Department of Geography

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Department of Geography

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Open Access
A-Geo-Informatics-Technique-for-the-Management-of-Meningitis-Epidemic-Distributions-in-Northern-Nigeria
(Information Resources Management Journal, 2015-07) Jegede, Margaret O.; Ayanlade, Sina; Ayanlade, Oluwatoyin S. Ayanlade; Baloye, David O.
This study aims at examining and mapping the spatiotemporal distribution of meningitis epidemic, in relation to climate variability, using GIS and Remote Sensing techniques. Using the northern part of Nigeria as a case study, data on meningitis epidemic were obtained from the archive of National Bureau of Statistics, Nigeria for the periods between 1998 and 2013. The data were updated with collection from Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). Also, Nigerian Ministry of Health has compiled consistent statistics on meningitis incidence for the periods. A meningitis distribution map was derived from an environmentally-driven form of predicted probability of epidemic experience as it is in International Research Institute for Climate and Society (IRI) Database. The results showed that Meningitis Epidemic is very high during months with low rainfall. Thus, seasonality of rainfall and temperature are important determinants of Meningitis Epidemic incidence in the Northern part of Nigeria. Therefore, it can be conrmed, as cited in some literatures, that the distribu- tion of the epidemics has a strong association with the environment, especially climate variability. Although meningitis surveillance systems in Nigeria have improved, they still fall short of the sensitivity required to demonstrate incidence changes in vaccinated and non-vaccinated cohorts and complementary approaches may be needed to demonstrate the impact of the vaccines. There is however, a need for a new technology and innovation like an integrated GIS, and other environmental modeling system, to allow health practitioners as well as policy makers, for better management, productivity and protability.
Open Access
Air temperature, relative humidity, climate regionalization and thermal comfort of Nigeria
( International Journal of Climatology, 2014-05) Eludoyin, Oyenike M.; Adelekan, Ibidun O.; Webster, R; Eludoyin, Adebayo O
Planners and policy makers require information about the regions for which they are responsible. However, it seems that many developing countries, including Nigeria, are not adequately prepared either for their current climates or for the impact of climate change because they lack sufﬁcient information. We have therefore examined the variations in the thermal condition in terms of the temperature, relative humidity, effective temperature (ET), temperature– humidity index (THI) and relative strain index (RSI). We studied the spatial and temporal (1951–2009, 1951 –1980, 1981 –2009, decadal, seasonal and monthly averages) variations in the thermal climate of Nigeria, and we divided Nigeria into thermal climate regions for effective climate change management. Mean annual minimum, mean and maximum temperatures (with their standard deviations) were 21.4 (3.5), 27.1 (2.7) and 32.8 (3.4) ◦C, respectively, while the overall mean relative humidity was 62 (24.8)%. Mean ET, THI and RSI were 24.3 (0.85), 24.8 (1.83) and 0.2 (0.18) ◦C, respectively. The ET, THI and RSI provided contrasting expressions of thermal comfort for Nigeria, because of its varied climate. We also found that elevation; the movement of the Inter Tropical Discontinuity and urbanization affect thermal comfort in Nigeria. We conclude that thermal stress has increased in Nigeria from 2000 at most stations, especially in the south and north-western regions, and that Nigerian thermal comfort climate is heterogeneous and requires analysis of multiple thermal indices
Open Access
Air temperature, relative humidity, climate regionalization and thermal comfort of Nigeria
(Wiley Online Library, 2014-05) Eludoyin, Oyenike M.; Adelekan, Ibidun O.; Webster, R; Eludoyin, Adebayo O
Planners and policy makers require information about the regions for which they are responsible. However, it seems that many developing countries, including Nigeria, are not adequately prepared either for their current climates or for the impact of climate change because they lack sufﬁcient information. We have therefore examined the variations in the thermal condition in terms of the temperature, relative humidity, effective temperature (ET), temperature–humidity index (THI) and relative strain index (RSI). We studied the spatial and temporal (1951–2009, 1951–1980, 1981–2009, decadal, seasonal and monthly averages) variations in the thermal climate of Nigeria, and we divided Nigeria into thermal climate regions for effective climate change management. Mean annual minimum, mean and maximum temperatures (with their standard deviations) were 21.4 (3.5), 27.1 (2.7) and 32.8 (3.4) ◦C, respectively, while the overall mean relative humidity was 62 (24.8)%. Mean ET, THI and RSI were 24.3 (0.85), 24.8 (1.83) and 0.2 (0.18) ◦C, respectively. The ET, THI and RSI provided contrasting expressions of thermal comfort for Nigeria, because of its varied climate. We also found that elevation; the movement of the Inter Tropical Discontinuity and urbanization affect thermal comfort in Nigeria. We conclude that thermal stress has increased in Nigeria from 2000 at most stations, especially in the south and north-western regions, and that Nigerian thermal comfort climate is heterogeneous and requires analysis of multiple thermal indices.
