Introduction to Geography

• Geography significantly determines a country's territorial strength, borders, resource allocation, policy, and foreign relations.
• Geography defines state behavior internationally, considering environment, territory, size, location, population, and resources.
• It influences settlement, occupation, culture, and human adaptation to surroundings.

What is Geography?

• It is the study of Earth's diverse environments, places, spaces, and human interactions.
• The term originates from Greek words "geo" (earth) and "graphein" (to write/study).
• Geography means studying or writing about the earth.
• Eratosthenes, a Greek geographer, first used the term in 240 BC, earning him the title "father of geography."
• Geography is the scientific study of Earth's surface, features, climate, and human impact, including population distribution, resources, and political/economic activities.
• It is the chorological science of Earth, examining areas and places for differences and spatial relationships.
• Geography interprets the distribution of facts and explores the relationship between humans and the physical environment.

Branches of Geography

• Physical geography studies Earth's natural environment through atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and lithosphere, landforms, climate, etc.
• Human geography examines human-environment interaction and its impact.

Geography of Nigeria: An Overview

• Nigeria is the most populous African nation, located in West Africa, with over 200 million residents.
• Borders: Niger and Chad (North), Benin (West), Cameroon (East), Gulf of Guinea and Atlantic Ocean (South)
• Nigeria is known as the "Giant of West Africa" due to its size, population, and political presence.
• Nigeria is named after the River Niger.
• It was formerly known as Niger Area before becoming Nigeria.
• The name was given by British journalist, Floral Shaw.
• The amalgamation of the Southern and Northern Protectorates in 1914 marked Nigeria's official establishment and start of British colonial rule.
• Abuja is the capital city.
• Nigeria is divided into 36 states and 6 geopolitical zones:
  • South-West: Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos
  • South-East: Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Imo
  • South-South: Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta
  • North-West: Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Sokoto, Kebbi, Kastina, Jigawa
  • North-East: Bornu, Bauchi, Gombe, Adamawa, Yobe, Taraba
  • North-Central: Kogi, Kwara, Plateau, Niger, Benue, Nasarawa
• The nation features over 500 ethnic groups speaking diverse dialects and practicing variant cultures.
• Major ethnic groups include Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.

Environment

• Its cultural environment is reflected in customs, traditions, values, language, food, dressing, and art.
• Nigeria is identified as a religious state.
• The people express their beliefs through Christianity, Islam, and Traditional Religion.
• Nigeria experiences the wet (rainy) and dry (harmattan) seasons which vary in length/intensity regionally.
• The dry season lasts from December to March.
• The wet season lasts from April to November, featuring a short period without downpour in August (August break).
• Climatic conditions are comparatively favorable compared to regions like Europe.

Vegetation

• Vegetation varies regionally with climate.
• Rainfall distribution and high altitude, wind, etc, also play a part.
• The main vegetation belts include Forest and Savannah.
• Forests have closely growing trees forming a canopy.
• Savannahs consist of grassland with scattered trees.
• Forest vegetation is mainly in southern Nigeria.
• Savannah vegetation is mainly in northern Nigeria.
• Forests subdivide into Mangrove/Swampy and Tropical Rain Forests.
• Savannahs subdivide into Guinea, Sudan, and Sahel types.

Mangrove/Swampy Forests

• This belt is ecologically sensitive with wetlands, creeks, lagoons, waterways, and deltas.
• The region is known as the Niger Delta.
• The Niger Delta represents the coastal state with oil rivers.
• It is the third-largest delta worldwide, and the largest in Africa.
• Trees grow close together.
• Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers contain 80% of this vegetation and the remaining 20% spreads across other regions.

Mangrove/Swampy People

• Decentralized government existed in the pre-colonial period.
• Society comprised village groups and clans with a council of elders.
• The Itsekiri Kingdom was an example of a kingdom.
• Ethnic groups include Ijaw, Iteskiri, Efik, Urohbo, Isoko, and Ibibio.
• The region includes the South-South geopolitical zone.
• Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Rivers, Bayelsa, and Delta states (except Edo).
• The Niger Delta economy has revolved around oil production.
• People engage in fishing, arable farming, and planting crops.
• Crops planted includes: yam, cassava, oil palm, raffia palm, and coconut.
• River topography causes frequent water transport.
• Forest accessibility allows canoe construction for transportation and fishing.
• In addition to fishing and farming, the people engage in wood carving, salt production, pottery, and weaving.
• Aboh was notable for cloth weaving.
• People's beliefs in the supernatural affect worship.
• Both men and women tie wrappers.
• The men wear wrappers, embroidered shirts, and hats after European contact.
• Crude oil discoveries have altered culture, causing environmental/ecological disaster.

