CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

Field work in geography is a classroom on wheels which

geography students and teachers go, with geographical eye

open to seek knowledge, information about geographical

occurrence or phenomena i.e. the process of seeking the

first hand information about the environment. Field work

can also be seen as an out door activity where teachers

and students go out to the field to find out or reach out to

the gap of what has been taught in the classroom and to

also have experience. Field work is quite different from

field trip. Because field trip involves traveling for about a

minimum of seven days where there is time to relax and

make comparison about our immediate environment and

the area of study. Field trip can also be seen as a mobile

class whereby the geographical facts and concept of

physical features taught or learnt in the class theoretically

are practically seen, observed, identified and described on

the field through a direct contact with the geographical

phenomenon by both the students and the teachers. Field

trip is also another study laboratory for geographer

outside classroom. Therefore, the study of both physical

and socio-cultural features, include vegetation, rivers,

relief, landform, and so on. The socio-cultural features

include market, industries, settlement e.t.c.

1.1 OBJECTIVES OF FIELD WORK

Field trip aims to provide on inquiring field experience

for student to explore the geographical landforms,

features, art forms and biodiversity of a natural

environments in the three (3) phases of area covered from

Minna to Lapai, Lapai, to Lambata and from Lambata to

Minna.

By interacting with the physical environment students

will be able to better visualize, comprehend and apply

what they have learnt in the classroom during the inquiry

based approach for the fields of geography.

1. Acquire useful application of the inquiry based

learning approach where data and information are

converted into useful knowledge and developing a case

study of various natural landforms. Gurura waterfall,

mountain, ridge in Tunga Usman. Badegi flood plain,

Tufa flood plain.

2. Develop technical competency by observing, collecting

interpreting, recording and valuating geographic

information such as vegetation, soil of the area covered

e.g. observing the green plant and the height,

thickness of the trees in the area we transverse.

3. provide valuable qualitative and affective experience

which will encourage deeper thinking about the

interaction between man and his environment e.g. the

Agai-Lapai Dam and Artificial construction for water

conservation.

4. To create an appreciation of nature and height e.g.

climbing of hills at Tunga Usman.

5. Most important to foster and strengthened the

friendship, relationship and with lecturer from Niger

State College of Education, Minna (N.S.C.O.E).

6. To expose the students to various culture of the ethnic

groups in Paiko, Lapai, Lambata settlement which

tend to help student appreciate and respect the

cultural heritage of the hand or area transverse.

7. To help students develop and use observation skill and

how to draw out and report the various findings and

perception of the environment and area transverse due

to their interaction with the environment learning

about the environment, the challenges of the people

living in that environment their expectation and

possible solution to better improved their lives.

8. To provide possible data for research, this might be of

interest to concern individual or body.

 9. To acquaint student with the physical environment

and possible ways the physical environment could be

worked upon and improved to serve man. This

information would be useful to student while they are

out of the school and they eventually start putting

their experience to work as geographers.

1.2 BENEFITS OF FIELDWORK

The benefits of fieldwork cannot be overemphasize this is

because, geographical field work have a lot of benefit to

both students and researchers. Some of these benefits

include;

1. Fieldwork helps to promote better understanding of

geography; it improves a persons knowledge by giving

a more practical approach to learning.

2. It helps in the development of vital skills in the

students such as data collection, recording map work,

even how to communicate with people during

fieldwork, and how to take responsibilities during

teamwork and leadership.

3. It enable one to gain knowledge of other peoples

language, and culture during settlement survey or

others for example like the settlement survey in Lapai

Town in Lapai Local Government Area of Niger State.

 4. Fieldwork is also fun, it therefore give students the

chance to appreciate new environment, which they

find it enjoyable and tend to forget the misfortune of

their lives.

5. It strengthens teacher-students relationship as it gives

room to ask any question of what they do not clearly

understand.

6. It encourage and motivate geography students on the

course, because it is an outdoor experience or it help

to reinforce classroom based learning.

1.3 RELIEF OF THE AREA COVERED

Relief can be seen as an area which are 300m above

sea level and below 300m above sea level. It is also refer to

as topography of a geographical location, these depend on

the slope of that area either gentle or high slope are been

seen as the case may be.

The relief of the area covered were undulated

highlands and flat surface, this is because from Bosso-

Chanchaga Local Government to Paikoro Local

Government the nature of the topography was flat surface

and few undulated highland are of which was a conical hill

and at the same an isolated hill situated at Paiko town. A

conical hill is known with it step size and flat top, the rock

type was igneous rock.

From Paiko to Lapai Local Government Area the type

of relief or topography observed was also an undulated

highland, flat surface and anti-hill, this is the type of

topography fund along piakoro, Tunga Mallam to Lapia

town, in this case the undulated highland where much

more than that of Bosso-Chanchaga Local Government

with dense vegetation on the hills, tress found are about

10-13cm height while grasses is 8-10m height.

The relief observed from Lapai to Lambata was also an

undulating highlands and valley ranges and also anti-hills.

