria created the port to export coal from the collieries of Enugu located 151 miles (243 km) north of Port Harcourt, which it was linked to by a railway called the Eastern Line, also built by the British.
Commercial quantities of crude oil was discovered in Oloibiri in 1956 and Port Harcourt's economy turned to petroleum when the first shipment of Nigerian crude oil was exported through the city in 1958. Through the benefits of the Nigerian petroleum industry Port Harcourt was further developed with aspects of modernisation such as overpasses and city blocks. Oil firms that currently have offices in the city include Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron.
Port Harcourt's primary airport is the Port Harcourt International Airport located in the periphery of the city; Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base is the location of the only other airport in the city; used by commercial airlines Aero Contractors and Virgin Nigeria (now Air Nigeria) for domestic flights. The main educational establishment in the city is the University of Port Harcourt.
History
Port Harcourt was founded in 1913 by the British colonial administration of Nigeria The purpose of Port Harcourt was to export the coal which geologist Albert Ernest Kitson had discovered in Enugu in 1909. The colonial government caused the people of Diobu to cede their land and by 1913 the building of a port-town was started. Other villages that were later absorbed into the city included Oroworukwo, Mkpogua and Rumuomasi, In the creeks to the south of the original port were the fishing camps and grounds of the Okrika-Ijaw group.
During World War I Port Harcourt was used as a point for military operations against the Central Powers in German Kamerun. After the discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri in 1956, Port Harcourt exported the first shipload from Nigeria in 1958. Port Harcourt became the centre of the Nigerian oil economy and it subsequently reaped benefits of its associations with the petroleum industry by undergoing modernisation and urbanisation. Port Harcourt's growth is further due to its position as the commercial centre and foremost industrial city of the former Eastern Region; its position in the Niger Delta; and its importance as the centre of social and economic life in Rivers State. After the Republic of Biafra seceded from Nigeria in 1967 Port Harcourt fell to Nigerian forces on May 19, 1968. From an area of 15.54 km2 in 1914, Port Harcourt grew uncontrolled to an area of 360 km2 in the 1980s.
Geography and climate
Port Harcourt City Centre
The main city of Port Harcourt is the Port Harcourt city in the Port Harcourt Local Government Area, consisting of the former European quarters now called old Government reservation area (GRA) and New layout areas. The Port Harcourt Urban Area (Port Harcourt metropolis) is made up of the city itself and parts of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. Port Harcourt City, which the capital of Rivers State, is highly congested as it is the only major city of the state. A law has recently passed by the state house and governor Amaechi's administration to spread development to the surrounding communities as part of the effort to decongest the Port Harcourt metropolis. The Greater Port Harcourt urban area, spans eight local government areas that include Port-Harcourt local government, Okrika, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Ogu/Bolo, Tai and Eleme local governments respectively has a total population estimate for 2012 at 1,947,000 making it the fifth largest urban area in Nigeria (only the urban areas of Lagos, Kano, Ibadan and Abuja that are bigger than it.
Climate
Port Harcourt features a tropical monsoon climate with lengthy and heavy rainy seasons and very short dry seasons. Only the months of December and January truly qualifies as dry season months in the city. The harmattan, which climatically influences many cities in West Africa, is less pronounced in Port Harcourt. Port Harcourt's heaviest precipitation occurs during September with an average of 370 mm of rain. December on average is the driest month of the year, with an average rainfall of 20 mm. Temperatures throughout the year in the city are relatively constant, showing little variation throughout the course of the year. Average temperatures are typically between 25°C-28°C in the city.
Economy and infrastructure
The Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd.
The city is a major industrial centre as it has a large number of multinational firms as well as other industrial concerns, particularly business related to the petroleum industry. It is the chief oil-refining city in Nigeria. Rivers State is one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria in terms of gross domestic product and foreign exchange revenue from the oil industry, crude oil being its main export earner.
Some of Port Harcourt's more popular and well-known residential areas are Port Harcourt Township (or just 'Town'), GRA (Government Reserved Area) phases 1—5, Rumuomasi, Ogbunabali, Rumuola, Diobu, Amadi Flats, and Borokiri. The main industrial area is located in Trans Amadi. Face-me-I-face-you architecture is quite common to Port Harcourt. The Podium Block of Rivers State Secretariat is an icon of the city. An eighteen storey building, it has the tallest building in the South/South and South/East Geopolitical zones combined. The city has an international airport, Port Harcourt International Airport, two seaports (FOT Onne, Port Harcourt Wharf), two stadiums (Sharks Stadium which is the civic center) and Liberation Stadium located in Elekahia and two refineries. The city plays host to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology; there is also a University of Port Harcourt, which is Located in Obio/Akpor which was carved out of Port Harcourt Local Government Area for ease of administration. The city is sprawling in nature as building codes and zoning regulations are poorly enforced. Land is cleared and 'lean to' buildings constructed sometimes overnight. This adds to flooding and sanitation problems since with no proper drainage or sewer system, parts of the city flood during the very heavy monsoon-type rains that fall for half the year.
Greater Port
Under the leadership of Governor Chibuike Amaechi plans have been announced for the creation of a new city to be called the Greater Port-Harcourt City. The new city is to be located close to the Port-Harcourt International Airport. The total coverage area for the Greater Port Harcourt city Development is 1900 km2 spanning 8 local governments in Rivers State including all of PH Local Govt, Ogu Bolo, Eleme, Ikwere, Etche, Obio Akpor,Okrika, Eleme local government areas. The Authority (GPHCDA) was established by law in April 2009 with a mandate to facilitate the implementation of the Greater Port Harcourt master plan and build the new city.
The Authority is led by an administrator, Dame Aleruchi Cookey Gam, supported by a management team comprising the Secretary to the authority and Board, Dr Silva Opusunju, Director Finance Aaron Obelly, Director Administration (Permanent Secretary) MI Tella, Director Public Affairs Kenneth Anga, Director Legal Dr. Justice Nwobike, Director Projects Edmund Altraide, Director Development Control Sir Ngozi Worgu.
The Greater Port Harcourt city hosted several of the events at the 17th national sports festival tagged 'Garden City games'.
The area that became Port Harcourt in 1913 was originally the farmlands of the Diobu village group of the Ikwerre, an Igbo sub-group. The colonial administration of Nigeria created the port to export coal from the collieries of Enugu located 151 miles (243 km) north of Port Harcourt, which it was linked to by a railway called the Eastern Line, also built by the British.