Tropical Rain Forest

• It is known as the Lowland Rainforest Zone.
• This belt covers southwestern Nigeria (Oyo, Osun, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos states) and southeastern Nigeria (Enugu, Anambra, Abia, Ebonyi, Imo states) and parts of Edo state.
• Tropical forests has supporting numerous species and high regeneration ability.
• Economic trees include Iroko, Mahogany, Timber, African Teak, Obeche, and Bamboo.
• In this region include; Yoruba, Igbo, Edo, Esan, Owan, Estako, Emai and Ika
• Socio-cultural groups in this region believe in a supreme being.
• Supreme beings are called Olodumare (Yoruba) Chukwu (Igbo,) and Osanobua (Edo).
• The people assesses the supreme being through lesser deities.
• Forest presence allowed carving of deity figurines.
• Deity worship was affected by occupation.
• The hunters worshipped Ogun (god of iron).
• Government was centralized/decentralized.
• Yoruba and Edo practiced centralization (monarchy).
• Igbo adopted decentralization of government (council of elders led by senior-Okpara).
• People engage in arable farming of food crops and cash crops.
• Pastoral farming involvement was low like northern Nigeria.
• Men engage in hunting bush meat for livelihood.

Guinea Savannah

• It is now referred to as North-central: also found in present-day Adamawa and Taraba states.
• Characterized as stable vegetation with annual rainfall of 1000-1500mm for 6-8 months (March-October).
• Nigeria is inhabited by the Idoma, Igala, Igbira, Birom, Igala, Okun Yoruba, Bunu, Tiv, Koto, Nupe, Gwari, Jukun, Anok, and others present day Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Benue, Plateau Nasarawa, Adamawa and Taraba states.
• The tribes reflect their cultures.
• The presence of river Niger and Benue increases soil fertility.
• The Niger/Benue enabled the indigenous people into farming
• They planted; yam, cassava, potatoes, millet, guinea corn, and shea butter
• The river presence enables fishing.

Sudan Savannah

• It is the dominant in Nigeria's northern part.
• It stretches from Sokoto Plains through the Northern section of the High Plains of Nigeria to Chad Basin.
• Its core is the northern states of Sokoto, Kano, Kaduna, Bauchi, Gombe, and Bornu.
• This region is indigenous to Hausa and Kanuri people.
• Characterized by short 1-2mm grasses.
• It experiences annual rainfall between 600-1000mm.
• The topography experiences seasonal fire which encourages fire-resistance.
• High rainfall variability leads to soil erosion/drought affecting agricultural production.
• People in this area adopted irrigation.
• The soil encourages grain crops and rearing of livestock.
• The sandy soil cultivates Millet, guinea corn, sorghum, beans, maize and groundnut.
• The sandy terraces cultivate crops of tobacco, cotton, cassava, and onion.
• The production of leather works, perfumery, and mat making.

Sahel Savannah

• The northeastern and northwestern part of the country in which the Sahara desert borders sits its north.
• The savannah borders its south.
• This region is typified by short and tussocky grass/trees that are 4-9mm in height.
• The annual rainfall between is 100-200mm mostly in June, July, and August and with a exceeding 8 months.
• The climatic condition is characterized semi-arid.
• The inhabitants consist of the Fulani, Hausa, Kanuri, Bororo and minority groups.
• Agriculture is practiced with significant reliance on livestock.
• The topography causes pastoral farmers to move by searching for growing fields.
• Arable farming employs irrigation from Lake Chad which is now depleting which negatively impacts farmlands.
• Engages in; mat weaving, pot making, and calabash decoration.
• The Sahel population had early contact with the Arabs who introduced Islam.