Open Access
Application of Geographic Information System to Solidwaste Management in Port Harcourt City
(2015-05-15) Owor, Florence
The study examined the spatial distribution of solid waste generation in Port Harcourt city, mapped out the current location of dumpsites in the city using the Global Positioning System (GPS) and used GIS to indicate the most suitable sites for solid waste disposal within the city. This was with a view to assessing how Geographic Information System (GIS) can be used to improve the management of waste disposal in the city. Both primary and secondary data were collected for this study. The primary data were obtained through photographs, GPS readings of all the existing dumpsites in the city, while the secondary data were obtained from various maps such as topographic, road network, land use map of the area and from relevant literature. Criteria such as proximity to surface water, distance from transportation routes, access to urban areas, slope, and distance from population centre were also considered in order to arrive at suitable sites for dumping. The various maps listed above were scanned, georeferenced, digitized spatially and were imported into the GIS environment provided by Arcview 3.2a for the analyses. GIS analytical techniques such as buffering, overlay and intersection were used for the analyses to show the existing dumpsites and to arrive at the final suitable sites for dumping. The result showed the existence of seven dumpsites around the city of Port Harcourt, namely Abuloma 1&11, Ikewere road 1&11, Mile 3, Amadi flat and Ada George Road. The result further indicated that most of the wastes generated were found along Ikwere Road. This is due to high population concentration while the other areas generated varying degree of wastes with the Government Reserved Area (G.R.A) generating the least of these sites, Abuloma 1 was already filled and it was also found out that the existing dumpsites were not properly located due to inadequate technology for siting dumpsites. For example out of the seven locations, mile 3 dumpsite was located very close to the road causing traffic hold up, while Abuloma 1&11 were located at the bank of creeks thereby contaminating the water. Using GIS technique, the following additional suitable sites for dumping were indicated to cover the city namely Kidney Island, Azikiwe Road and Diobu. The study concluded that Geographic Information Systems (GIS) could be used to locate new dumpsites that will be effective and efficient to serve the entire city and also offer sustenance of the aesthetics of the city as well as make it conducive from the public health point of view.
Open Access
Assessing conflict impacts on urban physical infrastructure:
(International Journal of the Physical Sciences, 2011-12) Ayanlade, Sina; Orimoogunje, Oluwagbenga O. I.
This paper used geographic information systems (GIS) technique to assess the impact of conflict on land use in Ile-Ife and Modakeke in Nigeria. There has been limited systematic research work in terms of mapping the impacts of the communal crisis on the land use pattern using GIS. Therefore, the major aim of this paper is to map the impact of communal conflict on land use with the aid of GIS. Global positioning system (GPS) was used to take the co-ordinates of the affected area. The GIS map produced more than six years after the last clash between both communities. The research team counted 53 houses that were totally destroyed and remained to be re-built or rehabilitated.
Open Access
Assessment of surface water quality of inland valleys for cropping in SW Nigeria
(Appl Water Sci, 2015-07) Aboyeji, Olatunji Sunday; Ogunkoya, Olayinka
Inland valley agro-ecosystems which are a category of wetlands have potential for sustainable crop production relative to uplands. A major challenge to their utilisation in the study area is their heterogeneity in hydrology, morphology, soil types and agro-economy. The study assessed the surface water quality of three typologies of the agro-ecosystems—amphitheatre-like valley-heads (Am), valley-side (VS), and low depression (LD)—for cropping. Surface water of six sites were sampled during the wet and dry seasons. The physicochemical properties and metal concentrations of the samples were analysed. Descriptive statistics and water quality indices were used to assess the suitability of the waters of the agro-ecosystems for cropping. Results showed that the valleys have neutral to slightly alkaline waters. Values of physicochemical parameters are generally within the acceptable range for cropping. The concentration of major cations varied across the inland valley types, but exhibited similar characteristics within each valley. The dominance of the major cations is in the order of Na [Ca [K[Mg. ANOVA results indicated that there is no signiﬁcant difference in the concentration of heavy metals across the valleys (F=2.044, p=0.138, a=0.05). Generally, most of the physicochemical parameters and trace metals have low concentrations and are non-toxic to plants. Values of water quality indices (sodium adsorption ratio, soluble sodium percentage, total dissolved solids and permeability index) indicated that the concentrations of minerals in waters across the valley typologies are generally within permis- sible limits for cropping.