Commercial quantities of crude oil was discovered in Oloibiri in 1956 and Port Harcourt's economy turned to petroleum when the first shipment of Nigerian crude oil was exported through the city in 1958. Through the benefits of the Nigerian petroleum industry Port Harcourt was further developed with aspects of modernisation such as overpasses and city blocks. Oil firms that currently have offices in the city include Royal Dutch Shell and Chevron.
Port Harcourt's primary airport is the Port Harcourt International Airport located in the periphery of the city; Nigerian Air Force (NAF) base is the location of the only other airport in the city; used by commercial airlines Aero Contractors and Virgin Nigeria (now Air Nigeria) for domestic flights. The main educational establishment in the city is the University of Port Harcourt.
History
Port Harcourt was founded in 1913 by the British colonial administration of Nigeria The purpose of Port Harcourt was to export the coal which geologist Albert Ernest Kitson had discovered in Enugu in 1909. The colonial government caused the people of Diobu to cede their land and by 1913 the building of a port-town was started. Other villages that were later absorbed into the city included Oroworukwo, Mkpogua and Rumuomasi, In the creeks to the south of the original port were the fishing camps and grounds of the Okrika-Ijaw group.
During World War I Port Harcourt was used as a point for military operations against the Central Powers in German Kamerun. After the discovery of crude oil in Oloibiri in 1956, Port Harcourt exported the first shipload from Nigeria in 1958. Port Harcourt became the centre of the Nigerian oil economy and it subsequently reaped benefits of its associations with the petroleum industry by undergoing modernisation and urbanisation. Port Harcourt's growth is further due to its position as the commercial centre and foremost industrial city of the former Eastern Region; its position in the Niger Delta; and its importance as the centre of social and economic life in Rivers State. After the Republic of Biafra seceded from Nigeria in 1967 Port Harcourt fell to Nigerian forces on May 19, 1968. From an area of 15.54 km2 in 1914, Port Harcourt grew uncontrolled to an area of 360 km2 in the 1980s.
Geography and climate
Port Harcourt City Centre
The main city of Port Harcourt is the Port Harcourt city in the Port Harcourt Local Government Area, consisting of the former European quarters now called old Government reservation area (GRA) and New layout areas. The Port Harcourt Urban Area (Port Harcourt metropolis) is made up of the city itself and parts of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area. Port Harcourt City, which the capital of Rivers State, is highly congested as it is the only major city of the state. A law has recently passed by the state house and governor Amaechi's administration to spread development to the surrounding communities as part of the effort to decongest the Port Harcourt metropolis. The Greater Port Harcourt urban area, spans eight local government areas that include Port-Harcourt local government, Okrika, Obio/Akpor, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Ogu/Bolo, Tai and Eleme local governments respectively has a total population estimate for 2012 at 1,947,000 making it the fifth largest urban area in Nigeria (only the urban areas of Lagos, Kano, Ibadan and Abuja that are bigger than it.
Climate
Port Harcourt features a tropical monsoon climate with lengthy and heavy rainy seasons and very short dry seasons. Only the months of December and January truly qualifies as dry season months in the city. The harmattan, which climatically influences many cities in West Africa, is less pronounced in Port Harcourt. Port Harcourt's heaviest precipitation occurs during September with an average of 370 mm of rain. December on average is the driest month of the year, with an average rainfall of 20 mm. Temperatures throughout the year in the city are relatively constant, showing little variation throughout the course of the year. Average temperatures are typically between 25°C-28°C in the city.
Economy and infrastructure
The Port Harcourt Refining Company Ltd.
The city is a major industrial centre as it has a large number of multinational firms as well as other industrial concerns, particularly business related to the petroleum industry. It is the chief oil-refining city in Nigeria. Rivers State is one of the wealthiest states in Nigeria in terms of gross domestic product and foreign exchange revenue from the oil industry, crude oil being its main export earner.
Some of Port Harcourt's more popular and well-known residential areas are Port Harcourt Township (or just 'Town'), GRA (Government Reserved Area) phases 1—5, Rumuomasi, Ogbunabali, Rumuola, Diobu, Amadi Flats, and Borokiri. The main industrial area is located in Trans Amadi. Face-me-I-face-you architecture is quite common to Port Harcourt. The Podium Block of Rivers State Secretariat is an icon of the city. An eighteen storey building, it has the tallest building in the South/South and South/East Geopolitical zones combined. The city has an international airport, Port Harcourt International Airport, two seaports (FOT Onne, Port Harcourt Wharf), two stadiums (Sharks Stadium which is the civic center) and Liberation Stadium located in Elekahia and two refineries. The city plays host to the Rivers State University of Science and Technology; there is also a University of Port Harcourt, which is Located in Obio/Akpor which was carved out of Port Harcourt Local Government Area for ease of administration. The city is sprawling in nature as building codes and zoning regulations are poorly enforced. Land is cleared and 'lean to' buildings constructed sometimes overnight. This adds to flooding and sanitation problems since with no proper drainage or sewer system, parts of the city flood during the very heavy monsoon-type rains that fall for half the year.
Greater Port
Under the leadership of Governor Chibuike Amaechi plans have been announced for the creation of a new city to be called the Greater Port-Harcourt City. The new city is to be located close to the Port-Harcourt International Airport. The total coverage area for the Greater Port Harcourt city Development is 1900 km2 spanning 8 local governments in Rivers State including all of PH Local Govt, Ogu Bolo, Eleme, Ikwere, Etche, Obio Akpor,Okrika, Eleme local government areas. The Authority (GPHCDA) was established by law in April 2009 with a mandate to facilitate the implementation of the Greater Port Harcourt master plan and build the new city.
The Authority is led by an administrator, Dame Aleruchi Cookey Gam, supported by a management team comprising the Secretary to the authority and Board, Dr Silva Opusunju, Director Finance Aaron Obelly, Director Administration (Permanent Secretary) MI Tella, Director Public Affairs Kenneth Anga, Director Legal Dr. Justice Nwobike, Director Projects Edmund Altraide, Director Development Control Sir Ngozi Worgu.
The Greater Port Harcourt city hosted several of the events at the 17th national sports festival tagged 'Garden City games'.
IBADAN CITY - OYO STATE
Ibadan (Yoruba: Ìbàdàn or fully Ìlú Ẹ̀bá-Ọ̀dàn, the city at the junction of the savannah and the forest) is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area, by population, in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area. At Nigerian independence, Ibadan was the largest and most populous city in the country and the third in Africa after Cairo and Johannesburg.
