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Jos

Coordinates:09°55′00″N08°53′25″E/ 9.91667°N 8.89028°E/9.91667; 8.89028
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
For other uses, seeJos (disambiguation).

Jos
Jos and Bukuru Metropolis
Hill in the northeastern part of Jos
Hill in the northeastern part of Jos
Nickname:
J-Town
Jos is located in Nigeria
Jos
Jos
Location in Nigeria
Coordinates:09°55′00″N08°53′25″E/ 9.91667°N 8.89028°E/9.91667; 8.89028
CountryNigeria
StatePlateau State
Government
• TypeTraditional Monarchy (Jos Joint Traditional Council of Chiefs)
•Gbong Gwom Jos(Head of Jos Joint Traditional Council of Chiefs [Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Jos-South, Jos-North] & Plateau State Traditional Council of Chiefs, concurrently)Jacob Gyang Buba(incumbent)
Elevation
1,220 m (4,000 ft)
Population
(2010)
• Total622,802
• Rank6th
GDP (PPP, 2015 int. Dollar)
• Year2023
• Total$6.3 billion[1]
• Per capita$6,500
Time zoneGMT+1
ClimateAw

Jos/ˈdʒɔːs/is a city in the North-Central region ofNigeria.The city has a population of about 900,000 residents based on the 2006census.[2]Popularly called "J-Town",[3]it is the administrative capital and largest city ofPlateau State.The city is situated on the Josplateauwhich is embedded in theGuinea Savannahof North-Central Nigeria. It connects most of the North-Eastern capitals to theFederal Capital TerritoryAbuja,by road. Driving in and out of Jos, traffic encounters very steep sloppy bends and breathtaking mountainous sceneries typical of the plateau landform. The name of the state (Plateau State) was coined from its affiliation to this landform.

DuringBritish colonial rule,Jos became an important centre fortin miningwhen the colonialists discovered huge deposits ofcassiterite,the main ore for the metal. It is also the trading hub of the state as commercial activities are steadily increasing.

History

[edit]

The earliest known settlers of the land that would come to be known as Nigeria were theNok people(c. 1000BC), skilled artisans from around the Jos area who mysteriously vanished in the late first millennium.[4]

Early British settlement in Jos, 1905

According to the historian Sen Luka Gwom Zangabadt,[5]the area known as Jos today was inhabited byindigenousethnic groupswho were mostly farmers. During theBritish colonial period,direct rule was introduced for the indigenous ethnic groups on the Jos Plateau since they were not under theFulaniemirateswhere indirect rule was used.[6]According to the historian Samuel N Nwabara,[7]theFulaniempire controlled most ofnorthern Nigeria,except the Plateau province and theBerom,Ngas,Tiv,JukunandIdomaethnic groups. It was the discovery oftinby the British that led to the influx of other ethnic groups such as theHausafrom the north, southeasternIgbo,andYorubafrom the country's southwest. As such, Jos is often recognised as a cosmopolitan Nigerian city.

According to the white paper of the commission of inquiry into the 1894 crisis, Ames, a British colonial administrator, said that the original name for Jos wasGwoshin theIzere language(spoken by theAfusari,the first settlers in the area), which was a village situated at the current site of the city; according to Ames, theHausa,who arrived there after, wrongly pronounced Gwosh as "Jos" and it stuck.[8]Another version was that "Jos" came from the word "Jasad" meaning body inArabic.To distinguish it from the hill tops, it was called "Jas", which was mispronounced by the British as "Jos". It grew rapidly after the British discovered vasttindeposits in the vicinity. Both tin andcolumbitewere extensively mined in the area up until the 1960s. They were transported by railway to bothPort HarcourtandLagoson the coast, then exported from those ports. Jos is still often referred to as "Tin City". It was made capital ofBenue-Plateau Statein 1967, and became the capital of the new Plateau State in 1975. Jos has become an important national administrative, commercial, and tourist centre. Tin mining has led to the influx ofmigrants(mostly Igbos, Yorubas andEuropeans) who constitute more than half of the population of Jos. This "melting pot" of race, ethnicity and religion makes Jos one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Nigeria. For this reason,Plateau Stateis known in Nigeria as the "home of peace and tourism".