Open Access
The Atomic Nucleus: Janusian Aspects and Human Existence
(Obafeml Awolowo University Press, 1991-01-26) Amusa, A.
An inaugural lecture can take various forms depending on the speaker, his interests, and his disposition to problems in his field. Some of the several forms it can take are as follows: • an exposition of the past and I or ongoing scholastic efforts of the Professor, • an exposition of what one would like to be, a future direction of research and development in one's area of work internationally or within one's nation. • an exposition of past, present works and / or future projections in areas related to, or that could be beneficial to one's specialty. • an exposition of special or specific problems facing one's specialty with a view to -amelioratingthem and thus leading to maximum benefit sbeing derived from efforts in one's field, and • a general historical and philosophical overview of one's specialty for the sole purpose of enlightening the public and perhaps helping to make meaningful future projections in one's field. Before we go into the actual form adopted for this discourse, it would be useful to pass some remarks which could help this august audience in seeing the need for the choice made herein., This speaker became a Professor of Nuclear Physics more than fifteen years ago. He could thus be tagged an 'old' Professor as opposed to a 'recent' or 'eaglet' Professor on campus. Given this length of one's tenure as a Professor, it is/perhaps not totally inappropriate if anyone has a tendency to regard this lecture as belonging to the valedictory genre as opposed to its being an inaugural one. This is, however, an inaugural lecture even though a form suited to a valedictory lecture is adopted here. The obvious advantage of this approach is that one is able to focus better on the peculiarity, and .problems in one's field based on 'one's experience world - wide and in this our Third World setting.
Open Access
Development of a Geospatial Metadata Standard for Hydrologic Information for Nigeria
(2015-03-18) Aboyeji, Olatunji Sunday; Ogunkoya, O. O.
The study identified relevant hydrologic spatial objects, adapted a conceptual data model for the identified objects, and designed a prototype metadata structure for hydrologic information. It also used the prototype hydrologic metadata structure to harvest metadata information using a metadata harvesting software. This was with a view to providing a metadata structure that can be used to store and manage information about hydrologic data in Nigeria, so that interoperability of information within the community can be enhanced. Hydrologic spatial objects and their associated thematic information, together with hydrologic observation data types were identified using hydrological maps and yearbooks, and topographic maps. By adapting and modifying the structure and conventions of the Formal Data Structure (FDS), the spatial objects and data types were used to design a hydrologic data model, using a combination of vector representation and Entity-Relationship (ER) diagram. The objects were mapped into line, point and area objects based on their geometric characteristics. Each of the objects belongs to a thematic class depending on its attributes. The Draft International Standard Organisation ISO/DIS 19115 of the International Standard Organisation (ISO) was examined and elements suitable for Nigerian hydrologic community were adapted for the design of a prototype hydrologic metadata structure. Workability of the hydrologic metadata structure was assessed using the hydrologic data model to build a sample hydrologic database. ArcView GIS and Microsoft Access were used to build the database, while ENRAEMED was used to implement the structure. The study revealed typical hydrologic spatial objects (such as rivers, lakes and river gauging stations) together with their attribute information, as well as hydrologic observation data types adaptable as a hydrologic community's objects and data types. The study designed a hydrologic data model that was used to capture hydrologic datasets. It also designed a prototype metadata structure using the ISO 19115 Metadata Standard. The structure consists of total of 25 core elements – 11 mandatory elements, 14 conditional elements and 10 optional elements. The workability of the hydrologic data model and the hydrologic metadata structure were reflected in the ability of the system to answer "queries" posed to extract specific information from the database. The system responded to typical spatial and attributes "queries" such as interactive spatial selection, selection of spatial objects using topologic relationship and selection of thematic information by attribute conditions. Also, the tests carried out on the hydrologic metadata structure retrieved typical metadata information such as dataset identification, description, usage, status, quality and access. These metadata search "queries" were made to access and assess the data residing in the database. The study concluded by providing a metadata structure that could be used to store and manage hydrologic information in Nigeria so that interoperability of information within the community can be enhanced. It also provided a hydrologic data model that could be used to capture hydrologic data into the geo-database.
