Nasarawa State is inhabited by various ethnic groups, including the Koro and Yeskwa in the far northwest; the Kofyar in the far northeast; the Eggon, Gwandara, Mada, Buh, Ninzo, and Nungu in the north; the Alago, Goemai, and Megili in the east; Eloyi (Ajiri/Afo) in the south; the Tiv in the southeast; the Idoma in southwest; and the Gade and Gbagyi in the west while the Hausa and Fulani live throughout the state. Nasarawa is also religiously diverse with large followers of both Islam and Christianity while followers of Traditional or Native Religions have declined over the years due to convertions to the two Abrahamic religions.
In the pre-colonial period, the area that is now Nasarawa State was split up between various states with some states being tiny and village-based as others were part of larger empires until the early 1800s when the Fulani jihad annexed the region and placed the area under the Sokoto Caliphate as the vassal states of Keffi, Lafia, and Nassarawa. In the 1890s and 1900s, British expeditions occupied the area and incorporated it into the Northern Nigeria Protectorate. The protectorate later merged into British Nigeria in 1914 before becoming independent as Nigeria in 1960. Originally, modern-day Nasarawa State was a part of the post-independence Northern Region until 1967 when the region was split and the area became part of the Benue-Plateau State. After Benue-Plateau was split in 1976, what is now Nasarawa State became a part of the new Plateau State until 1996 when western Plateau was broken off to form the new Nasarawa State.[citation needed]
Nasarawa was established on 1 October 1996 by the Abacha government, splitting it from the western part of the today neighboring Plateau State which previously had contained both their territories.[10]
Geography
Climate
Nasarawa has a Tropical wet and dry or savanna climate. The city's yearly temperature is 29.39°C (84.9°F) and it is -0.07% lower than Nigeria's averages. Nasarawa typically receives about 136.71 millimeters (5.38 inches) of precipitation and has 155.37 rainy days (42.57% of the time) annually.[11]
In Nasarawa, the dry season is humid and partially cloudy, and it is hot all year long. The wet season is oppressive and overcast. The average annual temperature ranges from 63 to 95 degrees Fahrenheit, rarely falling below 57 or rising above 101.[12]
From 29 January to 14 April, the hot season, with an average daily high temperature exceeding 93°F, lasts for 2.5 months. Nasarawa's hottest month of the year is March, with an average high temperature of 95°F and low temperature of 74°F.[13]
The 3.7-month cool season, which runs from 22 June to 13 October, has an average daily maximum temperature of less than 85°F. Nasarawa experiences its coldest month of the year in December, with average lows of 64°F and highs of 89°F.[14][15]
Boundaries
Nasarawa State is bounded to the north by Kaduna State for 169km (105 miles), to the east by the states of Taraba for 109km and Plateau for 219km (136 miles), to the south by the states of Benue for 231km, (mostly across the Benue River) and Kogi across the Benue River for 83km, and to the west by Kogi for 68km and the Federal Capital Territory for 156km.
Transport
Nasarawa has a network of roads within the state, which link all rural areas and major towns.
Nasarawa State had a total population of 1,869,377 residents as of 2006, making the state the second least populated state in Nigeria after Bayelsa State.[16]
Air Pollution
Particulate matter, a dangerous air pollutant that can lead to bronchitis, asthma attacks, and other serious lung conditions due to chemical interactions in the environment, poses a threat to Nasarawa.[17][18][19][20]
In Nasarawa State, there are 25 different ethnic groups. The major ones are Miligi (Koro), Alago, Mada, Gwandara, Kanuri, Hausa, Fulani, Gbagyi, Rindre,Buh, Afo, Eggon and Ebira[24]
Religion
The dominant religions in Nasarawa State are Islam and Christianity, although a certain amount of traditional religion is still practised.[24] The Emir of Lafia, Sidi Dauda Bage, is the head of the Tijaniyya Sufi Order, and the 3rd highest Muslim leader in Nigeria.[citation needed]
Agriculture is the mainstay of Nasarawa State's economy with the production of a variety of cash crops throughout the year. It also contains various minerals such as salt, baryte, and bauxite, which are mostly mined by artisanal miners. These mineral resources are also found in Nasarawa State: Coal, Dolomite/Marble, coal, Sapphire, Talc, Quartz, Tantalite, Tourmaline, Mica, Chalcopyrite, Clay, Cassirite, Iron-Ore, Columbite, Galena and Feldspar[25][26]
Education
Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa, Nasarawa State, Nigeria
The state has a College of Education in Akwanga,[27]Federal Polytechnic Nasarawa,[28] Federal College of Education (Technical) Keana, College of Agriculture in Lafia, Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic Lafia, Nasarawa State University[29] Faculty of Agriculture Lafia Campus, a newly established Federal University of Lafia,[30] Mewar International University at Masaka, Bingham University at Karu, Hill College of Education Gwanje Akwanga, NACAP polytechnic Akwanga, Command secondary school Lafia, Command secondary school Rinze, Vocational And Relevant technology board, and many primary and secondary schools including the Federal Government Girls College, Keana
Tourism
Nasarawa State is home to the Farin Ruwa Falls in Wamba Local Government area of the state. Farin Ruwa falls is one of the highest falls in Africa.[31]
The Salt Village in the Keana Local Government Area of the State produces naturally iodized salt from the lake located nearby. The town is also the cradle of Alago civilization, one of the major ethnic groups in the state. Also notable is the Eggon hills of the Eggon people which is situated around Nasarawa Eggon. This was the hills which the Eggon people had settled and established as an ancestral heritage as well. Tourists love to go hiking on this beautiful and high hill overlooking the Nasarawa Eggon local government and surrounding areas.