Ibadan is located in south-western Nigeria, 128 km inland northeast of Lagos and 530 km southwest of Abuja, the federal capital, and is a prominent transit point between the coastal region and the areas to the north. Ibadan had been the centre of administration of the old Western Region since the days of the British colonial rule, and parts of the city's ancient protective walls still stand to this day. The principal inhabitants of the city are the Yorubas.
History
Ibadan came into existence in 1829. According to local historians, Lagelu, the Jagun (commander-in-chief) of Ife and Yoruba's generalissimo, left Ile Ife with a handful of people from Ife, Oyo and Ijebu to found a new city, Eba Odan, which literally means 'between the forest and plains.' According to HRH Sir Isaac Babalola Akinyele, the late Olubadan (king) of Ibadan (Olu Ibadan means Lord of Ibadan), in his authoritative book on the history of Ibadan, Iwe Itan Ibadan, printed in 1911, the first city was destroyed due to an incident at an Egungun (masquerade) festival when an Egungun was accidentally disrobed and derisively mocked by women and children in an open marketplace full of people. In Yorubaland, it was an abomination for women to look an Egungun in the eye because the Egunguns were considered to be the dead forefathers who returned to the earth each year to bless their progeny. When the news reached Sango, the then Alaafin of Oyo, he commanded that Eba Odan be destroyed for committing such abominable act.
Lagelu was by now an old, frail man; he could not stop the destruction of his city, but he and some of his people survived the attack and fled to a nearby hill for sanctuary. On the hill they survived by eating oro fruit and snails; later, they cultivated the land and made corn and millets into pap meals known as oori or eko, which they ate with roasted snails. They improvised a bit by using the snail shells to drink the liquefied eko. Ultimately, Lagelu and his people came down from the hill and founded another city called Eba'dan.
The new city instantly grew prosperous and became a commercial nerve centre. Shortly afterwards, Lagelu died, leaving behind a politically savvy people and a very stable community. The newly enthroned Olubadan made a friendly gesture to the Olowu of Owu by allowing Olowu to marry his only daughter, Nkan. Coming from a war campaign one day, the raging Odo Oba (River Oba) would not allow Olowu and his army to cross until a human sacrifice was performed to appease the angry river. The chosen sacrifice was Nkan. The Olubadan was infuriated at hearing of Nkan's death; he sent an emissary to inform the Alafin of Oyo. Yoruba kings and rulers such as Alake of Egba, Agura of Gbagura, Ooni of Ife, Awujale of Ijebu. Then the Olubadan sent his army to attack the powerful Olowu of Owu and defeated him. The Olowu committed suicide to escape being captured by the Ibadan army. The battle shattered the great Owu kingdom into pieces till today. Some of it remains in the mother town which is the present Orile-Owu in Osun State, while others are in Ogun State, known as Owu Abeokuta and etc.
A part of Ibadan was historically an Egba town. The Egba occupants were forced to leave the town and moved to present-day Abeokuta under the leadership of Sodeke as result of their disloyalty. Ibadan grew into an impressive and sprawling urban center so much that by the end of 1829, Ibadan dominated the Yorùbá region militarily, politically and economically. The military sanctuary expanded even further when refugees began arriving in large numbers from northern Oyo following raids by Fulani warriors. After losing the northern portion of their region to the marauding Fulanis, many Oyo indigenes retreated deeper into the Ibadan environs.
The Fulani Caliphate attempted to expand further into the southern region of modern-day Nigeria, but was decisively defeated by the armies of Ibadan in 1840.
Colonial Ibadan
In 1893 Ibadan area became a British Protectorate after a treaty signed by Fijabi, the Baale of Ibadan with the British acting Governor of Lagos, George C. Denton on 15 August. By then the population had swelled to 120,000. The British developed the new colony to facilitate their commercial activities in the area, and Ibadan shortly grew into the major trading center that it is today.
Education
The first university to be set up in Nigeria was the University of Ibadan. Established as a college of the University of London in 1948, and later converted into an autonomous university in 1962. It has the distinction of being one of the premier educational institutions in Africa. The Polytechnic, Ibadan is also located in the city. As at October, 2006, the university has a population of 13,823 undergraduate and 3,480 postgraduate students.
There are also numerous public and private primary and secondary schools located in the city. Other noteworthy institutions in the city include the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital, also known as University College Hospital (UCH), which is the first teaching hospital in Nigeria; the internationally acclaimed International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER). Also the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, the Nigerian Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), and the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), all under the auspices of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria and the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria.
Before the dissolution of the Western Region, Nigeria, Ibadan and its environs were the home of the most sophisticated and liberal scientific and cultural community on the continent of Africa, as personified by the immortalized Ibadan School of historiography.
In 1853, the first Europeans to settle in Ibadan, Reverend Hinderer and his wife, started Ibadan's first Western schools. They built churches and schools and the first two-storey building in Ibadan, which can still be found today at Kudeti. The first pupils to attend an elementary school in Ibadan were Yejide (female) and Akinyele (male) – the two children of an Ibadan high chief.
Transport
Ibadan has an airport, Ibadan Airport, and is served by the Ibadan railway station on the main railway line from Lagos to Kano. Poorly-maintained roads are particularly problematic in the rainy season. What are called interstate highways in the United States are called carriageways in Nigeria. There are not many miles of dual carriageways in Ibadan. The primary routes go from Ibadan to Lagos and to Benin City. Adding to the weather and terrain, roads typically have few or no speed limit signs or warning signs to alert the motorist of curves, hills, intersections or problems with the road itself such as large potholes or eroded road beds.
In-town transport comes in a variety of forms. Modes of transport include, taxis, taxi-vans commonly called danfos, private cars that are hired out by the day with a driver, personal family cars, scooters, and walking. All fares are negotiable depending upon the number in the party and the distance to be travelled. The average taxi is a small car, which seats four people and the driver. A danfo is a van, meanwhile, which seats seven people and the driver. This does not mean that more people will not be accommodated; often both taxis and danfos carry as many passengers as can squeeze into the vehicle. Danfos have an additional staff member. He is the "conductor," who arranges fare agreements and keeps track of delivery points. He is often to be seen holding onto the frame of the van while hanging out the door in order to locate potential fares. In December 2008 Governor Alao Akala Commissioned 55 brand new buses for interstate transport service which is to be used by Trans City Transport Company (TCTC) Eleyele, Ibadan with a promise to commence intracity transport service very early next year. in 2013 governor isiaka ajimobi also launched some long vehicle popularly called BRT to ease transportation in the city
Geography
Ibadan is located in southwestern Nigeria in the southeastern part of Oyo State about 120 km east of the border with the Republic of Benin in the forest zone close to the boundary between the forest and the savanna. The city ranges in elevation from 150 m in the valley area, to 275 m above sea level on the major north-south ridge which crosses the central part of the city. The city's total area is 1,190 sq mi (3,080 km2).