Open Access
Development of Geospatial Database for Public Schools Data Management in Osogbo, Osun State
(2015-06-19) Awoniyi, Anthony Ilufoye
This study aimed at building a geospatial database containing information on infrastructural facilities, staff profiles and enrolment characteristics in public schools in Osogbo, Osun State. This was with a view to enhancing the monitoring and management of school systems using Geographical Information System (GIS) tools. The specific objectives were to carry out an inventory of infrastructural facilities, biodata of teachers and children enrolments in public schools in Osogbo, produce a map of Osogbo showing the locations of public schools and create a geospatial database containing basic information such as infrastructural facilities, teachers' biodata and children enrolments in public schools in the area. Both primary and secondary data types were used. The primary data on the locations of schools were collected with handheld Global Positioning System (GPS), while the attribute datasets i.e. on facilities, staffing profile and enrolment were collected with a semi-structured questionnaire administered to Head teachers. Secondary data used were school records obtained from the schools and a map of Osogbo got from the Town Planning Authority at Osogbo. The map was converted to a digital form with AutoCad software for spatial analyses. The data collected with the GPS and questionnaires were organized with the Microsoft Access software for GIS analyses. Spatial queries were developed to operationalize the geodatabase. Data overlays were also performed to assess spatial relationships among the themes including communication network, drainage, utility facilities and location of schools. The results obtained showed that the geospatial database developed was efficient in storing, retrieving and displaying a variety of data on infrastructure, biodata of teachers and enrolments for school management purposes. For instance, the GIS readily generated basic data on each school with respect to the aforementioned parameters. It also rapidly ranked and displayed schools in a spatial format based on their infrastructural characteristics. In the GIS analysis, Unity High School on Old Ikirun road ranked first while the Timehin Grammar School, Oke-Osun ranked 71". These were consistent with field observations on the qualities of the facilities in the schools. The queries also readily revealed other crucial details in map forms. When queried, it logically presents the state of school buildings and staffing profiles among others. For instance, when the GIS was queried for schools with buildings that had damaged roofs, it came out with supporting statistics that among buildings designated as educational blocks in this study, uncompleted blocks accounted for 32.7%, blocks with damaged or completely removed roofs 32% and blocks with broken or unfixed windows (67.9%). All of these were generated with their locations in map forms. The study thus showed in various dimensions the versatility of geospatial database for managing the school systems and confirms that such systems need to be integrated into the educational management in the State and indeed the rest of Nigeria for better results from the educational sector.
Open Access
A Geographic Analysis of the Pattern of Integration between the Discrete Communities in Ile-Ife.
(Obafemi Awolowo University, 1986) Akorede, Viscount Emmanuel Adebanjo; Adejuyigbe, Omolade
This is a politico geographic study of the pattern of integration of the different discrete communities of Ile-Ife. The study identified that two distinct groups, Elus and Oduduwas, existed in the earliest days of Ile-Ife. The Elus were in the area before the Oduduwa group, the two groups were not united until the arrival of a third group, under Oranmiyan, which succeeded in defeating first, the Oduduwas and later the Elus. Oranmiyan organised the defeated groups and his own followers into five communities of Iremo, Ilode, More, Ilare and Okerewe. Much later, new arrivals in Ile-Ife were settled in the Modakeke area. Sabo-Eleyele is the newest of the communities. Analysis of the pattern of integration of the seven communities was based on social, marriage, business, market, educational and religious interactions of 2742 people selected from all parts of Ile-Ife. Modified form of Soja's Transaction flow model and Bouldings Image Matrix were used in the analysis. The number of registered voters in each ward for the 1979 parliamentary elections was used as surrogate for its population. The differences between the potential and the actual transaction flow into each of the wards for each of the ward in respect of the eight variables were ranked to derive the image of each community in respect of each variable. The image scores were ranked and the ranks summarised to get an overall image score for each of the wards. On this basis, Iremo was identified as the community to which others are greatly attracted whilst Modakeke was the one with least attraction. The findings confirm the hypothesis that communities with the same time of arrival were much more integrated inspite of their earlier history of disagreements and political conflicts.
