Encyclopedia : J : JO : JOS
Jos is a picturesque city, situated high on the Jos Plateau in Nigeria's middle belt (Lat:9°56' Long:8°53'). It is the administrative capital of Plateau State.
City Facts
Jos has a population of around 1,000,000 people. Jos North, Jos South and Jos East have a combined population density of 391 persons per sq. km making them the most densely populated parts of Plateau State.With an altitude of 4062 feet (over 1000m) above sea level, it enjoys a more temperate climate than much of the rest of Nigeria (average monthly temperatures range from 21° to 25° C). These cooler temperatures have meant that from colonial times until present day, Jos is a favourite holiday location for both tourists and expatriates based in Nigeria. Situated almost at the geographical centre of Nigeria and about 288km. from Abuja, the nation's capital, Jos is linked by road, rail and air to the rest of the country.
History
The earliest known Nigerians were the Nok people (around 3000BC), skilled artisans from around the Jos area who mysteriously vanished in the late first millennia.Jos was established in 1915 at the site of the village Geash. It grew rapidly after the British discovered vast tin deposits in the vicinity. Both tin and columbite were extensively mined in the area up until the 1960s. It was transported by railway to both Port Harcourt and Lagos on the coast where it was exported. Jos is still often referred to as "Tin City". In 1967 it was made capital of Benue-Plateau State, becoming the capital of the new Plateau State in 1975.
Jos has become an important national administrative and commercial centre. Tin mining has led to the influx of migrants, mostly Hausas, Igbos, Yorubas and Europeans who constitute more than half of the population of Jos. This "melting pot" of race, tribe and religion makes Jos one of the most cosmopolitan cities in Nigeria. For this reason, Plateau State is known in Nigeria as the "home of peace and tourism". Despite this, in 2001, the city witnessed violent riots between the divided Muslim and Christian populations in which several thousand people died. In 2004 the governor of Plateau State Joshua Dariye was suspended for six months for failing to control the violence.
Features
The city is home to the University of Jos (founded in 1975), St Luke's cathedral, an airport and railway station. Jos is served by several teaching hospitals including ECWA Evangel Hospital and Jos University Teaching Hospital (JUTH), a Federal Government-funded referral hospital.The National Museum in Jos was founded in 1952, and is recognised as one of the best in the country. It is well known for its archeology and The Pottery Hall has an exceptional collection of finely crafted pottery from all over Nigeria. The museum boasts some fine specimens of Nok terracotta heads and artifacts dating from between 500 BC to 200 AD. It also incorporates the Museum of Traditional Nigerian Architecture with life-size replicas of a variety of buildings, from the walls of Kano and the Mosque at Zaria to 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 of UNESCO. The Jos Museum is also located beside the zoo.
Jos has two golf courses, Rayfield and Plateau, plus a polo club, a stadium and other sports/entertainment offerings. Hillcrest School, an international missionary school, is also located in Jos. The school has been running for more than fifty years(since 1942) and contains a large international student population.
The Jos Wildlife Park is another attraction. It covers roughly 8 sq. kilometers of savannah bush. Visitors are able to see animals ranging from lions to pythons to pygmy hippopotami.
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 also is a centre for the construction industry and has several printing and publishing firms. The Jos-Bukuru dam and reservoir on the Shen River provide water for the city's industries.
Jos Airport situated at Heipang has one of the most modern buildings in the country with a long enough runway for the jet airlines.
-->The airport is served at the moment by the scheduled domestic flights of Nigeria Airways alonog with private airlines including Kabo air, EAS, Chanchangi, ALBARKA airlines, which operate on daily basis to Abuja and Lagos.Jos is a great base for exploring the beauty of 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 pleasant 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-Akwanga road. Kura Falls is a refreshing area for walks and picnics, with scenery reminiscent of the Scottish highlands.
Chiefs of Jos
Jos is a traditional state and was politically organised under a chief around 1950. The title of any chief of Jos is Gbong Gwom Jos
- ? to ?1969 - Rwang Pam was the first paramount chief of the Berom), one of the largest ethnic groups in Plateau State. He was also the chief under which the city of Jos was first politically organised. He died on the throne in 1969.
- ?1969 - 2002 - Fom Bot was his successor, whose reign lasted up to December 2002 when he also died on the throne after a protracted illness.
- 2002 to present - Victor Pam a retired Deputy Inspector General of the Nigerian Police.
External Links
[[http://www.plateaustategov.org/ Plateau State Website]]
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