Silane, Silylene, and Germylene Complexes

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Unit 8: Population Migration

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 Explain the pattern of migration since independence;

 Discuss the impact of migration on the source regions and the destinations of the migrants.

3.1 Pre-Colonial Migrations

In ancient times, people often moved from the areas where they were living to settle in other areas. Such movements were prompted by one or more of the following:

 The search for richer hunting grounds;

 The search for better or more spacious agricultural land;

 The search for better fisheries;

 The search for a refuge from hostile armies;

 The pursuit of commercial activities;

 Exile for political or social reasons; and

 Forced movement as slaves.

That is why the folklore of most of Nigeria's ethnic groups include stories which trace their origins to the movement of their ancestors from a former home area either within Nigeria or from outside, to their present homeland. These ancient movements continue to be important because they were responsible for the location and area extent of the various ethnic groups of Nigeria.

Figure 8.1 is an attempt to show some of the known pre-colonial migrations. Some of the main ones include the movement of:

 Tuareg and Fulani from the Southern Sahara into the extreme northern part of Nigeria;

 Fulani from the Rita Djallon Highlands of Guinea to the Sokoto area and from there fanning out to the Kano area, the Ilorin area, the Suleja area, the Bauchi and Yola areas and across into Cameroon;

 The Kanuri from South east of Lake Chad to Kano and Gombe areas;

 Tiv people north-eastwards, north-westwards and northwards;

 The Yoruba from west of the Kainji Dam area southwards into the forest belt;

 The Igbo southwards towards the coast and westwards across the Niger; and

 The Benin south-eastwards into the Niger Delta area.

These and many other ethnic migrations resulted in people of various ethnic groups settling in the traditional territories of other ethnic groups.

In many instances, the host ethnic groups absorbed the migrants. In others, it was the migrants that absorbed their hosts. In yet others, the migrants have maintained their identities till today.

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3.2 Migrations During the Colonial Period

During the colonial period internal migration increased considerably in response to an economy that was becoming more diverse and larger, offering a wider and wider range of opportunities in both the formal and informal sectors. The following factors in particular encouraged and made it easier for people to move:

 Tin mining on the Jos Plateau with its large demand for labour;

 The promotion of export crop production by the colonial administration creating larger demands for labour than the local population could supply.

 The development of railways and roads which themselves attracted settlement of people and made it easier for people to move;

 The development of administrative centres with social services such as electricity, pipe-borne water and medical facilities, which were powerful pull factors for the rural population. The towns also provided large and increasing opportunities for commerce which attracted many people.

The main source regions for migration during the colonial period, that is the areas from which people moved in large numbers, include:

 The Sokoto region from which people moved during the dry season to the cocoa belt, returning home at the beginning of the

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rainy season; and also to the Jos Plateau tin mining areas;

 The Katsina area from which people moved to present day Niger State and also to the Jos Plateau;

 Southern Borno to the groundnut belt of Kano and to the Jos Plateau;

 The Igbo heartland into the rubber belt of Edo and Delta States;

into the cocoa belt and the Lagos area; into the Nike Plains near Enugu;

 The Middle Cross River valley into surrounding areas;

 The homeland of the Ebira into the cocoa belt.

Thus the main areas, which served as receiving areas were:

 The cocoa and kolanut growing areas of Oyo, Ogun and Undo States;

 The rubber and timber producing areas of Edo, Delta, Ondo, Ogun and Oyo States;

 The oil palm belt of Ondo, Ogun, Edo, Delta, Imo, Abia and Cross River States;

 The groundnut and cotton growing areas of Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto and Zamfara States;

 The tin mining areas of Jos Plateau. -

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Figure 8.2 shows the main source and destination regions of population migration during the colonial period.

The post-independence period has witnessed a relative decline in cocoa, palm produce, rubber, groundnut, cotton and timber production and a virtual end to tin mining. In the cocoa, rubber, timber and palm oil producing areas of the South West, many of the Igbo, Ebira and Urhobo migrants settled down as long-term labourers or as share croppers. An increasing number of them became independent food crop producers, leasing land from the local owners.

