Lokoja | |
---|---|
LGA and city | |
Nickname(s): The Pittsburgh of Africa, The Confluence Town | |
Coordinates: 07°48′07″N06°44′39″E / 7.80194°N 6.74417°E | |
Country | Nigeria |
State | Kogi State |
Area | |
• Total | 1,230 sq mi (3,180 km2) |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 692,050 [1] |
Time zone | UTC+1 (WAT) |
Climate | Aw |
Lokoja is a north-central city in Nigeria. [2] It lies at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers and is the capital city of Kogi State. [3] While the Yoruba (Oworo), Bassa Nge and Nupe [4] are indigenous to the area, other ethnic groups, including the Kupa-Nupe, Hausa, Ebira, Igala, Igbo, Bini/Edo, and Tiv [4] have recently established themselves. Lokoja is projected to be the third fastest growing city on the African continent between 2020 and 2025, with a 5.93% growth rate. [5] [6] It was listed as a second class township by the 1917 township ordinance of the colonial administration, indicating that Lokoja is an old city. [7]
Different ethnic groups lay claim to having named the city.
The area that would become Lokoja has been inhabited for hundreds of years by people from different ethnic groups prior to the arrival of Europeans. The migrations of these groups to the area could be in part accounted for by its nearness to the banks of the Niger and Benue rivers. Some of the first groups of people to settle in Lokoja were the Nupe groups from Gbara near Bida. The Kupa and Kakandas said to have migrated downstream the Niger from the town of Baro and other parts of present-day Niger State to the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, Oworo people/Yoruba from Ile-Ife joined in later. [6] This area eventually became a center of trade. [9]
The Nupe and Zazzau emirs historically appointed the Hausas as political leaders, while the Nupe filled the position of religious leader as chief imam of Lokoja. Lokoja was ruled by the following Maigari of Lokoja (Hamza, Dauda, Musa, Muhammadu Maikarfi). The British then installed a Muslim convert called Bukar (originally named Abigel), who designated his residence at Yaragi Madabo Junction of Lokoja as the new Lokoja palace. In time, the position fell to Alhaji Yahaya Muhammadu Maikarfi, and after his demise, Alhaji Kabiru, his son, succeeded him. The people sustained themselves by engaging in farming and hunting activities at Agbaja hill. Lokoja has an abundance of hills which were popular for hunting. At Mount Patti ("Patti" being the Nupe word for hill), there is a tree where the names of hunters were recorded in Ajami and Latin script. When Dr William Balfour Baikie arrived at Lokoja first in 1854 and later in 1857, he played a role in encouraging the outward movement of the people from their hilly settlements. He did this by influencing Muhammadu Maikarfi, then the Maigari of Lokoja. Muhammudu Maikarfi was then succeeded by Abigel (who converted to Islam and was renamed Bukar), who was widely seen as a stooge of the British. [10]
The Bassa-Nges believe that they settled at the foot of Mount Patti when they came into Lokoja, before later moving again and migrating to settle across the Benue, just to the north of the Igalas. These different groups lived in different quarters of the town but were closely related socio-politically. They interacted freely and tolerated one another. Present day Lokoja is ruled by the Maigari (chief) of Lokoja, and his 12 Hakimi (Sub chiefs). It is important to note however, that each group have their own local criteria: for example, the Maigari has no jurisdiction over the Olu of Oworo (whose traditional jurisdiction begins from Felele), but he does have authority over Ganaja, Kwakware, Sarkin Numa, Adankolo, ward A to ward E and other villages of Lokoja urban.
The present modern settlement at Lokoja was established in 1857 by the British explorer William Baikie at the site of an earlier model farm constructed during the failed Niger expedition of 1841. Lokoja was the capital of the British Northern Nigeria Protectorate and the chief of Lokoja at that time was Alhaji Muhammadu Maikarfi. Lokoja remained a convenient administrative town for the British colonial government after the amalgamation of Northern and Southern Nigeria in 1914. [11] The first Governor-General, Sir Frederick Lugard, governed the new nation of Nigeria from Lokoja. Other subsequent settlers into the city include the Yoruba (mainstream), the Igala, the Ebira (Ebira Tao and Igbira Koto), and the Bassa-Nge people. However, there are other groups apart from the ones mentioned above but they are classified as temporary visitors and non indigenous. These include the Igbo, Tiv, Edo, etc.