Excellent footage of Jos in 1936 including the tin mines, local people and the colonial population is held by theCinema MuseuminLondon[ref HM0172].

Political divisions

[edit]
The Nasco corporate headquarters is in Jos

The city is divided into 2 local government areas ofJos NorthandJos South.The city proper lies between Jos North and parts of Jos South headquartered in Bukuru.

Jos-North

The Local Government Council administration is headquartered here. Jos North is the commercial nerve centre of the state as it houses the state's branch of Nigeria's Central Bank and the headquarters' of the commercial banks are mostly located here as well as the currency exchanges along Ahmadu Bello way. Moreso all basic and essential services can be found in Jos North from the Jos Main market (terminus) to Kabong or Rukuba Road satellite market. Due to the recent communal clashes however a lot of commercial activities are shifting to Jos South. The Gbong Gwom Jos palace and office is located in an area in Jos North calledJishein Berom language. In 1956, Her MajestyQueen Elizabeth IItogether with her consortPrince Philiphad a weekend stopover to rest atJisheknown at that time as Tudun Wada cottage during her Nigeria tour.[9]Jos North has a significant slum.[10]Jos North is the location of theUniversity of Josand its teaching hospital at Laminga & theNational Commission for Museums and Monuments.The Nigerian Film Institute is also located in Jos-North at British America junction alongMurtala Mohammedway. Both theEvangelical Church of West Africa(ECWA) and theChurch of Christ in Nations(COCIN) are headquartered in this part of the metropolis.

Jos-South

Jos South is the second most populous Local Government Area in Plateau State and has its Council located along Bukuru expressway. Jos South is the seat of the Governor i.e. the old Government House in Rayfield and the New Government House in Little Rayfield and the industrial centre of Plateau State due to the presence of industries like the NASCO group of companies, Standard Biscuits, Grand Cereals and Oil Mills, Zuma steel west Africa, aluminium roofing industries, Jos International Breweries among others. Jos South also houses prestigious institutions like theNational Institute of Policy and Strategic Studies(NIPSS), the highest academic awarding institution in Nigeria, the Police Staff College, theNTAtelevision college and theNigerian Film Corporation.Jos South also houses the prestigious National Centre For Remote Sensing. The city has formed anagglomerationwith the town ofBukuruto form the Jos-Bukuru metropolis (JBM). Jos also is the seat of the famous National Veterinary Research Institute (NVRI), situated in Vom.[11]and the Industrial Training Fund (ITF).

Geography and climate

[edit]

Situated almost at the geographical centre of Nigeria and about 179 kilometres (111 miles) fromAbuja,the nation's capital, Jos is linked by road, rail and air to the rest of the country. The city is served byYakubu Gowon Airport,but its rail connections no longer operate as the only currently operational section ofNigeria's rail networkis the western line from Lagos toKano.

At an altitude of 1,217 m (3,993 ft) above sea level, Jos' climate is closer to temperate than that of the vast majority of Nigeria. Average monthly temperatures range from 21–25 °C (70–77 °F), and from mid-November to late January, night-time temperatures drop as low as 7 °C (45 °F). Hail sometimes falls during the rainy season because of the cooler temperatures at high altitudes.[citation needed]These cooler temperatures have, fromcolonialtimes until the present day, made Jos a favourite holiday location for both tourists andexpatriatesbased in Nigeria.[citation needed]

Jos receives about 1,400 millimetres (55 inches) of rainfall annually, theprecipitationarising from both convectional andorographicsources, owing to the location of the city on theJos Plateau.[12]

According to theKöppen climate classificationsystem, Jos has atropical savanna climate,abbreviatedAw.[13]

