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The Uniqueness of Nigeria's culture
3 Uniques Of Nigeria Culture
Essay on the history of nigeria
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Nigeria is located on Africa’s western coast. It borders the Gulf of Guinea and the countries Cameroon, Chad, Niger and Benin. With a history that dates back to the fifth century B.C., Nigeria has many ancient cultures and pieces of art. Nigeria contains more historic cultures than any other African country or region (Africa: Nigeria; History World). After becoming independent in 1960, Nigeria is now Africa’s most populated country with large petroleum and oil industries (World Factbook: Nigeria). Throughout history, Nigerian people have used various forms of art to show their culture. When Nigeria was first established, the people would create small terracotta figures, which still remains a tradition in the Nigerian Nok culture. Most of the people lived on the Jos plateau in the center of the country (History World). Nigeria started to develop a trading industry with surrounding countries as centuries passed. They mainly took part in trade with other countries in the Sahara desert and in Sudan. A small trading empire eventually grew, located near Lake Chad ( HistoryWorld). The Yoruba people and villages grew in the savanna grasslands near the border of Nigeria and Niger. The Yoruba culture and kingdoms were the …show more content…
The Yoruba are organized into about twenty different subgroups, formally known as “autonomous kindgoms” (“Yoruba Art”). Most of the art from ancient Yoruba tribes is very extravagant, based off of the types of rare and expensive materials they used, like bronze and other types of metals. They also created large terracotta heads and life-size sculptures of royalty and other individuals that were important in their tribe (“Yoruba Art”). People say that they are so well known today for their naturalism style and classic works that showed different points in the history of Nigeria and Africa altogether (“Yoruba
Wood, P (2008), ‘The Art of the Benin: Changing Relations between Europe and Africa II: The Benin bronzes and Modern Art’, in Brown, R (ed.), Cultural Encounters (AA100 Book3), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp.58-78
Loftus, D. and Wood, P. (2008), 'The Art of Benin: Changing Relations Between Europe and Africa II' in Brown, R. D. (ed.) Cultural Encounters (AA100 Book 3), Milton Keynes, The Open University, pp. 43-87.
Ryan, J. C. (2001). Countries and Their Cultures: Benin (Vol. 1) (C. R. Ember & M. Ember, Eds.). New York: Macmillan Reference USA.
This allows for a wide variety of subjects and imagination. Because of all the unique aspects of African Art, more and more people are now becoming fascinated with Africa and its history. Soon it will be seen in the homes of many individuals for decoration, and its brilliance will continue to grow. Africa is a mysterious place and the art of this country is one that will survive the test of time, and the beauty of its art will be seen for years to come.
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.
While the outside world considered Nigeria to be a united and monolithic entity, even the British colonial administration was wary of the reality of Nigerian politics; the nation was not so much a “country” as it was more than three hundred different groups coalesced into one.4 5 These tribes were divided between three main spheres of influence: the Yoruba, the Igbo, and the Hausa. Historically, their interests were often opposed, and their cultures did not come into regular contact with one another until the British occupation. In spite of the differences British administration a...
Nigeria contains more historic cultures and empires than any other country in Africa. People were first known to inhabit Nigeria as early as 5 B.C. They first constructed a kingdom in the center of Nigeria, which is named Jos Plateau. This was the first of many widespread kingdoms of that region, but two centuries later it would extend to Bornu, which is located on the western region of Nigeria (Gascoigne 1). Nigeria was made up of mostly kingdoms until British colonized in the 1800’s. The Soko Jotojhad and Yotruba wars encouraged slave trade at the time the British were trying to abolish the slave trade. Slaves were normally traded for European goods such as guns and gun powder. At this time, the British encouraged trading palm oil over trading slaves. Many of the slaves that were exported to Britain were intercepted by naval ships and shipped to Sierra Leone to collect palm oil. Some Nigerians began to migrate back from Sierra Leone in search of their homes and trade. British missionaries were invited to follow the slaves back, and in the 1840’s they wer...
The majority of the Yoruba people live on the west coast of Africa in Nigeria, but can also be found in many other places, as they are one of the largest cultural classifications in Africa. There are approximately 40 million Yoruba world-wide. As a matter of fact, most of the slaves brought to America were Yoruban, and descendants of their tribes can be found everywhere, including Europe, Brazil, Cuba, and the Caribbean. The Yoruba have been constructing and thriving in sophisticated urban kingdoms for more than 1,500 years, and have produced extraordinary art work since the 5th century BC.
Nigeria Nigeria had an eventful history. More than 2,000 years ago, the Nok culture in the present plateau state worked iron and produced experienced terracotta sculpture. The history of the northern cities of Kano and Katsina dates back to approximately 1000 A.D. In the following centuries, Hausa Kingdoms and the Bornu Empire became important terminals of north-south trade between North African Berbers and the forest people, exchanging slaves, ivory, and other products. The Yoruba Kingdom of Oyo was founded in 1400s.
The carved ivory tusks are supported by the brass heads of kings and queen mothers. These brass heads are also casted according to each ruler’s achievement and individual characters (Blier 65). According to the professor Henry Drewal, art of the kingdom Benin is excavated in the west of the Nigeria. It mainly made with ivories and bronze.
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”).
Yoruba means a to a group of cultures connected by a common language. The origin of the Yoruba religion and people, is in the South-Western part of Nigeria (Metalgaia). The Yoruba beliefs mainly focus on self-exploration, finding your destiny, interacting with sprits, and most important of all getting yourself right with the almighty creator Olodumare (Metalgaia). In the beginning of the 16th century, the slave trade became prominent in Africa. Thousands of the Yoruba people were being sent as slaves to the Caribbean and America.
Nigeria is a developing country in West Africa that was colonized by the British in 1884 at the Berlin conference where Africa was divided by European powers (Graham 2009). The British wanted to expand their empire, which meant taking over other countries that had resources that they wanted, and would allow them to expand their trade market and economy. One of the colonies that British colonized was Colonial Nigeria, which was forced to participate in the slave trade in the past and was controlled by the British through the set up of trading posts and selling manufactured goods. The British split Nigeria into the north and the south regions (Temple 1912). The Southern and Northern Nigeria Protectorates controlled these two regions.
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).
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.