DAY 5 APRIL 20, 2010

Nigeria's People

Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups. These ethnic groups differ from each other. Either from their language and some from their culture and traditions. But the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria would be (in order from size), the Hausa, the Yoruba, and the Igbo also spelled Ibo. These groups are three fifths of Nigeria's population

The Hausa

They primarily live in the northern part of Nigeria and also neighboring countries of Niger and Chad. Most are farmers and also some are craftworkers and traders. During the 1200s, the Fulani, people that came from Senegal and Gambia, began to settle in the Hausa territory. The Fulani took over the region in the 1800's. The two groups intermixed so much that it is now called Hausa-Fulani.




The Yoruba
They live in the southwestern part of Nigeria and some live in Benin and Togo, two nations in the west of Nigeria. Many of the Yoruba live in cities and farm the land surrounding the countryside.




The Igbo
They live in the southeastern part of Nigeria. But some also live around the country. During the Bristish rule in the 1900's, the Ibos accepted the Western way of life and education faster than others. They were a big benefit in the postions of business and government during the period of colonial rule.





What's their Language ?

Their offical lanuage is English, beilieve it or not. BUT it is not the only common language used. Each of the ethnic groups have their own type of language, but the three most used languages are based upon the three largest ethnic groups.

Religion?


Okay, about half of Nigeria are Muslimsin which, they make up most of north Nigeria's popularity. 40 percent of the people are Christians living mainly in the southern and central part of Nigeria. Many Nigerians practice traditional religions based on the worship of many gods and also spirits.





Education?


Some of Nigeria's adults can read and write. They can't provide enough schools and teachers for all school-age children. Plus, laws do not require school attendance. So instead they have a lot of universities.

DAY 4 APRIL 19, 2010

NIGERIA'S ECONOMY

1 NIGERIAN NAIRA = 0.006648 U.S. DOLLARS








Their economy is based on agriculture and mining. Agriculture employs about two-thirds of Nigerian workers. The development of oil industry has made mining the fastest-growing part of the economy since the late 1960's.

Back in the 1960's mining accounted for only 2 percent of the value of economic production, but today it accounts for 70 percent of the value of production. The credits from oil exports provides the government with its chief source of income.

DAY 3 APRIL 18, 2010

NIGERIA'S GOVERNMENT!
From 1966 - 1979 & from 1983 - 1983, military leaders took over Nigeria's government. It was restored in 1999. when a new constitution was adopted.

National Government
Nigeria is governed under the constitution of 1999. The president, who is both head of state and head of government, is popularly elected for a four-year term and is eligible for a second term. The bicameral legislature, the National Assembly, consists of the 109-seat Senate and a 360-seat House of Representatives; all legislators are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. Administratively, the country is divided into 36 states and the federal capital territory.

Local Government

Nigeria is divided into 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory of Abuja. Each state is governed by a House of Assembly and a governor. Assembly members and the governor are elected by the people to four-year terms. Nigeria's 36 states are divided into over 750 local government areas. Elected local government councils administer these areas.

Courts

The Supreme Court is the highest court in Nigeria. Including the country's Juidical system : Federal Courts of Appeal, The Federal High Court, and the State High Courts.

Armed Forces:

Nigeria has a small navy and air force, an army, and also a federal police force. The military service are all voluntary. Everyone is opened to it and who ever is willing can join.

DAY 2 APRIL 15, 2010

NIGERIA TIMELINE
- 700 AD
Arabian and Persians trade with ivory, rhino horn, gold, shells and slaves. Arab traders settle and bring a Muslim influence to the culture
The Yoruba kingdoms of Ifẹ were founded about 700-900

1400
The Yoruba kingdoms of Ọyọ were founded about 1400.

1472
Portuguese navigators reach Nigerian coast

1600's
Europeans established ports for slave trafficking. Millions of Nigerians are forcibly sent to the Americas.

1800's
Nigeria comes under the loose control of an Islamic empire
European slave traders establish coastal ports for the increasing traffic in slaves destined for the Americas. The slaves were emancipated in the 1830's

1901
Nigeria became a British protectorate

1914
Nigeria became a British colony
1914 - 1918 WW1

1939
1939 - 1945 WW11

1945
August 1945 The United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki

1960
Nigeria was granted full independence

A series of Coups have resulted in turbulent and violent recent years in Nigerian history.

DAY 1 APRIL 14, 2010

April 14, 2010

So today, I started to read more about Nigeria's History. It was quite confusing because Nigeria has A LOT of history behind it. I started to look information about Nigeria on the internet and also started to read the packet Mrs. Jackson gave us, since I didn't have the time to go to the public library.



Early History of Nigeria
Nigeria before colonization...
Before all of that, Nigeria was basically the site of civilization way before the arrival of the Europeans in the 15th century. So the Islams arrived from the Sudan region in the Sahel of northern Nigeria in the 19th century A.D. and found converts, meaning new believers, among the Hausa-Fulani.

Then comes the Europeans...
The first Europeans to reach Nigeria was the Portuguese in 1417. They created a business which was slave trade. Soon other European nations followed their lead of slave trading. Basically, West Africa soon became the ultimate source for slaves destined for the Americans.

Early 1800's was when the spread of Islam in the region; especially the north. An Islamic Jihad (1804-1808) in the northern region culminated in the founding of Sokoto Caliphate. Which is a powerful political system motivated by Islamic Fundamentalism.

• So I searched up the word "Islamic Jihad" and according to the website Islamic Jihad means, is a terrorist organization whose objectives include the destruction of Israel; the elimination of all Western influences in the Middle East by means of an armed and uncompromising jihad, or holy war; and the convergence of all Arab and Muslim countries into a single great Islamic state.

• In other words, a terrorist organization

Sokoto Caliphate is an Islamic spiritual community in Nigeria; which is led by Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’adu Abubakar according to Google's definition.

The British suppression of the slave trade led to the founding of Nigeria. The British urged that the slave trade be replaced with a trade in palm oil.

WHY? - So that it replace the dependence on income from the slave trade.
So to put an end to the internal slave trade, Britain shelled Lagos in 1851 and annexed it in 1861.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Day 1: Early History of Nigeria
Day 2: Nigeria Timeline
Day 3: Nigeria's Government
Day 4: Nigeria's Economy
Day 5: The people, religion, language, education