And between Lapai and Gurara Local Government Area

lies Tunga Usman range of hills, range is the chain of hills,

we have denstic hills and other isolated conical hills along

this area transverse, the undulated highland in this area

where generally the most highest, as the people along this

settlement engage themselves with activities of Agriculture

at the hill, but hence man do not do anything good to his

environment the process of falling tress on this land that

is, deforestation was taken place. Various system of

agriculture is been practice on the various topographical

location.
 From Lambata to Minna the relief observed in the area

covered was lowland or a plain land.

1.4 CLIMATE AND WEATHER OF THE AREA COVER

Climate is seen as the average atmospheric weather

condition of an area over a long period of time usually

between 30-35years. Climate last longer before changing

unlike weather. The climate belt of the area traversed fall

within the tropical hinter-land and these areas is

characterized by averaged temperature of 27 oC which

varies from time to time alternating rainy and dry seasons.

The duration and distribution of rainfall vary due to some

local factors affecting the area are life the relief, latitude

air masses, altitude, temperature as well as precipitation.

Mean annual rainfall is about 1000mm 1,300mm we

observed warm temperature. In some place the

temperature is moderate, low temperature at the Gurara

water fall due to the presence of water body whereas that

of Tufa is a bit warmer than the temperature of the rest

area, this because Tufa village is enclose and surrounded

by hills and falls in the zone of inter-tropical emergence

zone (ITC2) where two air masses both warm and cold

meets and converged.

 The importance of climate to man could be seen in the

following ways; it also influences occupation, environment

hazard, health clothing defers from one place to the other

communication and transportation.

WEATHER:

This can be seen as the atmospheric condition of a

place over a short period of time. The weather condition of

the area covered as at 31st of May, 2016 starting from the

college, we took off for the field work at about 7:10am the

weather observed was a little bit sunny-cloudy with it

temperature of about 290C to 33oC respectively from Minna

to Lapai, due to the temperature changes from time to time

within the trip, it was sunny in Lapai at about 12:29pm

when will arrived the temperature was 33 oC. from Lapai to

Lambata the temperature range is about 36 oC while the

third phase which is Lambata to Minna, the temperature

was falling or dropping that is not too high compare to that

of the two phases transverse it range is 33oC to 36oC.

Weather and climate are different but use together

same elements which are; Temperature, Sunshine,

Rainfall, Relative humidity, Atmospheric pressure.

1.5 SOIL OF THE AREA COVERED

 Soil is the loose material or the upper layer of the

mantle rock (regolith), consisting mainly of very small

particles. The naturally occurring soil is influenced by

parent material, climate, relief, and the physical, chemical

and biological agents (micro-organisms) in it.

Soil mainly consists of mineral particles, a certain

proportion of decayed organic material, soil water, soil air,

soil atmosphere, and living organisms, which exist in a

complicated and dynamic relationship with one another.

The main soil types are sandy, loamy and clay soil

found or observed in the traverse area are laterite, clay,

sandy and hydro-morphic (alluvial) soil.

Soil is formed from the weathering of rocks into the

smaller particle i.e. gradual disintegration of rock into the

smaller particle through a process such as physical,

biological and chemical weathering. Physical weathering is

influenced by factor like temperature change alternate

wetting and drying of rocks wind abrasion etc. chemical

weathering is influenced by processes like solution

hydration, carbonation, oxidation and hydrolysis due to

the exposure of rock to air temperature and water.

Biological weathering is influenced by the action of

 animals, plants and (mans activities mining, construction

etc),

i. Alluvial soil is the large deposition of sediment over the

pre-existing soil by the river which are evenly spread over

the low-lying adjacent area from which floodplain emerge.

It is usually water logged and poorly aerated.

ii. Laterite Soil has reddish colour (presence of iron and

magnesium. It leaches heavily due to rainfall and it is

found in Guinea Savanna and does not support crops

production, it sticky when wet and hard with cracks when

dry.

iii. Sandy soil has a very high proportion of sand particle

with a diameter of 2.0mm. The particle are mainly quartz

(5102) also has poor plaint nutrition. Its properties are

course and gritty, large loose pore spaces, well aerated and

not sticky with low capillary, high peculation. This is found

in association with loamy soil.

iv. Clay soil has high proportion of clay with a relative size

less than 0.002mm in diameter, which is also a heavy soil

to cultivate. This is found in an abundant at Pogo in

Paikoro Local Government Area. Its properties are poor

aeration with high water holding capacity, fine grained and

 smooth surface, has little pore spaces with tightly packed

particles, low percolation with high capillary.

1.6 DRAINAGE SYSTEM OF THE AREA COVERED

Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface

and sub-surface water from an area. Many agricultural

soils need drainage to improve production or to manage

water supplies.

Drainage typically means controlling falling water to

move it away from the home and preventing pounding that

can affect landscaping. This means storm drainage, rain

water, surface water, etc. drainage issues usually occur

because of pounding or standing water that doesnt go

away and forms puddles around the property. Other

drainage issues can be a result of marshy soil.

