(a) Draw an outline map of Nigeria. On the map, show and name: (i) Lake Kainji; (ii) one area with extinct volcano; (iii) the Udi hills; (iv) the River Hade...

Answer Details

(a) Map work

As shown on the outline map above, the following features are correctly located and named:

• Lake Kainji, in the north-western part of Nigeria, on the River Niger around Niger and Kebbi States.
• An area of extinct volcanoes on the Jos Plateau in north-central Nigeria.
• The Udi Hills, west of Enugu in south-eastern Nigeria.
• The River Hadeija, in north-eastern Nigeria, flowing through the Kano-Jigawa area towards the Hadejia-Nguru wetlands.

(b) Problems of development in the Eastern Borderland

Any four of the following are acceptable:

• Rugged and mountainous relief: The hilly terrain makes settlement, farming, road construction and communication difficult and expensive.
• Poor transport network and inaccessibility: Many settlements are remote, while roads may be poor, narrow or difficult to maintain, especially during the rainy season.
• Soil erosion: Heavy rainfall on steep slopes encourages sheet and gully erosion, leading to loss of fertile topsoil and destruction of farmland, roads and houses.
• Low soil fertility: Continuous cultivation, leaching and erosion reduce soil nutrients and lower agricultural output.
• Inadequate water supply: Some communities lack reliable potable water, particularly in areas where rivers are seasonal or groundwater is difficult to obtain.
• Flooding of lowland areas: Low-lying valleys may be flooded, damaging crops, settlements and transport routes.
• Rural-urban migration: Young and able-bodied people move to towns in search of employment, leaving fewer workers for rural development.
• Environmental degradation: Deforestation, overgrazing and unsuitable farming practices may worsen erosion and reduce land productivity.
• Scanty rainfall or drought in some northern sections: This limits crop production and causes shortage of pasture and water.

(c) Solutions to the problems

• Control erosion and improve soil fertility: Farmers should practise terracing or contour/strip farming on slopes, plant trees, and apply manure or fertilisers to restore soil nutrients and reduce soil loss.
• Improve accessibility: Government should construct and maintain all-season roads, bridges and drainage systems to link remote borderland settlements with markets and service centres.

Other acceptable measures include providing irrigation and reliable clean water supplies, establishing cattle ranches, promoting cooperative farming, reafforestation, channelising flood-prone water courses, and providing rural amenities to reduce rural-urban migration.