NIGERIA
SOCIETY
To truly understand and grasp Nigeria’s society, you have to understand its ethnic make-up and the dominant role it plays in Nigerian culture. Nigeria has over 250 different ethnic groups and 500 additional indigenous languages. Over 50% of the population are Muslim, 40% practice Christianity, and 10% practice some form of indigenous beliefs. (Ref: www.cia.gov )The many different ethnic groups results from its long colonial history and numerous cultural and physical boundaries that were created during this time. Historically, Nigeria has distinguished its groups based on location and other cultural indicators. Some of these indicators include, but are not limited to, language and religion.
Nigeria’s ethnic groups can be easily broken down by geographic region. During the earliest stages of colonialism, Nigeria was separated into two main regions, the north side and the south side. The north side and portions of the middle belt mainly consisted of the majority Muslim population and the south side shaded culturally on the Christian side. (Ref. www.mongabay.com ) Of course there were sub-regions that developed from these two main regions, but the general makeup of the two regions stayed relatively consistent. After Nigeria gained its independence in 1960, there was a push to end the classification of people based on religion or different tribal groups and to promote ethnic diversity. Conflict between the different ethnic groups was not uncommon and the complications it caused in the past, has lead to social unrest that still exists today. The official language of Nigeria is English, which is taught early in primary schools throughout most developed regions. English as a common language was taught to help a...
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...h aims to reduce violent conflict in Nigeria. The program provides support to Nigerian stakeholders to better manage conflict resulting in wealth creation, service delivery and poverty reduction. The program is funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and implemented by the British Council in partnership with International Alert and Social Development Direct. Program implementation will be over a period of five years (2013 to 2017). At the same time, with the support of NSRP, the Federal Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development has just launched the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security.
It is also important to mention that internal security and human rights conditions are evaluated annually in the Amnesty International Report and in the United States Department of State's Country Reports on Human Rights Practices.
When considering what the African diaspora is, there is one period of time that people commonly refer to. This period of time is the Atlantic Slave Trade. While not the only diaspora of the African people in history, the Atlantic Slave Trade is most commonly thought of due to the scale at which Africans were being emigrated, with around 10-15 million Africans being brought over to the Americas, as well as the effect it has on us today. When looking at the experiences of Africans, they greatly differed dependent on where they landed. These experiences affected later generations of Africans, forcing them to adopt their own culture based on their surroundings and what they were accustomed to from Africa.
Religion and the Igbo People The Igbo are a profoundly religious people who believe in a benevolent creator, usually known as Chukwu, who created the visible universe (uwa). Opposing this force for good is agbara, meaning spirit or supernatural being. In some situations people are referred to as agbara in describing an almost impossible feat performed by them. In a common phrase the igbo people will say Bekee wu agbara.
The prior history of Nigeria before the 1900’s is critical in exploring the effects of colonialism. During the pre-colonial era, Nigeria was mainly divided into three tribes: Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa Fulani. A female’s role differed according to kinship structure of the tribe and the status of the woman in the economy. Neither new nor peculiar, women have long been regarded as the “subordinate” class in Nigerian culture. Nigerian women were able to achieve high statuses by lineage or marrying into ruling class families. Under customary laws, a woman’s purpose was to be fertile and able to bear children. Tribes expected their women to marry into Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa Fulani patri-lineage and bear sons to guarantee the future of the tribe. A wife’s position improved as she gave birth to more children and gain approval from elder members. Women who could not were scorned just as Mama wa...
According to Beaueboeuf-Laufontant, racialization can be defined as the placement of groups in particular statues within the matrix of domination is justified through the generation and dissemination of controlling images. As a result of overaching ‘’matrix of domination”, a few statuses are considered normative and deserving of first class citizenship while most others are deemed constitutive of deviance and requiring subordination. As representations of subordinated groups, controlling images guide behavior toward and from these persons, constrain what is seen and believed about them, and when internalized, profoundly influence the self-perceptions of the marginalized. Like stereotypes, controlling images are generalized representations about
Oghre, Ben. “Nigeria’s Population Is A Silent Killer .” Nigerians of America. N.p., 30 Sept. 2007. Web. 5 Feb. 2012. .