The city is naturally drained by four rivers with many tributaries: Ona River in the North and West; Ogbere River towards the East; Ogunpa River flowing through the city and Kudeti River in the Central part of the metropolis. Ogunpa River, a third-order stream with a channel length of 12.76 km and a catchment area of 54.92 km2.
Climate
Ibadan has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), with a lengthy wet season and relatively constant temperatures throughout the course of the year. Ibadan’s wet season runs from March through October, though August sees somewhat of a lull in precipitation. This lull nearly divides the wet season into two different wet seasons. November to February forms the city’s dry season, during which Ibadan experiences the typical West African harmattan. The mean total rainfall for Ibadan is 1420.06 mm, falling in approximately 109 days. There are two peaks for rainfall, June and September. The mean maximum temperature is 26.46 C, minimum 21.42 C and the relative humidity is 74.55%.
Administration
There are eleven (11) Local Governments in Ibadan Metropolitan area consisting of five urban local governments in the city and six semi-urban local governments in the less city. Local governments at present are institutions created by the military governments but recognised by the 1999 constitution and they are the third tiers of government in Nigeria. Local governments Councils consist of the Executive Arm made up of the Executive Chairman, the vice chairman, the secretary and the supervisory councilors.
Local government areas
Ibadan Urban
Ibadan North
Ibadan North-East
Ibadan North-West
Ibadan South-East
Ibadan South-West
Ibadan Semi-Urban
Akinyele
Egbeda
Ido
Lagelu
Ona Ara
Oluyole
Demography
Population
Until 1970, Ibadan was the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1952, it was estimated that the total area of the city was approximately 103.8 km2 However, only 36.2 km2 was built up. This meant that the remaining 67 km2 were devoted to non-urban uses, such as farmlands, river floodplains, forest reserves and water bodies. These “non-urban land uses” disappeared in the 1960s: an aerial photograph in 1973 revealed that the urban land-scape had completely spread over about 100 km2. The land area increased from 136 km2 in 1981 to 210–240 km2 in 1988-89 (Areola, 1994: 101). By the year 2000, it is estimated that Ibadan covered 400 km2. The growth of the built-up area during the second half of the 20th century (from 40 km2 in the 1950s to 250 km2 in the 1990s) shows clearly that there has been an underestimate of the total growth of the city. In the 1980s, the Ibadan-Lagos expressway generated the greatest urban sprawl (east and north of the city), followed by the Eleiyele expressway (west of the city). Since then, Ibadan city has spread further into the neighbouring local government areas of Akinyele and Egbeda in particular.
Cityscape
Monuments, landmarks and other locations
There is a museum in the building of the Institute of African Studies, which exhibits several remarkable pre-historic bronze carvings and statues. The city has several well stocked libraries, and is home to the first television station in Africa. Dugbe Market is the nerve centre of Ibadan's transport and trading network. The best method to move about the city is to use reference points and notable landmarks. The city also has a zoo located inside the University of Ibadan, and a botanical garden located at Agodi.
The Bower Memorial Tower to the east on Oke Aàre (Aare's Hill) ("Aare" in Yoruba means commander-in-chief or generalissimo), which can be seen from practically any point in the city; it also provides an excellent view of the whole city from the top. Another prominent landmark, Cocoa House, was the first skyscraper in Africa. It is one of the few skyscrapers in the city and is at the hub of Ibadan's commercial centre. Other attractions include Mapo Hall – the colonial style city hall – perched on top of a hill, "Oke Mapo," Mapo Hill ("oke" is hill in Yoruba), the Trans-Wonderland amusement park, the cultural centre Mokola and the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, a major stadium. The first citadel of higher learning, University of Ibadan (formerly the University College of Ibadan), the Obafemi Awolowo Hall in the university of Ibadan is said to be the tallest and largest hostel in west Africa. The first teaching hospital in Nigeria, University College Hospital, UCH, were both built in this ancient but, highly important city. Ibadan is also home to the legendary Shooting Stars FC – a professional Football Club. There are some good golf courses: the Ibadan Golf Club is a large 18-hole challenge and the Barracks course has just been extended to 18 holes. The most challenging and exclusive is the IITA Golf Club based on the 1,000 hectare premises of IITA.
Economy
With its strategic location on the non-operational railway line connecting Lagos to Kano, the city is a major center for trade in cassava, cocoa, cotton, timber, rubber, and palm oil. The main industries in the area include the processing of agricultural products; Tobacco processing and Cigarette (Manufacture); flour-milling, leather-working and furniture-making. There is abundance of clay, kaolin and aquamarine in its environs, and there are several cattle ranches, a dairy farm as well as a commercial abattoir in Ibadan.
Ibadan is located in south-western Nigeria, 128 km inland northeast of Lagos and 530 km southwest of Abuja, the federal capital, and is a prominent transit point between the coastal region and the areas to the north. Ibadan had been the centre of administration of the old Western Region since the days of the British colonial rule, and parts of the city's ancient protective walls still stand to this day. The principal inhabitants of the city are the Yorubas.
History
Ibadan came into existence in 1829. According to local historians, Lagelu, the Jagun (commander-in-chief) of Ife and Yoruba's generalissimo, left Ile Ife with a handful of people from Ife, Oyo and Ijebu to found a new city, Eba Odan, which literally means 'between the forest and plains.' According to HRH Sir Isaac Babalola Akinyele, the late Olubadan (king) of Ibadan (Olu Ibadan means Lord of Ibadan), in his authoritative book on the history of Ibadan, Iwe Itan Ibadan, printed in 1911, the first city was destroyed due to an incident at an Egungun (masquerade) festival when an Egungun was accidentally disrobed and derisively mocked by women and children in an open marketplace full of people. In Yorubaland, it was an abomination for women to look an Egungun in the eye because the Egunguns were considered to be the dead forefathers who returned to the earth each year to bless their progeny. When the news reached Sango, the then Alaafin of Oyo, he commanded that Eba Odan be destroyed for committing such abominable act.
Lagelu was by now an old, frail man; he could not stop the destruction of his city, but he and some of his people survived the attack and fled to a nearby hill for sanctuary. On the hill they survived by eating oro fruit and snails; later, they cultivated the land and made corn and millets into pap meals known as oori or eko, which they ate with roasted snails. They improvised a bit by using the snail shells to drink the liquefied eko. Ultimately, Lagelu and his people came down from the hill and founded another city called Eba'dan.