Climate data for Jos (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1947–1970, 1991–2020)
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Record high °C (°F) 35
(95) 		34.5
(94.1) 		35.6
(96.1) 		36
(97) 		35.3
(95.5) 		32.2
(90.0) 		29.2
(84.6) 		30
(86) 		29.5
(85.1) 		34
(93) 		31.7
(89.1) 		32
(90) 		36.0
(96.8)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F) 28.3
(82.9) 		30.2
(86.4) 		31.9
(89.4) 		30.8
(87.4) 		28.4
(83.1) 		26.4
(79.5) 		24.6
(76.3) 		24.1
(75.4) 		26.0
(78.8) 		27.5
(81.5) 		28.3
(82.9) 		28.0
(82.4) 		27.9
(82.2)
Daily mean °C (°F) 20.0
(68.0) 		22.1
(71.8) 		24.5
(76.1) 		24.7
(76.5) 		23.4
(74.1) 		21.9
(71.4) 		20.8
(69.4) 		20.5
(68.9) 		21.4
(70.5) 		21.9
(71.4) 		20.8
(69.4) 		19.8
(67.6) 		21.8
(71.2)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F) 11.8
(53.2) 		14.0
(57.2) 		17.0
(62.6) 		18.6
(65.5) 		18.4
(65.1) 		17.5
(63.5) 		17.0
(62.6) 		16.9
(62.4) 		16.8
(62.2) 		16.4
(61.5) 		13.3
(55.9) 		11.5
(52.7) 		15.8
(60.4)
Record low °C (°F) 1.1
(34.0) 		7.2
(45.0) 		10
(50) 		12.5
(54.5) 		12
(54) 		13
(55) 		11
(52) 		9.5
(49.1) 		10
(50) 		10.0
(50.0) 		8
(46) 		6
(43) 		1.1
(34.0)
Averageprecipitationmm (inches) 0.4
(0.02) 		5.1
(0.20) 		13.4
(0.53) 		93.2
(3.67) 		176.5
(6.95) 		207.1
(8.15) 		248.7
(9.79) 		255.5
(10.06) 		181.9
(7.16) 		58.7
(2.31) 		1.2
(0.05) 		1.2
(0.05) 		1,242.9
(48.93)
Average precipitation days(≥ 1.0 mm) 0.1 0.3 1.2 6.8 13.3 14.7 19.0 19.6 15.1 5.9 0.1 0.2 96.3
Averagerelative humidity(%) 21.5 20.6 28.7 52.7 70.3 76.7 81.7 86.1 83.1 73.2 47.0 29.4 55.9
Mean monthlysunshine hours 282.1 254.8 238.7 204.0 204.6 198.0 158.1 139.5 177.0 238.7 285.0 288.3 2,668.8
Percentpossible sunshine 79 78 64 56 53 53 41 37 49 65 82 81 61
Source 1:NOAA(sunshine 1961–1990)[14][15]
Source 2: DWD (extremes)[16]

Features

[edit]
330Nigerian Air Forcestation Jos

the 330Nigerian Air Forcestation is located in Jos South Local Government area along old airport road. The station boasts blocks of barracks for air personnel, an air strip, a primary school, military secondary school and a hospital which is arguably one of the best in the state.

Fruit for sale at the Park Market.
Jos Wildlife Park
An elephant at Jos Wildlife Park

Covering roughly 3 square miles (7.8 km2) ofsavannahbush and established in 1972 under the administration of then Governor of Benue-PlateauJoseph Gomwalkin alliance with a mandate by the thenOrganisation of African Unityto African heads of state to earmark one third of their landmass to establish conservation areas in each of their countries, It has since then become a major attraction in the state, attracting tourists from within and outside the country. The park has become a home to various species of wildlife including Lions,Rock Python s,marabou storks,Baboons,Honey Badgers,Camels as well as variantflora.