The city's population has since grown to an estimated count of over 90,000 inhabitants. [12] It is a trade center with respect to its agricultural products; this is because it is situated at the confluence of the Niger and Benue rivers, and is close to the federal capital of Nigeria in Abuja. It is also home to Kogi State Polytechnic and the newly established Federal University Lokoja. [13] The population of Lokoja is estimated at more than 265,000 people, as at 2022. [14]
Climate data for Lokoja | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
Record high °C (°F) | 38.9 (102.0) | 38.9 (102.0) | 40.0 (104.0) | 38.9 (102.0) | 38.3 (100.9) | 38.9 (102.0) | 37.2 (99.0) | 36.7 (98.1) | 37.2 (99.0) | 37.2 (99.0) | 37.2 (99.0) | 37.8 (100.0) | 40.0 (104.0) |
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 33.2 (91.8) | 35.2 (95.4) | 35.5 (95.9) | 34.3 (93.7) | 32.5 (90.5) | 31.2 (88.2) | 30.2 (86.4) | 29.7 (85.5) | 30.1 (86.2) | 31.3 (88.3) | 33.0 (91.4) | 32.9 (91.2) | 32.4 (90.3) |
Daily mean °C (°F) | 26.9 (80.4) | 28.8 (83.8) | 29.9 (85.8) | 29.2 (84.6) | 28.0 (82.4) | 26.8 (80.2) | 26.4 (79.5) | 25.8 (78.4) | 25.9 (78.6) | 26.6 (79.9) | 26.9 (80.4) | 25.8 (78.4) | 27.3 (81.1) |
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 20.8 (69.4) | 23.0 (73.4) | 25.0 (77.0) | 24.8 (76.6) | 23.8 (74.8) | 23.1 (73.6) | 22.7 (72.9) | 22.6 (72.7) | 22.5 (72.5) | 22.5 (72.5) | 21.5 (70.7) | 19.9 (67.8) | 22.7 (72.9) |
Record low °C (°F) | 6.1 (43.0) | 12.8 (55.0) | 11.1 (52.0) | 16.1 (61.0) | 15.0 (59.0) | 12.8 (55.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 17.2 (63.0) | 14.4 (57.9) | 15.6 (60.1) | 15.0 (59.0) | 10.6 (51.1) | 6.1 (43.0) |
Average precipitation mm (inches) | 4.6 (0.18) | 12.8 (0.50) | 43.5 (1.71) | 95.0 (3.74) | 151.0 (5.94) | 158.8 (6.25) | 172.6 (6.80) | 165.8 (6.53) | 208.8 (8.22) | 137.7 (5.42) | 14.4 (0.57) | 2.0 (0.08) | 1,167.1 (45.95) |
Average precipitation days (≥ 0.3 mm) | 0.8 | 1.0 | 3.2 | 6.0 | 9.5 | 10.2 | 12.7 | 12.8 | 15.2 | 9.5 | 1.2 | 0.3 | 82.4 |
Average relative humidity (%) | 63 | 61 | 65 | 71 | 76 | 80 | 82 | 82 | 83 | 82 | 75 | 70 | 74 |
Mean monthly sunshine hours | 229.4 | 237.3 | 226.3 | 198.0 | 217.0 | 192.0 | 164.3 | 124.0 | 147.0 | 210.8 | 252.0 | 257.3 | 2,455.4 |
Mean daily sunshine hours | 7.4 | 8.4 | 7.3 | 6.6 | 7.0 | 6.4 | 5.3 | 4.0 | 4.9 | 6.8 | 8.4 | 8.3 | 6.7 |
Source: Deutscher Wetterdienst [15] |
Lokoja lies about 7.8023° North of the equator and 6.7333° E east of the Meridian. [16] It is about 165 km southwest of Abuja as the crow flies, and 390 km Northeast of Lagos by same measure. Residential districts are of varying density, and the city has various suburbs such as Felele, Adankolo, Otokiti and Ganaja. The town is situated in the tropical Wet and Dry savanna climate zone of Nigeria, and temperatures remain hot year-round. Rain begins in May and typically ends in October. Lokoja has a maximum temperature of about 37.9 °C between December and April, average annual rainfall of about 1000mm and average relative humidity of about 60% during the rainy season. [17]
Given the multi-ethnic nature of the town, there are various festivals, events and socio-cultural activities depending on the people's group. Thus, no particular group's festivals or their socio-cultural activities can be said to be the most prominent. For instance, the Agbo masquerade festival is celebrated by the Oworo people between the months of March and April every year. Other Okuns also celebrate the Oro / Egungun festival while generally, the fishermen in Lokoja celebrate the Donkwo fishing festival and this also comes up in March/April. It is also worthy to mention that editions of Lokoja boat regatta are held, albeit not regularly. [7]
Religiously, Islam, Christianity and traditional religion exist in Lokoja. The Muslims go to their mosques for their worship while the Christians do the same in their various churches. Religious festivals include the Muslim Eids and the Christian Christmas and Easter.