The new city instantly grew prosperous and became a commercial nerve centre. Shortly afterwards, Lagelu died, leaving behind a politically savvy people and a very stable community. The newly enthroned Olubadan made a friendly gesture to the Olowu of Owu by allowing Olowu to marry his only daughter, Nkan. Coming from a war campaign one day, the raging Odo Oba (River Oba) would not allow Olowu and his army to cross until a human sacrifice was performed to appease the angry river. The chosen sacrifice was Nkan. The Olubadan was infuriated at hearing of Nkan's death; he sent an emissary to inform the Alafin of Oyo. Yoruba kings and rulers such as Alake of Egba, Agura of Gbagura, Ooni of Ife, Awujale of Ijebu. Then the Olubadan sent his army to attack the powerful Olowu of Owu and defeated him. The Olowu committed suicide to escape being captured by the Ibadan army. The battle shattered the great Owu kingdom into pieces till today. Some of it remains in the mother town which is the present Orile-Owu in Osun State, while others are in Ogun State, known as Owu Abeokuta and etc.
A part of Ibadan was historically an Egba town. The Egba occupants were forced to leave the town and moved to present-day Abeokuta under the leadership of Sodeke as result of their disloyalty. Ibadan grew into an impressive and sprawling urban center so much that by the end of 1829, Ibadan dominated the Yorùbá region militarily, politically and economically. The military sanctuary expanded even further when refugees began arriving in large numbers from northern Oyo following raids by Fulani warriors. After losing the northern portion of their region to the marauding Fulanis, many Oyo indigenes retreated deeper into the Ibadan environs.
The Fulani Caliphate attempted to expand further into the southern region of modern-day Nigeria, but was decisively defeated by the armies of Ibadan in 1840.
Colonial Ibadan
In 1893 Ibadan area became a British Protectorate after a treaty signed by Fijabi, the Baale of Ibadan with the British acting Governor of Lagos, George C. Denton on 15 August. By then the population had swelled to 120,000. The British developed the new colony to facilitate their commercial activities in the area, and Ibadan shortly grew into the major trading center that it is today.
Education
The first university to be set up in Nigeria was the University of Ibadan. Established as a college of the University of London in 1948, and later converted into an autonomous university in 1962. It has the distinction of being one of the premier educational institutions in Africa. The Polytechnic, Ibadan is also located in the city. As at October, 2006, the university has a population of 13,823 undergraduate and 3,480 postgraduate students.
There are also numerous public and private primary and secondary schools located in the city. Other noteworthy institutions in the city include the University of Ibadan Teaching Hospital, also known as University College Hospital (UCH), which is the first teaching hospital in Nigeria; the internationally acclaimed International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA); the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research (NISER). Also the Cocoa Research Institute of Nigeria, the Nigerian Horticultural Research Institute (NIHORT), and the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), all under the auspices of the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria and the Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria.
Before the dissolution of the Western Region, Nigeria, Ibadan and its environs were the home of the most sophisticated and liberal scientific and cultural community on the continent of Africa, as personified by the immortalized Ibadan School of historiography.
In 1853, the first Europeans to settle in Ibadan, Reverend Hinderer and his wife, started Ibadan's first Western schools. They built churches and schools and the first two-storey building in Ibadan, which can still be found today at Kudeti. The first pupils to attend an elementary school in Ibadan were Yejide (female) and Akinyele (male) – the two children of an Ibadan high chief.
Transport
Ibadan has an airport, Ibadan Airport, and is served by the Ibadan railway station on the main railway line from Lagos to Kano. Poorly-maintained roads are particularly problematic in the rainy season. What are called interstate highways in the United States are called carriageways in Nigeria. There are not many miles of dual carriageways in Ibadan. The primary routes go from Ibadan to Lagos and to Benin City. Adding to the weather and terrain, roads typically have few or no speed limit signs or warning signs to alert the motorist of curves, hills, intersections or problems with the road itself such as large potholes or eroded road beds.
In-town transport comes in a variety of forms. Modes of transport include, taxis, taxi-vans commonly called danfos, private cars that are hired out by the day with a driver, personal family cars, scooters, and walking. All fares are negotiable depending upon the number in the party and the distance to be travelled. The average taxi is a small car, which seats four people and the driver. A danfo is a van, meanwhile, which seats seven people and the driver. This does not mean that more people will not be accommodated; often both taxis and danfos carry as many passengers as can squeeze into the vehicle. Danfos have an additional staff member. He is the "conductor," who arranges fare agreements and keeps track of delivery points. He is often to be seen holding onto the frame of the van while hanging out the door in order to locate potential fares. In December 2008 Governor Alao Akala Commissioned 55 brand new buses for interstate transport service which is to be used by Trans City Transport Company (TCTC) Eleyele, Ibadan with a promise to commence intracity transport service very early next year. in 2013 governor isiaka ajimobi also launched some long vehicle popularly called BRT to ease transportation in the city
Geography
Ibadan is located in southwestern Nigeria in the southeastern part of Oyo State about 120 km east of the border with the Republic of Benin in the forest zone close to the boundary between the forest and the savanna. The city ranges in elevation from 150 m in the valley area, to 275 m above sea level on the major north-south ridge which crosses the central part of the city. The city's total area is 1,190 sq mi (3,080 km2).
The city is naturally drained by four rivers with many tributaries: Ona River in the North and West; Ogbere River towards the East; Ogunpa River flowing through the city and Kudeti River in the Central part of the metropolis. Ogunpa River, a third-order stream with a channel length of 12.76 km and a catchment area of 54.92 km2.
Climate
Ibadan has a tropical wet and dry climate (Köppen climate classification Aw), with a lengthy wet season and relatively constant temperatures throughout the course of the year. Ibadan’s wet season runs from March through October, though August sees somewhat of a lull in precipitation. This lull nearly divides the wet season into two different wet seasons. November to February forms the city’s dry season, during which Ibadan experiences the typical West African harmattan. The mean total rainfall for Ibadan is 1420.06 mm, falling in approximately 109 days. There are two peaks for rainfall, June and September. The mean maximum temperature is 26.46 C, minimum 21.42 C and the relative humidity is 74.55%.
Administration
There are eleven (11) Local Governments in Ibadan Metropolitan area consisting of five urban local governments in the city and six semi-urban local governments in the less city. Local governments at present are institutions created by the military governments but recognised by the 1999 constitution and they are the third tiers of government in Nigeria. Local governments Councils consist of the Executive Arm made up of the Executive Chairman, the vice chairman, the secretary and the supervisory councilors.