Open Access
Geographic Information System (GIS) Based Predictive Study of Environmental Change in the Nigeria's Section of the Chad Basin
(2015-06-26) Dami, Anthony
The study characterized the spatial patterns of changes in land and water uses in the Chad basin between1963 and 2003; assessed the spatial patterns of land and water uses during the period; modeled future trends in environmental change in the area, and evaluated the strategies with which local communities were responding to the increasingly unfavourable environment of the Basin. These were with a view to providing an understanding of the dynamics of land and water uses in the basin. Primary and secondary data types were used. The primary data on the socio-economic activities and drought coping strategies of people living in the Baga and Southern Chad project sections of the study area were obtained using a questionnaire. The populations of the communities in the area were between 2000 and 2500 and a sample size of approximately 2.5% (500) was taken. Five communities were randomly selected from the 21 in Baga and another 5 from the 24 in Southern Chad area. In each community, 50 copies of the questionnaire were administered on 50 household heads. To select the households, all households in each community were listed orderly. Fifty of these were then systematically selected, the kth value being generally about 40. Also, hydro-climatic records on rainfall, temperature and water levels from synoptic stations in the Basin between 1960 and 2002 were obtained. The data sets were summarized and trends analyzed using the second degree polynomial regression. Remote sensing images of the area were also obtained and analyzed with Integrated Land and Water Information System (ILWIS). The Markov chains modeled was used to develop a transition rule for future land uses. The resulting statistics were modelled with linear regression to simulate future trends. The results showed that the "water surface" category of landuse which was the driving factor, reduced from 1,135,208 hectares (61.2%) in 1963 to 207,880 hectares (11%) in 1975, 143,833.6 hectares (7.6%) in 1987, and then began to increase reaching 149,752 hectares (7.9%) in 1999 and 184,436 hectares (9.8%) in 2003. In the same vein, "regularly flooded sites" reduced from 383,040 hectares (20.3%) in 1975 to 170,640 hectares (9.0%) in 1987 and 51,468 hectares (2.7%) by 2003. Furthermore the environment had been unsupportive of the rural economy of the inhabitants in droughts. The people had weak adaptive capability for drought as 24.7% depended on the previous harvests, about the same proportion "did nothing" to cope while some 4.1% migrated to nearby countries. In addition, there had been changes in hydro-climatic parameters of the Basin. Annual rainfall rose from about 400 mm in the 1960s to more than 600 mm in 2002 in N'Djamena Aero, which supported the idea that the environment may already be getting wetter. Besides, the study showed that "dryland category" could increase to 2.23million hectares in five years times i.e. about twice its value for 2003. However, the probability of this occurring was 0.29, i.e. the dry land may actually reduce. Similarly, "water surfaces" category could increase to 32,259 hectares by 2008 with a probability of 0.41. Thus, yearly it is expected that there would be an increase of approximately 10,000 hectares in "water surfaces". In conclusion, the study showed that important changes had taken place in the Chad Basin which could make the Basin wetter in future.
Open Access
The Geological Sciences in the Service of Nigeria
(University of Ife Press, 1972-01-18) Cooray, P. G.
In the year 1900. Charles Lapworth, the then President of the Geological Society of London, asked from the President's Chair: "What is this geology of which we are so proud and confident? What has it done for the mental or material benefit of the human race? And on what grounds does it justify its claims to respect and support as one of the facts in the advance of humanity?" These questions appear to be as relevant today as they were at the beginning of the century, and my address this evening, as the title indicates, attempts to answer the first rather briefly, the second in some detail in so far as it applies specifically to the people of Nigeria, and the third not at a". as the answer lies with you-mine would be strongly prejudiced in geology's favour! The main body of my address falls naturally into three parts, namely. the manner in which the geological sciences have served Nigeria in the past, the ways in which they will continue to serve her in the future. and the contribution that the Department of Geology and Applied Geology at the University of Ife has made and will continue to make in the provision and growth of this service. But first some definitions are necessary. The science of geology, which is more than 200 years old, springs from two main sources-the consideration of the origin of rocks, and the study of minerals and crystals from the old mining districts of Germany. This is neither the time nor the place to delve into the history of our science-suffice it to say that until relatively recently geology was largely an observational science with little or no relation to the other physical sciences. Today the plctureTs very different. and the barriers between geology and chemistry, geology and physics. and geology and mathematics are being broken down as fast as they are between physics and chemistry. and chemistry and biology. It is for this reason -dissatisfaction with the limitations of the term "geology"-that I have chosen the wider term "geological sciences" for the purpose of this talk. Geology is in essence earth history and it uses every available .rneans to decipher this history. We can therefore say that the geological sciences are the various branches of geology and allied subjects that help to unravel earth history .