Ahmadu Bello Way roundabout in central Jos.
Jos Museum

TheNational Museumin Jos was founded in 1952 byBernard Fagg,[17]and was recognized as one of the best in the country. It has unfortunately been left to fall to ruin as is the case with most of the cultural establishments in Nigeria.The Pottery Hallis also a part of the museum that has an exceptional collection of finely crafted pottery from all over Nigeria and boasts some fine specimens ofNok terracottaheads and artifacts dating from 500 BCE to 200 CE. It also incorporates the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture with life-size replicas of a variety of buildings, from the walls ofKanoand the Mosque atZariato a Tiv village. Articles of interest from colonial times relating to the railway and tin mining can also be found on display. A School for Museum Technicians is attached to the museum, established with the help ofUNESCO.The Jos Museum is also located beside the zoo.

Jos Polo Club

Situated at the end of Joseph Gomwalk Road, the Jos Polo Club is one of the prominent sports institutions in the state.

Jos Stadium

A 40,000 seat capacity located along Farin-Gada road which has become home to the Plateau United Football Club, Current champions of The Nigerian Professional League. Rwang Pam township stadium Jos.

Jos Golf Course

The golf course located in Rayfield, Jos has hosted many golfing competitions with players coming from both within and outside the state.

Other local enterprises include food processing, beer brewing, and the manufacture of cosmetics, soap, rope, jute bags, and furniture. Heavy industry produces cement and asbestos cement, crushed stone, rolled steel, and tire retreads. Jos is also a centre for the construction industry, and has several printing and publishing firms. The Jos-Bukurudam and reservoir on the Shen River provide water for the city's industries.

Riyom Rocks

Jos is a base for exploring Plateau State. The Shere Hills, seen to the east of Jos, offer a prime view of the city below. Assop Falls is a small waterfall which makes a picnic spot on a drive from Jos to Abuja. Riyom Rock is a dramatic and photogenic pile of rocks balanced precariously on top of one another, with one resembling a clown's hat, observable from the main Jos-Akwangaroad.[18]

The city is home to theUniversity of Jos(founded in 1975),St Luke'sCathedral, an airport and a railway station. Jos is served by several teaching hospitals includingBingham University Teaching HospitalandJos University Teaching Hospital(JUTH), a federalgovernment-funded referral hospital.[19]TheNigerian College of Accountancy,with over 3,000 students in 2011, is based in Kwall,Plateau State.[20]

Three men dressed as evil spirits
The Jos Ceremony. Horsemen with spears and sticks, 1970–1973.