In the groundnut and cotton growing areas, many former migrant labourers have also settled down as food crop producers. On the Jos Plateau, former tin miners either:

 Became farmers on land leased from the host communities; or

 Settled in the towns (such as Jos. Bukuru and Barkin Ladi) as traders, artisans and service providers: or

 Moved to other parts of the country (such as Nasarawa, Oyo and Osun States) to engage in illegal mining of tantalite and gold.

3.3 Migration in the Post-Independence Period

The most important factors responsible for migration since 1960 are:

i) the creation of States and Local Governments and the development of social infrastructures in their headquarters: and ii) the establishment of the Federal Capital Territory.

Creation of States and Local Governments and Population Migration

In 1966, Nigeria was made up of four regions: Northern, Eastern, Western and Mid-Western. In 1967 the country was divided into twelve States. In 1976, the country was further divided into nineteen States and a Federal Capital Territory. Further sub-divisions have taken place since then while new Local Governments were created again and again.

Today, Nigeria is divided into:

 36 States:

 a Federal Capital Territory: and

 774 Local Government Areas. The indications are that many more Local Governments will be created. One important result of State and Local Government creation has been the emergence of their capitals as new economic growth poles with a concentration of:

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 administrative functions which means some job creation;

 infrastructural development in the form of roads, electricity, telecommunications, water supply, educational institutions, etc. Again this means job creation.

 government investment in State-owned manufacturing industries.

The result is that there has been an unprecedented rate of movement of people from rural areas into these favoured towns to seek employment in government and in government-owned industries and to take advantage of the opportunities for informal sector activities of commerce, cottage industries and the provision of services. Lagos and all the State capitals have grown phenomenally in recent years as a result.

Creation of the Federal Capital Territory and Population Migration Creation of the Federal Capital Territory and Population Migration must be singled out as a special case of recent population concentration. The decision of the Federal Government to create a new, centrally-located Federal Capital Territory has led to the development of Abuja. a new town and of several satellite towns such as Nyanya-Karu, Gwagwalada, Kuje, Bwari and Kubwa. All of these towns are growing very rapidly, largely as a result of migration from rural areas and other urban centres.

3.4 Impact of Migration

Population migration in Nigeria has left its impact in both the source regions and the destinations of the migrants. In the source regions, migration has led to:

 Population imbalance. Migration is selective in that it is people in the age bracket 15 to 40 years that tend to move. This leaves behind people who are below 15 years and above 40 years:

 Labour shortage because of the migration of people of working age:

 Decline in agricultural production:

 Food shortage, making it necessary to "import" food from other rural areas or even from the towns! Importation of food is made possible by remittance sent home by relatives resident in towns.

In the receiving areas or destinations, migration has led to:

 Increased tempo of economic activities: food crop production if the destinations are rural areas, and commercial activities and manufacturing if they are towns;

 Population imbalance in which young and middle-aged males predominate;

 Massive unemployment in urban areas. This is because there are far fewer jobs available in these areas than the number of people looking for employment;

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 Increased pressure of population on social services such as electricity, water and transportation;

 Increased disillusionment among the people especially school leavers;

 Increasing tendency for people to commit crimes partly out of necessity, partly because the opportunities are there, partly out of frustration and partly because people have left behind the social norms and sanctions by which traditional society keeps crime in check.

4.0 Conclusion

The most important aspect of migration in Nigeria today is the migration of people from rural areas into towns. This has left its impact in the rural areas as well as the towns.

5.0 Summary

The folklore of most of Nigeria's ethnic groups suggest that these groups moved to their present territories from some other place for a variety of reasons. During the colonial period, the movement of population was encouraged and facilitated by:

 Tin mining on the Jos Plateau;

 Export crop agriculture;

 The development of railways;

 The development of administrative centres.

In the post-independence population, migration has been encouraged principally by:

 The creation of States and Local Governments; and

 The establishment of the Federal Capital Territory.

The most important type of migration during this period has been rural - urban migration This has left its impact in both the rural areas and the towns.

6.0 Self-assessment Exercise

Why are Nigerian towns growing so rapidly and what are the security implications of this growth?

Tutor-marked Assignment None.

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Unit 9: Rural Settlements