Open Access
Geospatial Analysis of Rainfall Variability Impacts on Crop Yield in the Guinea Savanna Ecological Zone of Nigeria
(2015-04-16) Ayanlade, Ayansina
The study developed a GIS database on inter-annual rainfall variability and crop yield in the Guinea Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria; mapped inter-annual changes in crop yield as a response to inter-annual rainfall variability in the study area. It also related the spatio-temporal variability in rainfall with crop yields; and model future scenario of the impact of rainfall variability on crop yields. This was with a view to evaluating the spatio-temporal impacts of rainfall variability on crop yields in the area. Secondary datasets were used for the study. These included annual crop yield and rainfall data from 1970 to 2000 and topographical maps of the study area. Data on crop yield were obtained from the Annual Abstracts of Statistics of the National Bureau of Statistics, Abuja while rainfall data were collected from the Nigerian Meteorological Services, Oshodi Lagos. Spatial datasets were prepared as a base data for the analyses. Three spatial interpolation methods: Inverse Distance Weighting (IDW); Spline and Kriging were used for the spatial analysis. Also, correlation and regression analysis were carried out on the dataset. The results showed spatial relationships between crop yield and rainfall variability for the period of study. Also, coefficient of variation showed that rainfall variability was high in most of Northern Guinea Savanna with values ranging from 21% to 49% (e.g. Yola 21% and Minna 29%) while it was low in the Southern Guinea Savanna especially, with values ranging from 8% to 9% (e.g Shaki 8% and Enugu 9%). The spatial variability in rainfall fluctuated from one year to the other (550mm to 2987mm). The results showed that there were significant positive relationship between crop yield and total rainfall (r= 0. 68, at p<0.05 for millet; r= 0.62, at p<0.05 for maize; r= 0.68, at p<0.05 for cassava; and r= 0.62, at p<0.05 for yam). The results further showed that the quantity of rainfall in April and May were the most important for maize and millet yield in most of the stations considered. This indicated that in a "normal" year, farmers in the Guinea Savanna should not plant maize and millet earlier than the month of April. The study concluded that geospatial techniques are powerful tools that should be explored further for realistic assessment of the effects on climate of farming activities.
Open Access
Geospatial Assessment of Petrol Filling Stations' Locational Pattern in Ejigbo LGA, Osun State
(2015-08-13) Fadahunsi, Joseph Tunde
This study assessed the compliance with rules and regulations set by Osun State Government and the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) of the existing location pattern of petrol filling stations in Ejigbo Local Government Area (LGA) using GIS technique. The specific objectives are to assess compliance of the existing locational pattern of petrol filling stations in the study area in relation to the surrounding physical structures using GIS, to compare rural and urban locational patterns of filling stations in the LGA and to assess people's perception on the locational pattern of the petrol stations in the study area. This is with a view to assess the existing locational pattern of petrol filling stations in the study area. The study involved the use of both primary and secondary data. For the collection of primary data, two sets of questionnaires were designed, namely, questionnaire for the managers of the petrol filling stations and questionnaire for the general public. The total number of the questionnaires administered to the general public was 520. Also attribute data such as area of the landed property of the petrol filling stations, set-back to the roads and rivers, among others were obtained by direct field observations. The main sources of secondary data for this research include map of Local Government Areas of Osun state at a scale of 1:250,000 and base map of Ejigbo LGA at scale 1:15,000. A hand held Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver was used to update the maps. The base map of the study area was scanned, georeferenced, and all features were digitized layer by layer using ILIWIS 3.2a software. Map layers were exported from ILIWIS 3.2a to Arc view GIS 3.2a software for the creation, integration, manipulation and visualization of cartographic database. Queries, buffering and overlaying operations were carried out to evaluate the compliance of the existing locational pattern of petrol filling stations in the study area. To assess people's perception on the locational pattern of the petrol stations, simple descriptive statistics was employed. The findings showed that 97.30% of the petrol filling stations obeyed river set-back standard, 18.92% obeyed road set-back, 21.62% were not closed to one another, and 27.03% were not within built-up areas, the areas of the plot of 21.62% of the petrol stations were up to standard, the height of the fence of 18.92% of the petrol stations were up to standard, and 89.19% obeyed the minimum standard distance from the public buildings. None of the petrol stations complied with all the identified standards. Out of 37 petrol filling stations, 23 were located in Ejigbo, the urban centre, while the remaining 14 stations are scattered about in the rural areas. In conclusion, the study found that the identified 37 filling stations in Ejigbo LGA were concentrated along major roads. The reasons for this locational pattern were due to corruption, ineffectiveness of local planning authority and political influence, among others. This pattern is however associated with problems of fire risk, occasional traffic disturbances, stations located too far from people in some towns/villages of the LGA.
