Farin Ruwa Falls
Encyclopedia
Farin Ruwa Falls is a waterfall
found in the central
region of Nigeria
. It is among the highest waterfalls in Nigeria.It is a fall to be reckoned with in Africa
when the total height covered by the waterfall is considered.
The source of Farin Ruwa falls is found on the Jos Plateau
where it gushes down from the top of the plateau
.During its descent from the Jos Plateau,a total height of about 150 metres (492 ft)is covered by the falls . This height is higher compared to the more popular Victoria Falls
known to cover a height of around 108 metres (354 ft) during its descent.
Local Government Area
of Nassarawa State.The falls is found along the boundary of Plateau
and Nasarawa states,under Bokkos
and Wamba Local Government areas of the two states .But the falls has its source on the Jos plateau, in Bokkos local government area,of Plateau state.
The falls was discovered by the then British
colonial masters, of Nigeria in the 1950s. A catering Rest House was established in Gur Hill at Marhai village close to the fall in order to exploit it commercially. To protect its rich heritage, the colonial administration gazetted it and named it Marhai Forest Reserve. However, despite this early development, Farin Ruwa was consigned to the backyard until the creation of Nassarawa State in 1996. The waterfall is about 120 kilometres from Lafia
, the Nassarawa state capital, and 30 kilometres from Wamba town.
word meaning, white water.Farin ruwa is a description of the nature of the falls,by the local inhabitants of the Farin ruwa area. The height covered during the descent of the falls is very great, that the descending water merely crashes during its way down the Jos plateau highland. The falls gradually turns white
in colour as a result of the height covered by the falls during its descent.
The falls as a result of its white colour,appears in a distance to the inhabitants of the Farin Ruwa area, like a white smoke on the mountains.
This white nature of the falls, earned it the name from the inhabitants, Farin Ruwa.
.
There is a drop in the volume of water of the falls, during the dry season
, from December to March. But it is for a short while, as the falls recovers its water volume again, during the rainy season.
This factor has resulted in the low tourism activities around the waterfall. But plans are on to develop the full potentials of the falls.
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
found in the central
Middle Belt
The Middle Belt is a human geographical term designating the region of central Nigeria populated largely by minority ethnic groups and stretching across the country longitudinally. The Middle Belt is indeterminate in that it lacks designated "borders" and is charactized by a heterogeneity and...
region of Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. It is among the highest waterfalls in Nigeria.It is a fall to be reckoned with in Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
when the total height covered by the waterfall is considered.
The source of Farin Ruwa falls is found on the Jos Plateau
Jos Plateau
The Jos Plateau is a plateau located near the center of Nigeria. It covers 8600 km² and is bounded by 300-600 meter escarpments around much of its circumference. With an average altitude of 1280 metres and its highest point is Shere Hills 1829 meters...
where it gushes down from the top of the plateau
Jos Plateau
The Jos Plateau is a plateau located near the center of Nigeria. It covers 8600 km² and is bounded by 300-600 meter escarpments around much of its circumference. With an average altitude of 1280 metres and its highest point is Shere Hills 1829 meters...
.During its descent from the Jos Plateau,a total height of about 150 metres (492 ft)is covered by the falls . This height is higher compared to the more popular Victoria Falls
Victoria Falls
The Victoria Falls or Mosi-oa-Tunya is a waterfall located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe.-Introduction:...
known to cover a height of around 108 metres (354 ft) during its descent.
Location
Farin Ruwa falls, is found in Farin Ruwa Development Area, under WambaWamba, Nigeria
Wamba is a Local Government Area in Nasarawa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Wamba.It has an area of 1,156 km² and a population of 72,894 at the 2006 census.- Attractions :...
Local Government Area
Local Government Areas in Nigeria
||Nigeria has 774 Local Government Areas .Each local government area is administered by a Local Government Council consisting of a chairman who is the Chief Executive of the LGA, and other elected members who are referred to as Councillors....
of Nassarawa State.The falls is found along the boundary of Plateau
Plateau State
Plateau State is the twelfth largest state of Nigeria, and is roughly located in the center of the country. It is geographically unique in Nigeria because its boundaries totally surround the Jos Plateau, having the Jos Plateau totally in its central and northern part...
and Nasarawa states,under Bokkos
Bokkos
Bokkos is a Local Government Area in Plateau State, Nigeria.Its headquarters are in the town of Bokkos at.It has an area of 1,682 km² and a population of 178,454 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 932....
and Wamba Local Government areas of the two states .But the falls has its source on the Jos plateau, in Bokkos local government area,of Plateau state.
The falls was discovered by the then British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial masters, of Nigeria in the 1950s. A catering Rest House was established in Gur Hill at Marhai village close to the fall in order to exploit it commercially. To protect its rich heritage, the colonial administration gazetted it and named it Marhai Forest Reserve. However, despite this early development, Farin Ruwa was consigned to the backyard until the creation of Nassarawa State in 1996. The waterfall is about 120 kilometres from Lafia
Lafia
Lafia is a town in central Nigeria. It is the capital city of Nasarawa State and has a population of 330,712 inhabitants according to the 2006 census results .It is the largest town in Nasarawa state.- History :...
, the Nassarawa state capital, and 30 kilometres from Wamba town.
The name Farin Ruwa
Farin Ruwa is a hausa languageHausa language
Hausa is the Chadic language with the largest number of speakers, spoken as a first language by about 25 million people, and as a second language by about 18 million more, an approximate total of 43 million people...
word meaning, white water.Farin ruwa is a description of the nature of the falls,by the local inhabitants of the Farin ruwa area. The height covered during the descent of the falls is very great, that the descending water merely crashes during its way down the Jos plateau highland. The falls gradually turns white
White
White is a color, the perception of which is evoked by light that stimulates all three types of color sensitive cone cells in the human eye in nearly equal amounts and with high brightness compared to the surroundings. A white visual stimulation will be void of hue and grayness.White light can be...
in colour as a result of the height covered by the falls during its descent.
The falls as a result of its white colour,appears in a distance to the inhabitants of the Farin Ruwa area, like a white smoke on the mountains.
This white nature of the falls, earned it the name from the inhabitants, Farin Ruwa.
Environment and climate
The mountainous, nature of the region surrounding the Farin ruwa falls, induces heavy rainfall, from clouds passing over the region, during the rainy season from March to November.As a result,there is an increase in the volume of water of the falls,crashing from the mountains during the rainy season. The mountains around the falls, are the continuation, of the Jos PlateauJos Plateau
The Jos Plateau is a plateau located near the center of Nigeria. It covers 8600 km² and is bounded by 300-600 meter escarpments around much of its circumference. With an average altitude of 1280 metres and its highest point is Shere Hills 1829 meters...
.
There is a drop in the volume of water of the falls, during the dry season
Dry season
The dry season is a term commonly used when describing the weather in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which oscillates from the northern to the southern tropics over the course of the year...
, from December to March. But it is for a short while, as the falls recovers its water volume again, during the rainy season.
Poor tourism facilities
The tourism industry in Nigeria is still a developing industry.It has not done much to open or to showcase the waterfall to the world.This factor has resulted in the low tourism activities around the waterfall. But plans are on to develop the full potentials of the falls.