Land and People of Nigeria (Historical Geography of Nigeria) Lesson Note

Nigeria is a country in West Africa with a rich history and diverse geographical features. The land, climate, rivers, vegetation, and location of different areas influenced where people settled, their occupations, culture, political organisation, and relationships with one another. The study of these geographical factors in relation to the past is known as historical geography.

Historical geography is the study of how geographical features and the environment have influenced human activities and historical development over time.

*It examines such things as:

*Location and boundaries of places

*Rivers, mountains and plains

*Climate and vegetation

*Population and settlement

*Economic activities

*Movement and migration of people

Nigeria is located in West Africa. It lies approximately between latitudes 4°N and 14°N and longitudes 3°E and 15°E.

Nigeria is bordered by:

*Niger Republic to the north

*Chad to the north-east

*Cameroon to the east

*Benin Republic to the west

*Atlantic Ocean/Gulf of Guinea to the south

*Nigeria has a long coastline along the Atlantic Ocean.

The major rivers are the River Niger and River Benue. They meet at Lokoja and continue towards the Niger Delta.

Other important rivers include: Kaduna, Sokoto, Cross River, Ogun and Osun

Historical importance of rivers:

Nigeria has several highland areas, including: Jos Plateau, Adamawa Highlands, Obudu, Plateau and Mandara Mountains

These areas influenced settlement, farming, defence, and cultural development.

Large parts of Nigeria consist of plains and lowlands. These areas provided suitable conditions for farming and settlement.

The Niger-Benue trough, for example, has historically served as an important area of human settlement and interaction.

Nigeria has different vegetation zones because of variations in rainfall and climate.

This is mainly found around the Niger Delta and coastal areas.

Features:

*Very wet environment

*Numerous rivers and creeks

* Mangrove forests

Major occupations: fishing, canoe transport, farming and trading.

This is found mainly in southern Nigeria.

Features:

*Heavy rainfall

*Dense forests

*Tall trees

Economic activities: farming, hunting, gathering, timber production and trading.

This vegetation occurs in parts of southern and central Nigeria.

It developed in areas where much of the original forest had been cleared through farming and other human activities.

This covers a large part of central Nigeria.

Features:

*Tall grasses

*Scattered trees

*Moderate rainfall

Major occupations: farming, livestock rearing, hunting and trading.

This is mainly found in northern Nigeria.

Features:

*Shorter grasses

*Fewer trees

*Relatively dry conditions

Major occupations: farming, livestock rearing and trade.

This occurs in the extreme northern part of Nigeria.

It has very low rainfall and sparse vegetation. People traditionally engage in activities such as livestock rearing, farming where possible, and trade.

Nigeria generally experiences a tropical climate, but conditions vary from the south to the north.

*The south generally receives more rainfall.

*The north is generally hotter and drier.

*The rainy season is usually longer in the south.

*The dry season is more pronounced in the north.

*These climatic differences influenced the occupations and settlement patterns of different Nigerian communities.

Nigeria is a multi-ethnic country. Some of the major ethnic groups include:

*Hausa-Fulani – mainly in northern Nigeria

*Yoruba – mainly in south-western Nigeria

*Igbo – mainly in south-eastern Nigeria

*Ijaw – mainly in the Niger Delta

*Kanuri – mainly around the north-east

*Tiv – mainly in parts of the Middle Belt

*Edo/Bini – mainly in Edo State

*Nupe – mainly around the Niger-Benue region

*Ibibio – mainly in south-eastern Nigeria

*Efik – mainly around Cross River and neighbouring areas

There are also many other ethnic groups and communities.

People tended to settle where there was access to water, fertile land, security and favourable climate.

The environment influenced people’s occupations. For example:

*Riverine communities engaged heavily in fishing.

*People in fertile areas practiced farming.

*Communities in the savannah practiced farming and livestock rearing.

*Forest communities engaged in hunting, farming and forest-product gathering.

Rivers, roads and natural routes encouraged trade between communities. Towns located along major trade routes often developed into important commercial centres.

People moved from one area to another because of factors such as search for fertile land, trade, security, political conflicts, population pressure and environmental conditions.

Geographical conditions influenced the development of different political systems. Some communities developed large centralised states, while others organised themselves into smaller communities or groups.

The environment contributed to differences in food, clothing, occupations, housing, festivals and other aspects of culture.

The study helps students to:

Conclusion

The land and geographical environment of Nigeria played an important role in shaping the history of its people. Rivers, mountains, vegetation, climate and fertile lands influenced settlement, migration, occupations, trade, political organisation and cultural development. Therefore, understanding Nigeria’s historical geography is essential to understanding the history of the country.