Being able to identify with a certain group has been an issue that individuals hesitate with daily. Am I Black, are you a girl, what religion do you practice? These are all common questions that society has forced individuals to concentrate on. Should an individual have to pick a side or is it relevant to the human race to identify with any group? One may believe not, but for others having and knowing one’s own identity is important, because it is something that they have been developing their entire life. Along with how their identity influenced their life chances and their self-esteem. This can also affect how society interact with whatever identity an individual chooses to live. Which is why it was important to recognize how identifying
"Untouchability in Nigeria | International Humanist and Ethical Union." International Humanist and Ethical Union | The World Union of Humanist Organizations. Web. 08 Apr. 2010. .
Nearly 50 percent of the country's population are women. Within Nigeria there are about 250 different ethnic groups that speak nearly 4000 dialects. Its religions are: Islam (50%), Christianity (40%) and traditional beliefs (10%). Ethnic problems have been common among the various tribal groups. Also, religious unrest has been seen between northern and southern regions of
According to Samuels in Case Studies in Comparative Politics, Nigeria began as a group of states and empires, which were conquered by the British Empire who ruled Nigeria through indirect rule with varying degrees of rule in North and South Nigeria (Samuels, 323-326). Since they were granted independence in 1960, three republics have been created and each has ended by military rule, which led to the creation of the fourth, and current republic in Nigeria. In the current regime Nigeria’s GDP is ranked 108 of 156 and has been decreasing, lower than some of the non oil-producing nations in Africa (“Nigeria”).
In Southwestern Nigeria there is an ethnic group of people known as the Yoruba. This culture is found in other areas of Africa such as Togo, Sierra Leone and Liberia. In these countries their group is known by different names such as Anago, Tsha, Ife and Aku (Yoruba Online). Through archaeological excavation in Oyo and Ife, it is thought that the Yoruba people originated between the years of 800 and 1000 AD from the Middle East (p. 13 Drewal, Henry John, John Pemberton, Rowland Abiodun, and Allen Wardwell.).
...’s depictions of both traditional and modern beliefs in varying degrees illustrate the importance of both in contemporary Nigerian culture, as well as the greater Africa as a whole, and how both are intertwined and cannot exist without the other. In effect, she skillfully subverts stereotypes or single perceptions of Africa as backward and traditional, proving instead, the multifaceted culture of Africa. She further illustrates that neither traditional African nor western culture is necessarily detrimental. It is the stark contrast of the fundamental cultures that inevitably leads to clashes and disagreements. In the end, what holds African countries such as Nigeria together is their shared pride. Modern, western influences can bring positive changes to society, but new cultures cannot completely eradicate the foundational cultures to which a society is founded on.
Nigerian culture is as multi-ethnic as the people in Nigeria. The people of Nigeria still cherish their traditional languages, music, dance and literature. Nigeria comprises of three large ethnic groups, which are Yoruba, Hausa-Fulani and Igbo.
Okeke, Phil E. "Reconfiguring Tradition: Women's Rights and Social Status in Contemporary Nigeria." Africa Today 47.1 (2000): 49-63.
Oti, Adepeju; Ayeni, Oyebola. (2013) Yoruba Culture of Nigeria: Creating Space for an Endangered Species Cross - Cultural Communication9.4 : 23-29
The culture of Nigeria is multi-ethnic and consists of three large ethnic groups. These groups are the Yoruba, Hausa-Fulani, and the Igbo. The people of Nigeria still hold their traditional languages, music, and dance closely and may differ from ethnic group to ethnic group. Although English is considered to be Nigeria’s official language, only fifty percent of the population can speak it. This is contributed to the fact of the different amount of tribes, and generally, every tribe has its own language (Boomie).