The oldest fossil remains found by archaeologists in the southwestern area of iwo eleru, near akure, have been dated to about 9000 bce. Check out our country profile, full of essential information about nigeria s geography, history, government, economy, population, culture, religion and languages. Taylor is reputed as the scholar who first coined and defined culture in his work. The conception of art in nigeria has a significant history dating from the emergence of the ancient nok culture peculiar to the river benue region of northern nigeria. The setting of the novel is in the outskirts of nigeria in a small fictional village, umuofia just before the arrival of. Traditional communication is also used for intracultural, intercultural and other communication purposes for group and national unity. Having firmly and solemnly resolve, to live in unity and harmony as one indivisible and indissoluble sovereign nation under god, dedicated to the promotion of interafrican solidarity, world peace, international cooperation and understanding.
One of the largest and oldest towns of the yoruba kingdom, historical evidence dates the holy citys origin to as far. The culture of nigeria is shaped by nigerias multiple ethnic groups. The advent of colonialism in nigeria changed the traditional life and culture of nigerian which creates a weak connection between traditional architecture and contemporary architecture in nigeria. Both the 1979 and the 1999 constitutions of nigeria mandate the mass media to ensure that government protects, preserves and promotes certain cultures. Nigeria also has over 1150 dialects and ethnic groups.
However, the arrival of the europeans marked a significant turning point in the history of this agelong tradition and culture. The historical apa was part of the ancient kwararafa. Infoplease has everything you need to know about nigeria. Evidence of human occupation in nigeria dates back thousands of years. Gender refers to the different roles that are assigned to males and females. The history, the current prevalence and the approach to a patient jewel llamas april 2017 introduction female circumcision, also known as female genital mutilation fgm or female genital cutting fgc, is practiced in many countries spanning parts of africa, the middle east and southeast asia. The state of nigeria, of course, did not exist until the colonial period. Trends and challenges of traditional medicine in africa. Nigeria is a famous country with more than one hundred and forty million population. The country has 527 languages, seven of them are extinct.
Culture of nigeria history, people, clothing, traditions. The culture and tradition of the tiv people of benue state. Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria. State system, change inducing forces, cultural interactions and diffusion and. Nigerian people, history and culture famous for her huge population of more than 150 million and with more than 370 ethnics groups, nigeria has the highest population in african continent. The nok culture, which settled near the benue river and believed to be one of the earliest reminiscence of the ancient human settlement in nigeria is said to inspire the growth of cultural activities in nigeria. Nigerian culture is demonstrated through art, dance, literature, folklore, and music. Pdf nigerian is a country endowed with a lot of cultural heritages.
The six largest ethnic groups are the hausa and fulani in the north, the igbo in the southeast, and the yoruba predominate in. Unfortunately, few of us are aware of these accomplishments, as the history of africa, beyond ancient egypt, is seldom publicized. The use of dangerously polluted material in love magic occurs when a man resorts to the strongest magical. Nigeria is bordered to the north by niger, to the east by chad and cameroon, to the south by the gulf of guinea of the atlantic ocean, and to the west by benin. Geographical, historical and political profiles of nigeria 1. Taylor saw culture as that complex whole which includes knowledge, belief, art, morals, law, customs or any other capabilities and habits acquired by man as a member of society. The history of nigeria can be traced back to the iwo eleru and ugwuelle uturu people that settled in the southwestern part of nigeria around 9000 bc. Sexuality, african religio cultural traditions and modernity.
Lucas discusses the various forms of spirits, gods and ancestors worshipped. However, the ancient nigerian culture owes its origin to the nok people who. Pdf characteristics, variations and dynamics of nigeria cultures. Agriculture was mostly practiced among the settlers and later, the production of ceremic stepped in.
The origins and brief history of the ewe people narrated by dr. Quick fact about the tiv people they occupy the middle belt region of nigeria, comprising of states such as benue, taraba, nassarawa and plateau. Did the ancient egyptians migrate to ancient nigeria. Artistic heritage is one of the interesting features that distinguish nigeria as one of the culturallyinclined countries in africa. The bronzework of the ancient cities of ife and benin can be found in. The main objective of this paper is to examine african culture and values. Marriage rituals 231 love magic the use of magical means to win the affection of a man or woman is common across cultures. Culture of nigeria history, people, clothing, traditions, women. Yoruba people constitute one of the largest ethnic groups in nigeria. Sadly, the vast majority of discussions on the origins of science include only the greeks, romans and other whites. The culture and tradition of the tiv people is one that is envied by many who come in contact with them. The country is made up of three major ethnic groups the hausafulani, the yoruba, and the igbo and they represent about 70 percent of the. The history of nigeria can be traced to prehistoric settlers nigerians living in the area as early as 1100 bc.
