Nigeria has the highest population in the African Continent. It has more than 125 million people. The history of Nigeria shows that it’s named by a British journalist Flora Shaw in the 1890s; she suggested the name which refers to the Niger. It has more than 250 ethnic groups which means that the country is multicultural.The cultural heritage of Nigeria is woven from many threads of history and diversity, because of its diversity of people and culture.
The main three largest and most dominant ethnic groups are the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo, and the other smaller groups include the Fulani, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, and Edo. Some groups stand out for example the Hausa in the north, the Ibo or Igbo in the east and the Yoruba in the west. Religions tend to follow these ethnic lines with Muslims dominating the north, Catholics the east and animists the west. There are also numbers of smaller sects that are a mélange of two or more religions combining, for example, Christianity with local spirits and guardians. The three main environmental regions, savanna, tropical forests, and coastal wetlands, affect the culture of people who live there. The dry, open grasslands of the savanna make cereal farming and herding a way of life for the Hausa and the Fulani. The wet tropical forests to the south are good for farming fruits and vegetables, the main income producers for the Yoruba, Igbo, and others in this area. The small ethnic groups living along the coast, such as the Ijaw and the Kalahari, are forced to keep their villages small due to lack of dry land. Living among creeks, lagoons, and salt marshes makes fishing and the salt trade part of everyday life in the area.
Art is a very important part of the Nigerian culture. Today art in Nigeria ranges from sculptures, masks, and paintings. Cultural activities, such as music and dance, are also a large part of art in Nigeria. Nigerian art goes back more than 2000 years. Nigerian art work displays their craftsmanship skills with wood, copper and bronze. The art from Nigeria can be seen in their cultural centers, as well as many museums throughout the world. Nigerian art form shows their occult and animist origins. Yoruba masks are carved out of wood, representing the forces of nature and gods, and their use in ceremonies like the annual Gelede masquerades helps keep a connection with the spirit of ancestors. The masks also appear at funerals in order to appease the spirits of the deceased.
The food in Nigeria is nothing to rave about. However, the best food is the roadside stalls, called Buka, where the best cooked local cuisine is found. Peppery stews are common in the southern states, while menus of grains and beef are common in the north. Much of Nigerian food is grain-based. Tuwo, made from maize, corn rice or millet, is popular as is Efo (vegetable soup), Egusi (a hot stew made with meat and red peppers) and Isi-ewu (goat head pepper soup). There's also lots of snack food including fried yam chips, meat pastries and fried plantain. Palm wine, a natural juice from palm trees, is a favoured drink all over Nigeria, especially in the south where these trees grow wild.
The large population of Nigeria also brings about diversity in the language spoken there. English is the main language of Nigeria; however, there are three other main languages spoken (Yoruba, Iba, Hausa). These languages are named after the people they belong to. People visiting Nigeria will experience many dialects within the three main languages.
Nigeria is a good example of the cultural diversity, with many languages and religions. For example more than 18 million students study at Nigerian schools at all levels; it is the highest number compared with other Africans countries. The sport also is part of Nigeria culture; Nigeria has made its mark in global sports competitions. Its national soccer team, the Super Eagles, is adjudged the best in Africa and one of the best ten in the world. Nigeria won the first World Cup in the under-16 category in China in 1985 and came second in the same category two years later in Canada. Nigeria is part of the world economy , and is one big important country today in the world.
Done by:
· Bassam Alnaqbi
· Yousef alahmed
· Faris ALhamadi.
