Lafia
Lafia
Lafiyan | |
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UTC1 (WAT) | |
| Climate | Aw |
Lafia is a city in Nigeria's North Central region. It is the capital and largest city of Nasarawa State, with a population of 330,712 inhabitants as of the 2006 census.
History
Lafia, also known as Lafian bare-bari, is the capital city of Nasarawa State, North Central Nigeria. Founded by Muhammadu Dunama in late 17th century on the site south of Shabu village. The town now has its 17th
Modern Lafia aside from being an administrative and educational centre, it is also a collecting point for sesame seeds, soybeans, and is a trading centre for yams, sorghum, millet, and cotton. Besides farming, cotton weaving and dyeing are traditionally important activities of the town's inhabitants. Livestock farming is also a prominent activity especially amongst the Fulani herdsmen.
The two royal families of Ari and Dallah Dunama of the Kanuri people (Bare-Bari) are the ruling houses of the Lafia Emirate. The current Emir is Sidi Bage, from the Dallah Dunama royal family. He succeeded the longest reigning Emir, HRH Isa Mustapha Agwai I (1976–2019).[2][3][4]
LAFIA CENTRAL MOSQUE
Thehe Lafia Central Mosque (Arabic: النصراوا لافيا), also known as the Nasarawa State Mosque, is the state mosque of Nasarawa. The mosque was built in 1971[1] and is open to the non-Muslim public, except during congregational prayers.
Institutions
Lafia is home to the Federal University of Lafia, Nasarawa State University Faculty of Agriculture Lafia Campus, Isa Mustapha Agwai I Polytechnic Lafia, School of Nursing And Midwifery, School of Health Technology LAFIA, College of Agriculture Lafia, and a study centre of the National Open University of Nigeria. It has a large number of primary and secondary schools. The St Williams Cathedral, situated along Jos Road, is the headquarters of the Lafia diocese and still under construction.
It is situated on the trunk railway from Port Harcourt and on the main highway between Makurdi and Jos. The population per the 2006 census in Lafia local government area was estimated as 330,712.[5]
Climate
Lafia has hot, humid, partly cloudy dry seasons, oppressive, overcast rainy seasons, with temperatures that range from 64°F to 97°F all year round. It rarely gets below 59°F or rises over 103°F.[6][7][8]
| Climate data for Lafia (1991–2020) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 40 (104) |
42 (108) |
42.2 (108.0) |
42 (108) |
40 (104) |
36.8 (98.2) |
34.5 (94.1) |
41 (106) |
35 (95) |
37 (99) |
40 (104) |
39 (102) |
42.2 (108.0) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 35.6 (96.1) |
37.6 (99.7) |
38.2 (100.8) |
36.2 (97.2) |
33.5 (92.3) |
31.6 (88.9) |
30.6 (87.1) |
30.0 (86.0) |
30.8 (87.4) |
32.4 (90.3) |
35.2 (95.4) |
35.6 (96.1) |
33.9 (93.0) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 27.3 (81.1) |
30.1 (86.2) |
32.0 (89.6) |
30.9 (87.6) |
29.0 (84.2) |
27.6 (81.7) |
26.9 (80.4) |
26.5 (79.7) |
26.8 (80.2) |
27.8 (82.0) |
28.1 (82.6) |
26.8 (80.2) |
28.3 (82.9) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 19.0 (66.2) |
22.6 (72.7) |
25.8 (78.4) |
25.7 (78.3) |
24.5 (76.1) |
23.5 (74.3) |
23.2 (73.8) |
23.0 (73.4) |
22.9 (73.2) |
23.2 (73.8) |
21.0 (69.8) |
18.0 (64.4) |
22.7 (72.9) |
| Record low °C (°F) | 11 (52) |
10.8 (51.4) |
15 (59) |
18 (64) |
17 (63) |
16 (61) |
19.7 (67.5) |
18.2 (64.8) |
19 (66) |
17 (63) |
13.5 (56.3) |
10.5 (50.9) |
10.5 (50.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 1.6 (0.06) |
4.8 (0.19) |
12.4 (0.49) |
87.2 (3.43) |
157.1 (6.19) |
214.8 (8.46) |
239.1 (9.41) |
309.0 (12.17) |
235.7 (9.28) |
143.6 (5.65) |
5.1 (0.20) |
0.1 (0.00) |
1,410.4 (55.53) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 1.0 mm) | 0.1 | 0.3 | 0.8 | 4.4 | 7.9 | 10.1 | 12.1 | 14.4 | 13.4 | 8.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 | 72.1 |
| Average relative humidity (%)
|
37.4 | 38.8 | 52.4 | 69.0 | 78.6 | 82.7 | 84.7 | 86.3 | 85.6 | 82.9 | 63.3 | 45.1 | 67.2 |
| Source: NOAA[9] | |||||||||||||
Temperature
From January through April, Lafia endures a hot season with daily highs typically exceeding 94°F. The hottest month is March, which averages highs of 97°F and lows of 75°F. Highs below 86°F are experienced for 4.0 months during the chilly season. The coldest month is December, which has highs of 90°F and lows of 65°F.[6][7]
Growing Period
In Lafia, the term "growing season" refers to the longest stretch of time of the year during which temperatures are not below freezing (32°F). With a base of 50°F and a top of 86°F, growing degree days are a measurement of yearly heat accumulation used to forecast plant and animal development.[6]
Sports
Lafia is the location of
Transportation
Lafia is served by the main
See also
References
- ^ "Lafia (Local Government Area in Nigeria)". www.citypopulation.de. Retrieved 2024-02-05.
- ^ "Isah Mustapha Agwai 1 [1935-2019]". Daily Trust. 2019-01-17. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
- ^ "StackPath". leadership.ng. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
- ^ "Emir of Lafia buried amid tears". Punch Newspapers. 11 January 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
- ^ "Lafia, Nigeria – International Cities of Peace". Retrieved 2023-09-13.
- ^ a b c "Lafia Climate, Weather By Month, Average Temperature (Nigeria) - Weather Spark". weatherspark.com. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
- ^ a b "Lafia Annual Weather Averages". WorldWeatherOnline.com. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
- ^ "Lafia, Nasarawa, NG Climate Zone, Monthly Averages, Historical Weather Data". tcktcktck.org. Retrieved 2023-08-27.
- ^ "World Meteorological Organization Climate Normals for 1991-2020 — Lafia". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 7, 2024.
8°29′30″N 8°31′00″E / 8.49167°N 8.51667°E
State capital: Lafia | ||
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