Nigeria Informative Slideshow

The Nigerian government was modeled much after the United States government with checks and balances in the system and is ruled by a president, senate and a house of representatives.

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Nigeria is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in the world with a rich culture and over a hundred languages spoken. Religion is divided mostly into Christian and Muslim, both of which represent about equal shares of the population.

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The country is known for it’s rich farmland that produces nearly everything from food crops, fishing, and cattle in the south, to grains, nuts, and oils in the north. Cocoa beans are one of the major exports for this economy. Forests and reserves are seeing a decrease as they are cleared for more land to cultivate and farm, but government is stepping in to work with these issues as the population grows.

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There is little history of Nigeria predating 999 AD; this was as far back as the Kano and Katsina cities have on record. The region, for the majority of the middle ages, was ruled by the Yoruba kingdoms of Ife and Oyo, and then by Benin toward the 19th century. It was about this time Nigeria earned its name from the Nigerian river, a route traders used to get to inland areas.

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European influence came from the ports, since those were easy trade routes for European nations and the U.S. to trade goods and purchase slaves. These ports are still seen at present day. As the European influence grew, so did the British rule, colonization and use of slaves for agriculture.

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As anti-slavery sentiment grew at home, Britain outlawed the use of slaves, resulting in conflicts and high tensions in the African regions around Nigeria. War soon broke out between the British colonies and the countries, resulting in Britain controlling much of the coastal countries of Africa by the turn of the early 1900s.

Britain then established areas where Nigerians could work and govern themselves to an extent, this allowed for laws to continue as the inhabitants saw fit, one of these was the abolishment of slavery in Nigeria in 1936.

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Following World War ll, Nigerians demanded independence now that they had gained a more diverse, skilled, and educated people. Britain tried to install a more presidential system of government, but the Nigerians still argued for full independence, which they eventually obtained in 1960.

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Six years later, civil war broke out between the Northern region and Western region of the country, lasting over two years, claiming millions of lives and involving several other countries including France and Russia.

As the Nigerian government stabilized, it came under military control. It was also about this time the oil boom in the country began, and so added to the increase in the economic strength and purchasing power of the country above the entire continent.

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As corruption within the government dismantled within, the military state lost power in 1999 when a new president was elected over Nigeria. Though corruption still continues within, it has been better managed and improvements in the economy are visibly seen. Most recently, the government struggles to deal with growing pains for the population, but currently the country is seeing signs of stability.

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In the early 1900s, the Nigerian flag that used to be a six pointed star on a red disk with Nigeria and the royal crown appearing within the star. In 1960, after more than 3000 designs, the Nigerian flag was chosen as part of its independence, featuring two green stripes and a white stripe in between. The green represents the rich agriculture of the country, while the white represents peace. The Nigerian government wanted a simple design because they feared something more complex would favor a particular part of the diverse country over another, and wanted something that made them all equal.

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Nigeria is divided into 36 states and one federal capital. Lagos is the largest city in Africa with Abuja as the capital.

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Nigerian culture is rich with tradition and culture that spans thousands of years; many of these are very different with celebrations and holidays. The citizens there love to celebrate and continue to create new ones today. One of the most notable is the Eyo festival, where Lagos Island becomes filled with dancers clothed in white in celebration of the culture and the country. Parades and other colorful festival activities take place during this time.

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The Argungu Fishing Festival is among the largest, and often brings in sportsmen from all around to compete in fishing contests in the Sokoto River using old traditional fishing nets.

The Yam Festival spans two days, where the Igbo people honor their ancestors and gods on an altar with fresh grown yams. The second day is filled with watching men wrestle, eating food, drinking, and visiting with friends and family.

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