Local government areas
Ibadan Urban
Ibadan North
Ibadan North-East
Ibadan North-West
Ibadan South-East
Ibadan South-West
Ibadan Semi-Urban
Akinyele
Egbeda
Ido
Lagelu
Ona Ara
Oluyole
Demography
Population
Until 1970, Ibadan was the largest city in sub-Saharan Africa. In 1952, it was estimated that the total area of the city was approximately 103.8 km2 However, only 36.2 km2 was built up. This meant that the remaining 67 km2 were devoted to non-urban uses, such as farmlands, river floodplains, forest reserves and water bodies. These “non-urban land uses” disappeared in the 1960s: an aerial photograph in 1973 revealed that the urban land-scape had completely spread over about 100 km2. The land area increased from 136 km2 in 1981 to 210–240 km2 in 1988-89 (Areola, 1994: 101). By the year 2000, it is estimated that Ibadan covered 400 km2. The growth of the built-up area during the second half of the 20th century (from 40 km2 in the 1950s to 250 km2 in the 1990s) shows clearly that there has been an underestimate of the total growth of the city. In the 1980s, the Ibadan-Lagos expressway generated the greatest urban sprawl (east and north of the city), followed by the Eleiyele expressway (west of the city). Since then, Ibadan city has spread further into the neighbouring local government areas of Akinyele and Egbeda in particular.
Cityscape
Monuments, landmarks and other locations
There is a museum in the building of the Institute of African Studies, which exhibits several remarkable pre-historic bronze carvings and statues. The city has several well stocked libraries, and is home to the first television station in Africa. Dugbe Market is the nerve centre of Ibadan's transport and trading network. The best method to move about the city is to use reference points and notable landmarks. The city also has a zoo located inside the University of Ibadan, and a botanical garden located at Agodi.
The Bower Memorial Tower to the east on Oke Aàre (Aare's Hill) ("Aare" in Yoruba means commander-in-chief or generalissimo), which can be seen from practically any point in the city; it also provides an excellent view of the whole city from the top. Another prominent landmark, Cocoa House, was the first skyscraper in Africa. It is one of the few skyscrapers in the city and is at the hub of Ibadan's commercial centre. Other attractions include Mapo Hall – the colonial style city hall – perched on top of a hill, "Oke Mapo," Mapo Hill ("oke" is hill in Yoruba), the Trans-Wonderland amusement park, the cultural centre Mokola and the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, a major stadium. The first citadel of higher learning, University of Ibadan (formerly the University College of Ibadan), the Obafemi Awolowo Hall in the university of Ibadan is said to be the tallest and largest hostel in west Africa. The first teaching hospital in Nigeria, University College Hospital, UCH, were both built in this ancient but, highly important city. Ibadan is also home to the legendary Shooting Stars FC – a professional Football Club. There are some good golf courses: the Ibadan Golf Club is a large 18-hole challenge and the Barracks course has just been extended to 18 holes. The most challenging and exclusive is the IITA Golf Club based on the 1,000 hectare premises of IITA.
Economy
With its strategic location on the non-operational railway line connecting Lagos to Kano, the city is a major center for trade in cassava, cocoa, cotton, timber, rubber, and palm oil. The main industries in the area include the processing of agricultural products; Tobacco processing and Cigarette (Manufacture); flour-milling, leather-working and furniture-making. There is abundance of clay, kaolin and aquamarine in its environs, and there are several cattle ranches, a dairy farm as well as a commercial abattoir in Ibadan.
Thursday, October 3, 2013
OBUDU CATTLE RANCH - CROSS RIVER STATE
Obudu Cattle Ranch
Obudu Cattle Ranch (now known as the Obudu Mountain Resort) is a ranch on the Obudu Plateau. It was developed in 1951 by Mr. McCaughley, a Scot who first explored the mountain ranges in 1949. He camped on the mountaintop of the Oshie Ridge on the Sankwala Mountains for a month before returning with Mr. Hugh Jones a fellow rancher who, in 1951, together with Dr Crawfeild developed the Obudu Cattle Ranch. Although the ranch has been through troubles since, it has very recently been rehabilitated to its former glory.
Location
The Obudu Cattle Ranch known presently as the Obudu Mountain Resort is found on the Obudu Plateau close to the Cameroon Border in the North Eastern part of Cross River State of Nigeria, approximately 110 km east of the town of Ogoja and 65 km from the town of Obudu in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State. It is about 30 minutes drive from Obudu town and is about 332 km drive from Calabar,the Cross River State capital.
Climate of The Ranch
The climate on the obudu cattle ranch is the semi-temperate mountain climate, which is the general weather condition experienced on the obudu plateau due to its altitude.
Tourism
The ranch has in recent times seen an influx of tourist both Nigerian and international tourist because of the development of tourist facilities in the ranch by Cross-River State Government which has turned the ranch into one of the well known holiday and tourist resort centers in Nigeria.
Obudu Cattle Ranch (now known as the Obudu Mountain Resort) is a ranch on the Obudu Plateau. It was developed in 1951 by Mr. McCaughley, a Scot who first explored the mountain ranges in 1949. He camped on the mountaintop of the Oshie Ridge on the Sankwala Mountains for a month before returning with Mr. Hugh Jones a fellow rancher who, in 1951, together with Dr Crawfeild developed the Obudu Cattle Ranch. Although the ranch has been through troubles since, it has very recently been rehabilitated to its former glory.
Location
The Obudu Cattle Ranch known presently as the Obudu Mountain Resort is found on the Obudu Plateau close to the Cameroon Border in the North Eastern part of Cross River State of Nigeria, approximately 110 km east of the town of Ogoja and 65 km from the town of Obudu in Obanliku Local Government Area of Cross River State. It is about 30 minutes drive from Obudu town and is about 332 km drive from Calabar,the Cross River State capital.
Climate of The Ranch
The climate on the obudu cattle ranch is the semi-temperate mountain climate, which is the general weather condition experienced on the obudu plateau due to its altitude.
Tourism
The ranch has in recent times seen an influx of tourist both Nigerian and international tourist because of the development of tourist facilities in the ranch by Cross-River State Government which has turned the ranch into one of the well known holiday and tourist resort centers in Nigeria.