Precolonial Africa

• Viewed by the Eurocentric as a continent not organized, lacked history, civilization, barbaric with people bent on killing to eliminate one another.
• The Europeans believed that Africans could only become civilized by colonizing the African people by whites.
• Eurocentricism gave rise to Afro centrism.
• Africans history viewed with an african perspective.
• Africans had cultures and ways of civilization prior to contact white man.
• The Yoruba society occupied the are of southwestern Nigeria and believed to be the descendants of Oduduwa.
• The political units were based towns were kingdoms.
• Kingdoms consisted with capital and subordinate towns.
• Levels of government was monarchical which was lead by "Oba".
• The Oba wore usually wore a gown.
• The Baale “Father of the Land” was for areas not entitled to wear a crown.
• Functions of Oba and Baale was similar.
• Specific Oba's town held the specific title.
• Oba had possessions of absolute power.
• Possessions are; Oba Alase and Ekeji Orisa meaning “King, ruler and companion gods”.
• Referred to the Oba as, Kabiyesi "meaning there is no questioning of your authority".
• Oba truism had the power of life and death.
• Oba are not an absolute ruler.
• He would arrest, punish people without due process but with justification.
• The council was known as, "Igbimo”.
• Oyo was called, Oyo-Mesi, Ijebu-Ode were called, Ilamuren and Egba were called, Ogboni and Ife, Ijesa and Ondo were called, Iware.
• Senior chiefs who were representatives.
• Members were required if the town was apart of some towns.
• The oba had the duty to consult with the Igbimo.
• The Oba could not make and take away any laws without consulting.
• The Oba could get autocratic and rise against him.
• Defence of the kingdom was in the hands of Aare Ona Kakanfo.
• The precolonial system was complex which allowed for checks and balances.
• The Igbo people: lived in the southeastern region.
• They possessed the belief of originating from the East because of circumcision.
• Other believed always lived there
• They were decentralised
• Government system existed at the kingship level.
• The family which consists of the Father, Mother and their children was the smallest political unit.
• Extended family - ( man, his wife(wives), children, brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties.
• The kindred lineage - made up of different extended families with common ancestry
• The Town
• The elders in the various levels mentioned held a prominent roles.
• The town levels had a council of elders made up of the oldest men from the constituent kindreds.
• The council usually held private sessions, which took decisions.
• The town level was made of various levels which sent representatives.
• This level made sure that consultation was carried out
• The Age Grade/ Ozo title society, played a significant role in political administration.
• Youths acted like soldiers and were the army which were drawn from grades,

The Hausa

• They occupied the northern region, and were a mix of racial tribal and nomadic berbers.
• Islam as a result of the jihad Dan Fodio in 1804.
• Culture was African that had councils and worshipped the kings.
• Governance according to the people of Muslim descent was unislamic.
• Reasons led to Dan Fodio to lead the Jihad, which lead to the Sharia code coming to existence.
• Usman Dan Fodio divided the caliphate system the western Emirates,which had Abdullahi his brother to take charge of and the eastern emirate which he gave charge to Bello.
• Sokoto was the headquarters of the eastern emirates.
• The kalifa assigned a wazir who would act him his behalf over matters of appointment.
• appeals from the emirates went to Sokoto because of the Kofa.

Economy during the Precolonial Period

• Economy was Dynamic.
• Nigeria was known to engage in economic activities. Nature and extent were influenced by geographical variations.
• The North -Cereals, groundnuts, cotton, cattle and hides -The south produced- Kolanuts, palm oil and palm kernel
• Agricultural products, non-agricultural products and distribution of products. Equipment that used were crude. Crop rotation mixed farming was techniques that were employed.
• In Borno - Sweet potato /Beans. In Sokoto Rice/ Corn/ Onion.
• The Non food crops - cotton/tobacco indigo.
• Yoruaba had local text tile. Hausa was with leather text. Nigeria text products competitor. Macgregor Laird experienced the Anti Industrial Cloth.

Savannah

• The savanna was found to be the source of leather production. Other goods was traded exported and reexported various other nations.
• Bida glass industry. Igbo, cutlery. Cooking materials was also. Precolonial diversified. -Ebirra/ Bauchi supplied people.
• Nupe was point for economy.
• Most items were from.

Pre Colinal Econ Constraint

• Capital transport communication and crude technology.
• the traditional functions.
• Nigeria communities were attractive.
• Describes as Subsistence the economy had a lot of diversification.
• all economic from civility to one other.
• Trade and production took the needs.

Colonial Economy

• revolution legitimate.
• The abolition.
• The slave labor and raw products.
• Africans in 19th cotton shea butter and Banana's.
• Trade in Stable. Not money to the Africans. But more to the English men.
• Britain.
• The people maintained labor.
• The introduced social and physical infrastructure.
• New group.
• The economic depression which Germany, France and US, led to partition to the Europe.

Post Colonial Economy

• 1960-1969 was Pre Petroleumn
• Continued the the retained board the Exploition.
• Agricultural research.

Post Colonial Economy (2

• There wasn't industrial sector Colonial didn't help.
• Critic the author of this issue.
• The politicians began to get criticized
• Industry symbol.
• Governer.ment accompanied. Nigeria potiential overseas. Over generous
• Institutions.

Nigerian Governement

• Government realized supply.
• Government emerged. the electricity.
• NEPA - The power.
• NEPA supplied.

Traitional Festivals in Nigeria

• Festicals days for merry for groups observed significant aspects.
• Aspect observed.
• Heroes etc. Celebrated communitys
• Preserves heritage.
• Dances ,etc
• Heritage celebration.
• Solidarity

Osun Oshogbo festivals

• August
• Last two week
• Celebrates founder
• Osum the river godess