Lokoja has three major markets: New Market (International Market), Old Market and Kpata Market. Kpata Market and New Market have their market day every Five Days. The essential products sold in these markets are grains, vegetables and general household items.
Kogi State is a state in the North Central region of Nigeria, bordered to the west by the states of Ekiti and Kwara, to the north by the Federal Capital Territory, to the northeast by Nasarawa State, to the northwest by Niger State, to the southwest by the Edo and Ondo states, to the southeast by the states of Anambra and Enugu, and to the east by Benue State. It is the only state in Nigeria to border ten other states. Named after the Hausa word for river (Kogi). Kogi State was formed from parts of Benue State, Niger State, and Kwara State on 27 August 1991. The state is nicknamed the "Confluence State" due to the fact that the confluence of the River Niger and the River Benue occurs next to its capital, Lokoja.
Northern Nigeria was an autonomous division within Nigeria, distinctly different from the southern part of the country, with independent customs, foreign relations and security structures. In 1962, it acquired the territory of the British Northern Cameroons, which voted to become a province within Northern Nigeria.
The Nupe are an ethnic group native to North Central Nigeria. They are the dominant ethnic group in Niger State and a minority in Kwara State. The Nupe are also present in Kogi State and The Federal Capital Territory.
The Igala people are a Yoruboid ethnolinguistic group native to the region immediately south of the confluence of the Niger and Benue Rivers in central Nigeria. The area inhabited primarily by the Igala is referred to as Igalaland. Situated in an especially ecologically diverse region of Nigeria, the Igala have traditionally engaged in crop cultivation, and have been influenced culturally by many surrounding cultures over the centuries. Today, people of Igala descent are estimated to be at a population of 1.68 million people.
Igala is a Yoruboid language, spoken by the Igala ethnic group of Nigeria. In 1989 an estimated 800,000 spoke Igala, primarily in Kogi State, though current estimates place the number of Igala speakers at upwards of 1.6 million. Dialects include Ibaji, Idah, Dekina, Ogugu, Ankpa, Ebu, and the Olumbanasaa group ; it is believed that these languages share some similarities with the Yoruba and Itsekiri languages.
Yoruboid is a language family composed of the Igala group of dialects spoken in south central Nigeria, and the Edekiri group spoken in a band across Togo, Ghana, Benin and southern Nigeria, including the Itsekiri of Warri Kingdom.
The Ebira people are an ethnic-linguistic group of North central Nigeria. Most Ebira people are from Kogi State and Nasarawa State. Their language is usually classified as Nupoid and within the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo language family. Until the separation of Kogi State from Kwara State, Okene was seen as the administrative center of the Ebira-speaking people in Kogi state, located not far from the Niger-Benue confluence. Since the formation of the state, the Ebira Ta'o people are predominantly found in five local governments in Kogi state, namely Adavi, Ajaokuta, Okehi, Okene and Ogori/Magongo. They are also found in large numbers located in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja and Nasarawa in Toto LGA. Also, the Eganyi are found in Ajaokuta LGA. And the Etuno can be found in Igarra town of Agorimagongo, Okehi and Okene each with their administrative headquarters. Ebira Koto is found in Kogi and Koton Karfe LGA, Bassa LGA, Lokoja in Kogi and Abaji LGA in the Federal Capital Territory, Akoko-Edo LGA, Edo State.