Open Access
A GIS-Based Procedure for Downscaling Climate Data for West Africa
(Blackwell Publishing Ltd, 2008-10) Akinyemi, Felicia; Adejuwon, James Oladipo
Local studies aimed at assessing the impact of climate variability on crop yield at the individual farm level require the use of weather and climate data. These are often collected at points known as meteorological stations. In West Africa, meteorological stations are sparsely distributed and as a result, are often unable to satisfy the data requirements for such studies. One major problem arising from this is how to estimate values for locations where primary data is not available. General Circulation Models (GCMs) have recently been deployed for weather forecasting and climate change projections but the resolution of their outputs is low requiring downscaling. This article describes a GIS-based procedure for downscaling GCMs’ outputs for use in studies assessing the impacts of climate variability on crop yield at the farm level. The procedure is implemented with the Hadley Centre's GCM (HadCM2) data, although any other GCM can be used. Results in this study show that the model works best when representing drier months as compared to wet months in all three domains tested. For example, it estimated the rainfall for January (the driest month) better than that of July which is the peak of the rainy season in West Africa. There is also a north-south pattern influencing the accuracy of estimated rainfall distribution, with stations in the south better represented than those in the north. For the greater part of West Africa where similar climatic conditions persist as in Nigeria, this procedure can be considered suitable for interpolation and downscaling
Open Access
The Heart, Life, and Soul of Technology
(Obafemi Awolowo University Press, 1988-04-12) Mojola, O. O.
The ivory-tower ritual of delivering an inaugural lecture which I am now called upon to perform was of course transplanted into this country by the British. Within Britain itself, there was some semblance of this activity at the University of Oxford- at least as early as 1623 when, as the first Camden Professor of History, Digory Whear mounted the rostrum to deliver his oratio auspicalis in the Schola Grammaticae. By the time of Edward Thwaites (Regius Professor of Greek, also at Oxford) in 1708, the inaugural lecture had 'become somewhat _forrn alised, and the lecture has since come to be perceived by scholars as something of an intellectual feast prepared by the lecturer according to his own recipe. My recipe for this lecture, the first from the Department of Mechanical Engineering of this University, is a fairly brief e.~osition of some aspects of technology. The expose shall be lightly flavoured with summaries in the appropriate places of some of my contributions to knowledge and activities in the field for more than twenty years. I shall be di~ging into the past, tugging at the present, and (occasionally) crystal-gazing into the future. The thrust of my arguments shall be directed at some of those key elements which I consider to be the real foundations of technology. Hence my choice of a rather basal title: The Heart, Life, and Soul of Technology. According to G.K. Chesterton ( a famous English essayist, novelist, and critic), "All slang is metaphor and all metaphor is poetry." But my use of the metaphors Heart, Life and Soul in the title of this lecture (and of similar metaphors elsewhere in the lecture}, is largely a deliberate attempt to hum anise technology. Afterall, technology, like the sabbath, is made for man and not man for technology.
Open Access
History and Society
(University of Ife Press, 1976-02-24) Oloruntimehin, B. Olatunji
MR VICE-CHANCELLOR. I feel honoured and privileged that I have the opportunity to deliver my inaugural lecture before this distinguished audience. I understand that it is the first to be delivered by a historian in this University. However. I must confess to some diffidence in doing so. For one thing. I am a rather new comer to the University. and newer still as a member of the unit that has formal responsibility for history as a subject. Although I have been a happy member of the community of historians since I came here as a research professor. I became a member of the department of history only when I was redeployed in the recent restructuring and reform of the University as a system. It is against this background of limited experience that I entertain the feeling that. by addressing you now. I might be rushing like a fool where angels have feared to tread. Nonetheless. I feel encouraged by the fact that the world of scholarship is a universal one. and that the real purpose of an inaugural lecture is better served if delivered at the beginning. or as close as possible to the beginning. of one's tenure as a professor. In the tradition of our people. I wish to pay homage to those who have had the duty of cultivating the discipline of history in this University. Dr. Saburi Biobaku must be mentioned first in spite of the fact that he was associated with the department only for a fleeting moment. He did a great deal for history and related disciplines as founder and first director ofthe Institute of African Studies at a time when the African component of the curricula of the University was still scanty and needed tending by a protecting hand. Up till now, Dr. Biobaku has remained tireless in popularising the idea of history and in stimulating public awareness of the value of cultural studies in a technological age. As far as history within the University of Ife is concerned. Professor I. A. Akinjogbin easily comes to the forefront as the longest serving member, and as the single individual who has had the privilege and the challenge to have been the head of the department for almost a decade now. Professor Akinjogbin has devoted his entire career as a' university teacher to the department. Indeed, the image of the department bears clear imprints of his own as a scholar. It could hardly have been otherwise since the department itself is less than fourteen years old. The growth of the department in this relatively short period has been remarkable. and all who, in their varied ways, have contributed to it deserve commendation. I feel honoured to be a member, and, as a believer in collective effort, I pledge my loyalty to the task of developing the discipline in a virile and purposive way. I believe there is a lot still to be done to build an Ife School of history-especially in the area of research and postgraduate training, in the latter of which the department is still very much a toddler.