Another tourist site in Nasarawa State is the Maloney Hill.[32]
Keffi Town from the top of Maloney HillSunset on Maloney Hill
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.
Adamawa State is a state in the North-East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, bordered by Borno to the northwest, Gombe to the west, and Taraba to the southwest while its eastern border forms part of the national border with Cameroon. It takes its name from the historic emirate of Adamawa, with the emirate's old capital of Yola serving as the capital city of Adamawa State. The state was formed in 1991 when the former Gongola State was broken up into Adamawa and Taraba states. The state is one of the most heterogeneous in Nigeria, having over 100 indigenous ethnic groups.
Plateau State is a north central Nigerian state. It is located near the centre of Nigeria and includes a range of hills surrounding the Jos Plateau. Plateau State is described as "The Home of Peace and Tourism". The state has a population of around 4.7 million people. Its capital city is Jos.
Lafia is a city in Nigeria's North Central region. It is the capital and largest city of Nasarawa State, with a population of 509,300 inhabitants as of the 2021 census. And it's the Headquarter of Lafia Emirate Council.
Abdullahi Adamu is a Nigerian politician who was the governor of Nasarawa State in Nigeria from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007. He is a member and former national chairman of the ruling Party All Progressives Congress (APC).
Eggon, erroneously referred to as Mada - formerly a Plateau language spoken in central Nigeria. It is one of the major language in Nasarawa State.
Sanga is a Local Government Area in southern Kaduna State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Gbantu. The Local Government Council is chaired by Bisallah Malam. It has an area of 1,821 km2 and had a population of 151,485 as at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 801.
Akwanga is a Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Akwanga.
Keffi Local Government Area and a traditional and commercial town in Nasarawa State, north central Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Keffi. Keffi is 50 kilometers from Abuja. Nasarawa State university is located along the Keffi-Akwanga expressway.
Nasarawa is a Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Nasarawa, located at 8°32'N 7°42'E, with a population of 30,949. The local government area has an area of 5,704 km2 and a population of 189,835 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 962.
Doma is a Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Doma. Doma LGA houses Special Forces Command, Federal Science and Technical College, Olam Rice Farm and Doma Dam.
Keana is a town and Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, North Central, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Keana. It has an area of 1,048.1 km2 and a population of about 80,000. It is home to Federal Government Girls College, Keana.
Nasarawa State University is located in Keffi Nigeria. Nassarawa State University, Keffi (NSUK), is a tertiary institution which was created to encourage the advancement of learning in the state and its neighbouring environment.
The College of Education, Akwanga is a tertiary institution located in Akwanga town in Akwanga Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, in central Nigeria. The college is led by the following: Rev Jonathan Wakili Thani, Provost; Mr Yakubu Ojegba, Registrar; Mrs Lillian Okpede, Bursar and Dr Mohammed as Librarian.
David Emmanuel Ombugadu is a Nigerian politician who was a Member of House of Representatives Nigeria representing Akwanga, Wamba and Nassarawa Eggon federal constituency from 2011 to 2019. He contested as the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (Nigeria)(PDP) for Nasarawa state in the 2019 and 2023 general elections.
The 2023 Nasarawa State gubernatorial election will take place on 18 March 2023, to elect the Governor of Nasarawa State, concurrent with elections to the Nasarawa State House of Assembly as well as twenty-seven other gubernatorial elections and elections to all other state houses of assembly. The election—which was postponed from its original 11 March date—will be held three weeks after the presidential election and National Assembly elections. Incumbent APC Governor Abdullahi Sule is eligible to run for re-election and has been renominated by his party.
The 2019 Nigerian House of Representatives elections in Nasarawa State was held on February 23, 2019, to elect members of the House of Representatives to represent Nasarawa State, Nigeria.
The 2023 Nigerian Senate elections in Nasarawa State will be held on 25 February 2023, to elect the 3 federal Senators from Nasarawa State, one from each of the state's three senatorial districts. The elections will coincide with the 2023 presidential election, as well as other elections to the Senate and elections to the House of Representatives; with state elections being held two weeks later. Primaries were held between 4 April and 9 June 2022.
The 2023 Nigerian presidential election in Nasarawa State was held on 25 February 2023 as part of the nationwide 2023 Nigerian presidential election to elect the president and vice president of Nigeria. Other federal elections, including elections to the House of Representatives and the Senate, will also be held on the same date while state elections will be held two weeks afterward on 11 March.
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