Drainage systems depend on the topography and

geology of the land. We have six (6) types of drainage

system they are; Dendritic drainage, parallel drainage,

trellis drainage system, radial drainage system,

rectangular drainage system and deranged drainage

system.

Though River is a water body that flow down the

slopes in a definite channels or course. The noticeable

rivers observed during the trip are River Chanchaga, in

Bosso Local Government, Waterfall in Gurara Local

Government, Lapai Agai Dam in Lapai Local Government

area, and River Jato in Paikoro Local Government Area

respectively. But in these report, we are going to talk more

on Agai-Lapai Dam and that of Gurara waterfall.

Agai-Lapai Dam.

This dam was constructed under the ministry of water

resources (Niger Basin Authority), the capacity is 38,000m

and with a flood capacity of 834.44m cubic per-seconds,

the Lapai contain 1000m cubic while that of Agai is about

2000m cubic.

The wide of the dam is about 1.094km and the speed

way to reduce the water when it is in excess is 7m and

length is 202m.
 Gurara Waterfall

Waterfall is a place or body of water where water flows

over a vertical drop or a series of drops in the course of a

stream or river. Waterfalls also occur where melt-water

drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf.

Gurara waterfall lies in V-Shaped valley and it is

characterized by both falls and cataracts. Weathering

affects the basement rock. The softer parts are washed

away leaving the harder part which forwards a terrace.

Gurara waterfall is at the upper course of river

development. The river flows through a step gradient with

 high velocity. The primary work of the waterfall, is

promoting river erosional processes such as hydrolic

action corrosion, corrasion, and attrition with vertical

erosion also known as down cutting which formed v-

shaped valley, it can occur at any stage but most

commonly in the upper course. The hollow at the foot of a

waterfall excavated by the falling water is called plunge

pool.

The lower stage of a river course has a gentle slope or

flat plain covered with alluvial deposits called alluvium.

The gradient is so gentle that the river flows sluggishly and

can no longer transport any load and begins deposition of

such loads of sediment thereby building an extensive

floodplain. E.g Tufa flood plain.

The problems of the Nigeria Rivers are turgidity

(dirty and coloured), Seasonality, shallowness cataract,

falls and rapid, which impede navigation.

The importance of the river could be seen such as

revenue generation, tourism. (Gurara waterfall)

educational purpose (field trip excursion), farming and

fishing.

1.7 VEGETATION OF THE AREA COVERED

 Vegetation refers to the community, of plant species

growing together in an area.

The area covered fall within the Guinea Savannah (rich

Savannah) which is characterized by the mixture of both

trees, shrubs, and grasses sometime over 5m height and

luxuriant during raining season where the annual rainfall

is about 1000mm 1500m and the rainfall lasted for

about 6-8 months.

Along the riverbanks of the area covered, the

vegetation covered is Gallery forest and it is evergreen

throughout the year. The trees species found along the

riverbanks are that of forest vegetation. Gurara waterfall

observed is characterized by evapo-transpiration which

makes the atmosphere to humid, also provide vegetation

with moisture. The decaying of plant residues,

decomposition of rock fragmentation which is deposited

along the riverbanks make soil very fertile and form a kind

of soil called alluvial soil.

In some areas, the trees are regularly inter-spaced

among tall grasses. Thus giving the park land vegetation

appearance due to human activities and the uneven

distribution of rainfall and this is found around Lapai to

Minna through the natural vegetation still exist. The

 vegetation around the settlement areas are man-made type

with economic trees such as mango, pawpaw, lime,

banana, locust beans trees, shear butter trees etc.

In general, the vegetation types observed during the

trips is mainly Guinea savanna of the Nigeria vegetation

belts.

1.8 ETHNICITY OF THE AREA COVERED

Ethnicity or ethnic group is a socially defined category

of people who identify each other based on common

ancestral, social, cultural or national experience.

Membership of an ethnic group tends to be defined by a

shared cultural heritage, ancestry, origin, myth, history,

language, ideology, symbolic systems such as religion

mythology, dressing style, physical appearance etc.

The ethnicity of the area covered includes the following

in respect to the three phases;

First Phase

Ethnicity of the first phase which ranges from Minna

to Lapai are Gbagi, in Bosso, Chanchaga and Paikoro Local

Government Area while Nupe in Lapai Local Government

Area. There are other different tribes that exist between

these phase which includes Hausa/Fulani, Yoruba,

Kadara.
 Second Phase

At the second phase which is from Lapai to Lambata,

also have Gbagi speaking dialet in Lambata under Gurara

Local Government Area, Nupe in Mawogi under Lapai

Local Government Area, Tiv speaking tribes though

dominated again by Gbagi in Tungan Usman. And so many

other languages like Hausa/Fulani, Igbo, Yoruba to

mention but few.

Third Phase

At the third phase that is Lambata to Minna is

dominantly occupied by Gbagi only with the existence of

some other different languages.

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