NIGER STATE - The Power State
Niger State is a state in North Western Nigeria and the largest state in the country. The state capital is Minna, and other major cities are Bida, Kontagora, and Suleja. It was formed in 1976 when the then North-Western State was bifurcated into Niger State and Sokoto State. The state is named for the River Niger. Two of Nigeria's major hydroelectric power stations, the Kainji Dam and the Shiroro Dam, are located in Niger State; also situated there is Kainji National Park, the largest National Park of Nigeria, which contains Kainji Lake, the Borgu Game Reserve and the Zugurma Game Reserve.
GOVERNMENT
Like the majority of Nigerian states, it is governed by a Governor and a House of Assembly. Under the administration of Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu on 13 January 2007, the state has adopted sharia law as the code of law.
ADMINSTRATIVE SUBDIVISIONS
Niger State is divided into 25 Local Government Areas.
Agaie LGA
Agwara LGA
Bida LGA
Borgu LGA
Bosso LGA
Chanchaga LGA
Edati LGA
Gbako LGA
Gurara LGA
Katcha LGA
Kontagora LGA
Lapai LGA
Lavun LGA
Magama LGA
Mariga LGA
Mashegu LGA
Mokwa LGA
Munya LGA
Paikoro LGA
Rafi LGA
Rijau LGA
Shiroro LGA
Suleja LGA
Tafa LGA
Wushishi LGA
KAINJI DAM
The Kainji Dam is situated in the south of Niger State and generates power for most towns in Nigeria. It was built from 1964 to 1968 and cost about 209 million dollars, a quarter of which was used to delocate the original population. Together with a smaller dam for a minor stream, it is 10 km long and 65 m high in the middle. It has a capacity of 12 turbines producing a total of 960 MW, but only 8 were installed, producing 760 MW. Part of the production is sold to the neighbouring country of Niger.
GURARA FALLS
Geographically located in Niger State on the road between Suleja and Minna, the waterfalls span 200 meters across with a sheer drop of 30 meters. Gurara river is a large tributary of river Niger and it’s always in full spate during the rain seasons. Apparently in January the falls are a trickle and visitors can swim in clear pools at the bottom of the falls. Visitors can take a day trip to the gushing Gurara waterfalls – an hour drive out of the city of Abuja. At Gurara, small streams diverted from the main Gurara river running softly around rocks on top of the cliff, converging from scores tributaries in the narrow rugged pass and dashing out from the cliff with almighty power. Finally, the water, shining under the sun, as beautiful as fireworks, fall into a pond some 20 meters below before returning to tranquility. There are two main streams of waterfalls, but in the rainy season, the whole cliff would be covered with a curtain of waterfalls. To get close to the waterfalls, visitors need to make a daring walk. There is an ongoing plan to turn the waterfall area into a tourism resort and there were already investors showing interest in the project. Construction of a five-star hotel is also on the agenda. Apart from the spectacular view of the waterfall, Gurara is also a pretty good place for birdwatching.
KAINJI LAKE
Kainji Lake, in western Nigeria, is a reservoir on the Niger River, formed by the Kainji Dam. It was formed in 1968 and is a part of Niger State and Kebbi State. Kainji Lake National Park (KNLP), situated around the lake, is Nigeria's oldest National Park, established in 1976.
National Park
Kainji Lake National Park (KNLP) (headquarters Wawa) is situated 560 km north of Lagos, close to the border with the Republic of Benin. It comprises two sectors, Borgu Game Reserve and Zugurma Game Reserve, which are separated by Kainji Lake. The game reserves have abundant wildlife, including baboons, duikers, hippopotamuses, hyenas, kobs, roans, and warthogs. Only the Borgu (western) sector is currently used for tourism; the Zugurma (eastern) sector lacks infrastructure, including access roads. The topography of the park is gently undulating with a general decrease in elevation from west to east. The Borgu sector is drained mainly by the Oli, Timo and Doro rivers and their tributaries, while the Zugurma sector is drained by the Maingyara and Nuwa Tizururu rivers. The vegetation of the park is typical of the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, although in some areas it appears more Sahelian. Riparian forests occur on the banks of the larger watercourses.
Borgu Game Reserve
The Borgu Game Reserve is a section of the Kainji National Park, in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. It is bordered on the east by Kainji Lake and reaches almost to the border with Benin to the west, covering 397,002 hectares (981,010 acres).
Zugurma Game Reserve
The Zugurma Game Reserve is a section of the Kainji National Park, in the Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. It is bordered by the Kontagora River to the northwest and the Manyara River to the north, and covers an area of 138,500 hectares. The reserve consists of a low plateau with gradually sloping sides forming an east to west watershed. It is poorly drained, with no tributaries running into the Manyara River, and with the Yampere and Lanser rivers running only seasonally. The vegetation is typically Guinea savanna woodland, but has been badly over-grazed except for riparian forests along the Manyara River and other water holes. The reserve has received virtually no research attention and it was amalgamated with the Borgu Game Reserve in 1975 to form the Kainji Lake National Park.
CONSERVATIVE ISSUES
Although the area around the park has a relatively low population density, numerous human activities adversely affect the park. These include deforestation, uncontrolled burning and illegal grazing and are particularly prevalent in the Zugurma sector. Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.
GOVERNMENT
Like the majority of Nigerian states, it is governed by a Governor and a House of Assembly. Under the administration of Mu'azu Babangida Aliyu on 13 January 2007, the state has adopted sharia law as the code of law.
ADMINSTRATIVE SUBDIVISIONS
Niger State is divided into 25 Local Government Areas.
Agaie LGA
Agwara LGA
Bida LGA
Borgu LGA
Bosso LGA
Chanchaga LGA
Edati LGA
Gbako LGA
Gurara LGA
Katcha LGA
Kontagora LGA
Lapai LGA
Lavun LGA
Magama LGA
Mariga LGA
Mashegu LGA
Mokwa LGA
Munya LGA
Paikoro LGA
Rafi LGA
Rijau LGA
Shiroro LGA
Suleja LGA
Tafa LGA
Wushishi LGA
KAINJI DAM
The Kainji Dam is situated in the south of Niger State and generates power for most towns in Nigeria. It was built from 1964 to 1968 and cost about 209 million dollars, a quarter of which was used to delocate the original population. Together with a smaller dam for a minor stream, it is 10 km long and 65 m high in the middle. It has a capacity of 12 turbines producing a total of 960 MW, but only 8 were installed, producing 760 MW. Part of the production is sold to the neighbouring country of Niger.