Nupe is a Volta–Niger language of the Nupoid branch primarily spoken by the Nupe people of the North Central region of Nigeria. Its geographical distribution stretches and maintains preeminence in Niger State as well as Kwara, Kogi, Nasarawa and the Federal Capital Territory. Nupe is closely related to Kakanda in structure and vocabulary. There are at least two markedly different dialects of Nupe: Nupe central and Nupe Tako.
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Idah is a Latin suffragan diocese located in the city of Idah, Kogi State in the ecclesiastical province of Abuja, in Nigeria, yet remains subject to the Roman missionary Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples.
William Balfour Baikie was a Scottish explorer, naturalist and philologist.
Arewa or Arewaland is a Hausa word which means "The North". The term is used to refer to Northern Nigeria general. The terms Arewa and Arewacin Nijeriya are used in Hausa to refer to the historic region geopolitically located north of the River Niger.
The continued use of the term, Arewa ... has conjured up an image among educated Northerners that resonated far beyond the institutional structures Sir Ahmadu Bello created: the successor to the Bornu and Sokoto Caliphate; the vision of God's Empire in the region; the universality of its claim to suzerainty; and in a more prosaic but no less powerful sense, the concept of a polity with an emphasis on unity and sense of shared purpose in northern West Africa beyond the popular slogan--'one North, one People'.
Bassa is a Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria. Its northern border is the Benue River and its western border is the Niger River. Its headquarters are in the town of Oguma.
The Basa language, disambiguated as Basa-Benue, and also called Abacha, Abatsa, ru-Basa, Rubassa, is a Kainji language spoken in central Nigeria, in the vicinity of Bassa, Ankpa, Nasarawa, Gurara, Kwali and Makurdi. Blench (2008) notes that Basa-Makurdi, Basa-Gurara and Basa-Kwali are separate varieties from Basa-Kwomu or Basa-Komo of Bassa, Ankpa and Nasarawa Local Government Areas and other Bassa speakers are Bassa Nge (also known as Bassa Nupe.
Oworo (Aworo) is a dialect of Yoruba spoken mainly in Oworo District of Lokoja LGA, Kogi State Nigeria. It is close to the Abinu (Bunu), Ikiri, Owe, Yagba and Ijumu dialects which are together known as Okun. The Okun dialects are mutually intelligible.
The Ọwọrọ ethnic nationality represents a group of people around the Niger-Benue confluence speaking a Yoruba dialect called Oworo. They are generally classified as part of Northeast Yoruba (NEY) of the Yoruba people.
The Okun people are a Yoruba speaking people found majorly in Kogi, but with settlements in Kwara, Ekiti, and Ondo states of Nigeria. Their dialects are generally classified in the Northeast Yoruba language (NEY) grouping. They are collectively called "Okun", which in Okun dialects could mean "Sorry", "Well-done", or as an all-encompassing greeting. Similarly, this form of greeting is also found among the Ekiti and Igbomina groups of Yoruba people. It is also a mode of greeting among the Ijesa people of southwestern Nigeria.
Koton Karfe is the headquarters of Kogi Local Government Area in Kogi State, Nigeria and is located on latitude 8.1046°N and longitude 6.7976°E and in the Northern part of the Nigeria between Lokoja and Abuja. Koton Karfe is predominantly inhabited by the Egbura Kotos even though other tribes can be found in small proportions all over the community. The community's traditional government is overseen by the Ohimegye and is assisted in governance by his chiefs, prominent men from all over the kingdom. A democratically elected chairman heads the Local Government's Area Council .
The Mount Patti Hill is a 1503 foot-tall mountain and tourist attraction in Lokoja, Nigeria. It is famous for being the place where British journalist and writer Flora Louise Shaw gave Nigeria its name.
The Bassa Nge are an ethnic group in Nigeria that traces its history back to 1805. They originally inhabited Gbara which was formerly the capital of the Nupe Kingdom. The Bassa Nge migrated from their homeland in Bida due to a dynastic feud in about 1820. They are formerly the largest of Nupe groups, with a population of about 15,000 in 1820 before they dispersed throughout Nigeria.
Zuba is a community in Gwagwalada Local Government Area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nigeria. It is located in the border of Abuja central city and shares the same boundary Madalla with Niger State. Other than being the gateway to Abuja, Zuba is also on a primary highway that connects to Kaduna-Kano as well Kogi State, to major cities of the south.