Notable people

[edit]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"TelluBase—Nigeria Fact Sheet (Tellusant Public Service Series)"(PDF).Tellusant.Retrieved2024-01-11.
  2. ^"FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA: 2006 Population Census"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on March 5, 2012.Retrieved22 November2014.
  3. ^"j-town".naijalingo.Retrieved2024-07-05.
  4. ^"Nok culture | Iron Age culture".Encyclopedia Britannica.Retrieved2020-05-23.
  5. ^History of Jos and political development of Nigeria; Sen Luka Gwom Zangabadt
  6. ^Billy J. Dudley. Parties and politics in Northern Nigeria
  7. ^Samuel N Nwabara; The Fulani conquest and the rule of the Hausa kingdom of Northern Nigeria (1804–1900)[page needed]
  8. ^Presswire, The New Gong (2017-05-20)."Jos, a city inspired by tin".Things Nigeria.Retrieved2024-07-05.
  9. ^https:// britishempire.co.uk/article/queensvisittojos.htm
  10. ^Madueke, Kingsley L.; Vermeulen, Floris,":Mapping the interworkings of state forces, vigilantes, residents, thugs, and armed mobs in the violent slums of Jos, Nigeria",Limited Statehood and Informal Governance in the Middle East and Africa,doi:10.4324/9780429504570-15/micro-formations-hybrid-security-governance-ethnic-riots-kingsley-madueke-floris-vermeulen,retrieved2022-12-28
  11. ^"National Veterinary Research Institute, Vom, Nigeria".IVVN.Retrieved2022-12-28.
  12. ^"Publications"(PDF).Iahs.info.Retrieved2013-12-10.
  13. ^"Climate: Jos - Climate graph, Temperature graph, Climate table".Climate-Data.org.Retrieved2013-11-26.
  14. ^"World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Jos".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.RetrievedJanuary 6,2024.
  15. ^ "Jos Climate Normals 1961–1990".National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.Retrieved22 July2016.
  16. ^ "Klimatafel von Jos / Nigeria"(PDF).Deutscher Wetterdienst.RetrievedJanuary 25,2023.
  17. ^Man, Vol. 52, Jul., 1952 (Jul., 1952), pp. 107-108 via Jstor
  18. ^pictda."Welcome! Home| Plateau State Government Website".Laravel.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  19. ^"Home | Jos University Teaching Hospital".juth.org.ng.Retrieved2020-05-25.
  20. ^"History The College".ANAN. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-08-11.Retrieved2011-06-11.
  21. ^Kabir, Olivia (2021-02-01)."Desmond Elliot's bio: Interesting facts about the famous actor and politician".Legit.ng - Nigeria news.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  22. ^Kwach, Julie (2018-01-30)."Desmond Elliot Wife and Kids Pictures; Here's Desmond Elliot Wife and Kids (Pictures)".Tuko.co.ke - Kenya news.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  23. ^"The Transfer Record: Ahmed Musa".lcfc.Retrieved2021-06-28.
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  25. ^"Musa doles out N6M to Jos football tourney - The Nation Newspaper".Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics.2021-01-26.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  26. ^"SPOTLIGHT: Simi, Bez... five alternative artistes that are Covenant University alumni".TheCable Lifestyle.2018-01-27.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  27. ^Soriola, Elizabeth (2021-04-21)."Mikel Obi's biography and the details of his journey to success".Legit.ng - Nigeria news.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  28. ^Mutsoli, Vivian (2021-01-05)."Ogenyi Onazi bio: hometown, family background, wife, salary, house".Legit.ng - Nigeria news.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  29. ^"Ogenyi Onazi:" Football can unify, but bombs tear my people apart "".World Soccer.2015-04-04.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  30. ^"MARITAL MESS: Ex-Super Eagles Benedict Akwuegbu, wife, bicker over divorce, second marriage".Latest Nigeria News, Nigerian Newspapers, Politics.2020-12-06.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  31. ^"Ice Prince unveils artwork for" Jos to the World (#J2TW) "album | Premium Times Nigeria".2016-10-15.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  32. ^"Top 15 Nigerian Actors In The Diaspora You May Not Have Heard About".Nigerian Entertainment Today.2020-01-21.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  33. ^abc"Nigeria's musical legends of J-Town".The Africa Report.2018-02-16.Retrieved2021-06-28.
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  35. ^"Eight top artistes, producers who had their start in Jos".TheCable Lifestyle.2018-06-14.Retrieved2021-06-28.
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  37. ^"Peter Okoye's Solo Journey as Mr P Since Splitting From P-Square".BuzzNigeria - Famous People, Celebrity Bios, Updates and Trendy News.2021-05-18.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  38. ^Kolesnik, Kay (2020-11-20)."Paul Okoye bio: brother, wife, children, solo music career".Legit.ng - Nigeria news.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  39. ^"Psquare's Breakup Makes No Sense – Charass".Channels Television.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  40. ^"10 things to know about 2face as he turns 42 | Premium Times Nigeria".2017-09-18.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  41. ^Kabir, Olivia (2019-02-18)."Where is 2face from in Nigeria and other top facts about him".Legit.ng - Nigeria news.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  42. ^"Nigerian Singer 2face Idibia Celebrates 42nd Birthday".allAfrica.2017-09-19.Retrieved2021-06-28.
  43. ^Manyika, Sarah Ládípọ̀."Sarah Ládípọ̀ Manyika".OZY.Retrieved2021-06-28.
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  46. ^Odeniyi, Solomon (2023-11-07)."BREAKING: Appeal Court declares Lalong winner of Plateau South senatorial poll".Punch Newspapers.Retrieved2024-03-24.
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