GURARA FALLS
Geographically located in Niger State on the road between Suleja and Minna, the waterfalls span 200 meters across with a sheer drop of 30 meters. Gurara river is a large tributary of river Niger and it’s always in full spate during the rain seasons. Apparently in January the falls are a trickle and visitors can swim in clear pools at the bottom of the falls. Visitors can take a day trip to the gushing Gurara waterfalls – an hour drive out of the city of Abuja. At Gurara, small streams diverted from the main Gurara river running softly around rocks on top of the cliff, converging from scores tributaries in the narrow rugged pass and dashing out from the cliff with almighty power. Finally, the water, shining under the sun, as beautiful as fireworks, fall into a pond some 20 meters below before returning to tranquility. There are two main streams of waterfalls, but in the rainy season, the whole cliff would be covered with a curtain of waterfalls. To get close to the waterfalls, visitors need to make a daring walk. There is an ongoing plan to turn the waterfall area into a tourism resort and there were already investors showing interest in the project. Construction of a five-star hotel is also on the agenda. Apart from the spectacular view of the waterfall, Gurara is also a pretty good place for birdwatching.
KAINJI LAKE
Kainji Lake, in western Nigeria, is a reservoir on the Niger River, formed by the Kainji Dam. It was formed in 1968 and is a part of Niger State and Kebbi State. Kainji Lake National Park (KNLP), situated around the lake, is Nigeria's oldest National Park, established in 1976.
National Park
Kainji Lake National Park (KNLP) (headquarters Wawa) is situated 560 km north of Lagos, close to the border with the Republic of Benin. It comprises two sectors, Borgu Game Reserve and Zugurma Game Reserve, which are separated by Kainji Lake. The game reserves have abundant wildlife, including baboons, duikers, hippopotamuses, hyenas, kobs, roans, and warthogs. Only the Borgu (western) sector is currently used for tourism; the Zugurma (eastern) sector lacks infrastructure, including access roads. The topography of the park is gently undulating with a general decrease in elevation from west to east. The Borgu sector is drained mainly by the Oli, Timo and Doro rivers and their tributaries, while the Zugurma sector is drained by the Maingyara and Nuwa Tizururu rivers. The vegetation of the park is typical of the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic, although in some areas it appears more Sahelian. Riparian forests occur on the banks of the larger watercourses.
Borgu Game Reserve
The Borgu Game Reserve is a section of the Kainji National Park, in the Borgu Local Government Area of Niger State and Baruten Local Government Area of Kwara State, Nigeria. It is bordered on the east by Kainji Lake and reaches almost to the border with Benin to the west, covering 397,002 hectares (981,010 acres).
Zugurma Game Reserve
The Zugurma Game Reserve is a section of the Kainji National Park, in the Mariga Local Government Area of Niger State, Nigeria. It is bordered by the Kontagora River to the northwest and the Manyara River to the north, and covers an area of 138,500 hectares. The reserve consists of a low plateau with gradually sloping sides forming an east to west watershed. It is poorly drained, with no tributaries running into the Manyara River, and with the Yampere and Lanser rivers running only seasonally. The vegetation is typically Guinea savanna woodland, but has been badly over-grazed except for riparian forests along the Manyara River and other water holes. The reserve has received virtually no research attention and it was amalgamated with the Borgu Game Reserve in 1975 to form the Kainji Lake National Park.
CONSERVATIVE ISSUES
Although the area around the park has a relatively low population density, numerous human activities adversely affect the park. These include deforestation, uncontrolled burning and illegal grazing and are particularly prevalent in the Zugurma sector. Wild mammals occur at relatively low densities due to illegal hunting. Lake Kainji has suffered a dramatic decline as a fishery due to the high numbers of artisanal and subsistence fisherfolk using the lake. It has been suggested that a period of closure, together with controlled fishing rights may help improve fish stocks.
Monday, September 30, 2013
YOLA THE CAPITAL CITY OF ADAMAWA STATE
Yola
Yola is the capital city and administrative center of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Located on the Benue River, it has a population of 88,500. Established in 1841, Yola was the capital of the Laka people until it was taken by the British in 1901. Daytime temperatures can easily exceed 40 °C (104.0 °F) during the dry season (April/May).
Yola is split into two parts. The old town of Yola where the Lamido resides is the traditional city but the new city of Jimeta (about 5 km NW) is the administrative and commercial centre. Generally the term Yola is now used to mean both. To the north are the Mandara Mountains and the south are the Shebshi Mountains with Dimlang (Vogel) Peak the second highest point (2,042 m) in Nigeria after Chappal Waddi (mountain of death). Yola is an access point for Gashaka Gumpti Nature Reserve and the Mambilla Plateau. Established in 1841, Yola was the capital of a Fulani state until it was taken over by the British in 1901. Today, it is the capital of Adamawa State, which was formed in 1991 from part of Gongola State. Modibbo Adama, a local chief of the Fulani, founded Yola in 1841. Yola is the first airport in Nigeria as well as first town to have electricity.
During the Islamic Jihad movement led by Shehu Usman Dan Fodio in the early 19th Century, Modibbo Adama was recognised as a learned Muslim who could lead the people in the Upper Benue area. Modibbo is the Fulani word for Professor.
Probably the first European to visit the area was Heinrich Barth in 1849, shortly after Yola was founded. He travelled by the Sahara route, coming through Kukawa, which at the time was the capital of Borno. Jimeta has a market, zoo, an airport with direct flights to Saudi Arabia, NIPOST and NITEL offices as well as the main mosque and cathedral. Being a state capital it is a major transport hub with buses and taxis heading north to Mubi and Maiduguri, west to Numan, Gombe and Bauchi and south to Makurdi and Katsina. Taxis are available to Garoua in Cameroon. There is an airport with regular flights to Abuja and Lagos. There is also a State Polytechnic and the Modibbo Adama University of Technology Yola (FUTY) is based about 10 km north on the road to Mubi and other educational institutions. Adamawa has one of the best NNPC depots in Nigeria, located about 5 km west on the road to Numan.
The Yola-Jimeta Metropolis is home to the American style private university called American University of Nigeria, and schools, both primary and secondary, such as Federal Government Girls College, ABTI Academy, Ahmadu Ribadu College, Kay Academy (then Kay nursery school), University Secondary School FUT and Concordia College (which was nominated as the best post primary school of the year 2007 by the National Association of Nigerian Students).
The Yola-Jimeta Metropolis is home to the American style private university called American University of Nigeria, and schools, both primary and secondary, such as Federal Government Girls College, ABTI Academy, Ahmadu Ribadu College, Kay Academy (then Kay nursery school), University Secondary School FUT and Concordia College (which was nominated as the best post primary school of the year 2007 by the National Association of Nigerian Students).
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)