Open Access
The Impact of Cocoa Cultivation on Soil Characterstics in Southwestern Nigeria
(Obafemi Awolowo University, 1985) Ekanad, Olusegun; Jeje, L.K.; Adejuwon, J.O
This study investigates the impact of cocoa cultivation on soil properties in a part of the Nigerian Cocoa Belt with a view to providing a framework for land use planning and management. For comparative purposes, the conditions under forest and fallow were also investigated. The plant-soil model was adopted in order to investigate the functional and reciprocal effects between soil and vegetation properties over time using the inferential analytical approach. This was based on the side-by-side comparison of soil and vegetation properties in cocoa and fallow plots of different ages, and in forest plots in geographically separate locations within a homogeneous zone in respect of the physical environment and landuse practices. Standard field and laboratory techniques were used to collect and analyse 15 soil and 11 vegetation parameters. The changes in, and interrelationships between soil and vegetation properties under cocoa over time viz--a-viz the situation under fallow and forest were analysed using ANOVA, 'student's t-test, Pearson' s correlation, cumulative deviations from the mean, canonical correlation and stepwise regression. The results obtained from these analyses show that: (i) the values of most soil properties are significantly lower under either cocoa or fallow than under forest while a few exhibit significant differences between cocoa and fallow; (ii} complex soil-vegetation relationships exist under cocoa as opposed to the simple situations under fallow and forest thereby indicating the disturbance of the soil-vegetation system under cocoa over time; (iii) as opposed to what obtains under forest and fallow, tree density and biomass indices under cocoa indicate deleterious effects on cocoa soils. However, foliage cover and accumulated litter indicate beneficial effects on cocoa soils over time; (iv) at about the fortieth year of cocoa cultivation the cocoa soil-vegetation system breaks down. Thus, to maintain the fertility of cocoa soils over time in the Nigerian Cocoa Belt there is the need to apply organic soil improvement techniques. For optimum land use efficiency it is recommended that moribund cocoa plots, unyielding to rehabilitating efforts, should be converted to food-crop plots t) enhance food production in Nigerian.
Open Access
Land cover change and forest management strategies in Ife nature reserve, Nigeria
(GeoJournal, 2018-09) Eludoyin, Adebayo O; Iyanda, Olamide Olaleye
This study examined the existing forest management strategies and land cover change in one of nature forest reserves in Nigeria. It analysed freely available Landsat imageries for the assessment of land cover change between 1986 and 2014, and conducted key informant interviews on forest guards and an administrator in relevant ministry, for information on management practiced. Results showed that about 35.2% of the vegetal cover were lost within the study period; 80% of the interviewed forest guards attributed such loss to unrestricted access of the surrounding communities, 60% to logging or chain saw operation, and 40% to farming practices and bush burning in the reserve. Management practiced is that, which ensures passive input with active harvesting, but cannot be ﬁxed within a speciﬁc sustainable strategy of the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations. The study concluded that given the management strategy practiced in the forest reserve, which also allows defaulters of forest reserve regulations to escape punishment because they can ‘settle’, indicate that corruption, rather than poverty, is the major drive of deforestation in the area.
Open Access
Land Use Dynamics and Expansion of the Built-Up Area in Benin City, Nigeria
(MCSER Publishing, Rome-Italy, 2014-10) Olayiwola, Wale; Igbavboa, O E
The dynamics of the urban form in relation to anthropogenic activities leaves much to be desired in its study for proper and timely planning of the urban environment. This, therefore, brings to bear the urgent need for the use of modern digital town planning techniques that can easily provide accurate data for efficient planning preference to the continual use of conventional analogue methods which make town planning data readily available. In view of this, this study monitored the growth of Benin City between 1987 and 2008 using the contemporary remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Thus, the study aimed at examining the trend of urban growth in the study area with a view to examining its consequence on the land use pattern. The methods adopted for this research involves the use of remotely sensed data from Landsat TM and Landsat ETM. Ground truthing was also carried out to corroborate the data from the satellite images. Secondary data from the literature relevant to the study were also obtained. The results showed that Benin City was expanding rapidly leading to an inverse spill over effect on the vegetation resources of the peripheral area. This has placed a serious burden on the Department of Town/ Land Use Planning saddled with the responsibility to properly integrate these adjoining rural settlements into the already existing urban form. In addition, the results showed that at the rate Benin-City was expanding, if not checked will in no distant future pose a threat to the micro-climate of the area and food production.