Nsibidi is the popular ancient indigenous writing of the efik people was invented by the. In discussing african culture and values, we are not presupposing that all african societies have the same. Cultural diversity is a term commonly used to describe the society with people of different ethnic origins, which is manifested in their languages, the way they dress, art, and other traditional practices. The six largest ethnic groups are the hausa and fulani in the north, the igbo in the southeast, and the yoruba predominate in the southwest, the tiv people of north central nigeria and the efik ibibio. These areas in southern nigeria still produce large amounts of bronze castings. Ancient terracotta figures from northern nigeria frederick john lamp. An analysis of pre and postcolonial igbo society lame maatla kenalemang. There are more than 300 nigerian tribes and among the largest include hausafulani, igbo, yoruba, ijaw, kanuri, annang, tiv, ibibio, etsako, and efik. In october 1963, nigeria altered its relationship with the united kingdom by proclaiming itself a federal republic and promulgating a new constitution. Geography nigeria is the most populous country in africa and accounts for over half of west africas population. This lineage and culture of achievement, though, emerged at least 40,000 years ago in africa. Culture of nigeria history, people, clothing, traditions, women, beliefs, food, customs.
Rating is available when the video has been rented. The culture of nigeria is shaped by nigeria s multiple ethnic groups. Prior to the introduction of cosmopolitan medicine, traditional medicine used to be the dominant medical system available to millions of people in africa in both rural and urban communities. Within nigeria, slavery was widespread and bore social implications that are still evident.
This study aimed at examining the role of the mass media in promoting the nigerian cultural heritage. Nigeria, july 2008 2 of slaves flowed north across the sahara for a millennium, ending only at the beginning of the twentieth century. The architecture of the ancient yoruba of southwest nigeria was a communal endeavour and the house was a statement of ideological, economic and social position in the larger urban context. Nigerian, african, and even global cultures experience transformation. Woodcarvings and terracotta sculptures also are popular. There are 527 languages in nigeria, seven of them are extinct. Today benin includes not only the ancient fon kingdom of dahomey but also areas inhabited by many other groups. The history of recreation and leisure is a rich tapestry of people, places, events, and social forces, showing the role of religion, education, and government and the customs and values of different cultures, their arts, sport, and pastimes. A group of igbo people the history of nigeria will forever remain incomplete without the mention of the historic reign of the yoruba kingdoms, the igbo kingdom of nri and the edo kingdom of benin. Sex refers to a persons biological characteristics. Nigeria is africas most populous country and has one of the largest aggregation of ethnic groups in africa.
The nations lack of cultural homogeneity is due to geographic factors and a history that has included waves of migration, competition between precolonial kingdoms, four centuries of commercial relations with europe, and the impact of. The bronzework of the ancient cities of ife and benin can be found in museums all over the world. A history of nigeria provides a nuanced, stateoftheart account of the histories that brought nigeria s peoples together without naturalizing the process. The major native languages spoken in nigeria represent three major families of african languages the majority are nigercongo languages, such as yoruba, ibo, the hausa language is afroasiatic. Library of congress federal research division country profile.
The official language of nigeria, english, was chosen to facilitate the cultural and linguistic unity of the country postcolonization by the british. There are many cultural practices that connect ancient egyptians to the yorubas and the new interpretation of the oduduwa legend suggests that the yorubas have originated or are influenced mainly by the egyptians. The history of nigeria explained in 6 minutes 3,000 years. Yet more remarkably, it does not confine its account to political history but rather successfully intertwines political, economic, cultural, and social developments. The following is an extreme example of a magical technique used by desperate men in central thailand. Famous for her huge population of more than 170 million people and with more than 370 ethnics groups, nigeria has the highest population in the whole african continent. I was looking for the nigeria culture, i was going to. Expanding the lens ifi amadiume in this exploratory essay, ifi amadiume, takes a critical look at the normative prescribed sexual practices as well as counter normative alternatives subversive alternatives to sexuality both in africa and in other cultures as they. The country is made up of three major ethnic groups namely.
Brief history of yoruba people, culture, religion and. My analysis moves away from the recent framing of ancient ife art from the vantage of yoruba cultural practices collected in nigeria more broadly, andor the indiscriminate use of regional and modern yoruba proverbs, poems, or language idioms to inform this citys unique 700yearold sculptural oeuvre. Kobla dotse published in 2011 xxxx publications disclaimer the material we present here is provided to you mainly for educational and information purposes only. However, nigeria has three major ethnic groups, namely, yoruba, hausafulani and igbo. Great achievements in science and technology in ancient africa. They can indicate gender, marital status, birthplace, nationality, ethnicity, religion, and position within a family or even within a society. Ileife, also known as ife, ifelodun, or the kingdom of ife, is an ancient yoruba city situated in osun state in southwestern nigeria. Nigeria is not only large in arealarger than the u. The major native languages spoken in nigeria represent three major families of african languages the majority are nigercongo languages, such as yoruba, ibo.
Our objectives in this unit, therefore, have been to make you. The focus on the concept of patriarchy and its effects on gender relations began to shift to other factors in gender relations like race, class, colonial history and others as other branches of feminism, like the postmodern feminism, came up. Nigeria also has over 1150 dialects from all the ethnic groups, and every person is nigeria speaks at least two languages. It is against this backdrop that this paper attempts to advance argument for. When and how 266 centrality and importance to the debates for societal change. Emeni abstract in this modern time, any practice traditional or indigenous is considered by apologists of modernity as primitive and archaic. The people are also spread across other parts of africa and the world, particularly in the united kingdom, carribbean, and the united states of america.
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