PREAMBLE
This site takes critical look at the tourist potentials and destinations in Nigeria as a pillar nation in Africa. Over the years there has been a lot of misconception about the true Nigeria. I strongly believe that Nigeria is the most misunderstood country in the world today. All that has filtered to the outside world are negative news. However not many people know that Nigeria is a heaven on earth. The people are very very hospitable and lovable. There are so many interesting places to visit in this God blessed country called Nigeria. First of all lets take a glance at this great country and her journey to nationhood. Come inside with me to find out more.
NIGERIA JOURNEY TO NATIONHOOD
Nigeria history has always reflected rich folk traditions. Archaeological research, pioneered by Thurstan Shaw and Steve Daniels, has shown that people were already living in south-western Nigeria (specifically Iwo-Eleru) as early as 9000 BC and perhaps earlier at Ugwuelle-Uturu (Okigwe) in south-eastern Nigeria, where monolithic were used. Smelting furnaces at Taruga dating from the 4th century BC provide the oldest evidence of metalworking in archaeology.
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| Igbo ukwu vessel |
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| Ife kings head |
The earliest known example of a fossil skeleton with negroid features, perhaps 10,000 years old, was found at Iii Ileru in western Nigeria and attests to the antiquity of habitation in the region.
Monolithic and ceramic industries were also developed by savanna pastoralists from at least the 4th millennium BC and were continued by subsequent agricultural communities. In the south, hunting and gathering gave way to subsistence farming around the same time, relying more on the indigenous yam and oil palm than on the cereals important in the North.The stone axe heads, imported in great quantities from the north and used in opening the forest for agricultural development, were venerated by the Yoruba descendants of neolithic pioneers as "thunderbolts" hurled to earth by the gods.
Kainji Dam excavations revealed iron-working by the 2nd century BC. The transition from Neolithic times to the Iron Age apparently was achieved without intermediate bronze production. Others suggest the technology moved west from the Nile Valley, although the Iron Age in the Niger River valley and the forest region appears to predate the introduction of metallurgy in the upper savanna by more than 800 years. The earliest identified iron-using Nigerian culture is that of the Nok culture that thrived between approximately 900 BC and 200 AD on the Jos Plateau in north-eastern Nigeria. Information is lacking from the first millennium AD following the Nok ascendancy, but by the 2nd millennium AD there was active trade from North Africa through the Sahara to the forest, with the people of the savanna acting as intermediaries in exchanges of various goods.
COLONIAL NIGERIA
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| Map of Nigeria in 1900 |
Flag British colonial Nigeria.
The evolution of modern Nigeria could be traced to the presence of the Europeans within the region from about 1849 until it attained independence in 1960. This is largely the story of the transformation impact of the British on the peoples and cultures of the region.
The colonial authorities sought to define, protect and realize their imperial interest in this portion of West Africa in the hundred or so years between 1862 and 1960. The British were in the Niger- Benue area to pursue their interests, which were largely economic and strategic. However, by about 1897 there were already two distinct countries known as protectorates. Theses protectorates existed as seperate entities. In the process of seeking to realize their economic and political interests easily there were many unplanned-for by-products. The most significant is the amalgamation of the Northern and Southern protectorate in 1914. This marked the birth of Nigeria state. There followed series of transformation.
Postage stamp of Southern Nigeria (One Shilling)
MODERN NIGERIA
On 1 October 1954, the colony became the autonomous Federation of Nigeria, Full independence was granted on 1 October 1960 under a constitution that provided for a parliamentary government and a substantial measure of self-government for the country's three regions namely the Western region, the Eastern region and the Northern region. The Yorubas dominated the western region, the Igbos dominated the eastern region while the northern region was dominated by the Hausa/Fulanis. These ethnic groups represent 70% of the population. Another 10 percent comprises of several other groups numbering more than 1 million members each, including the Kanuri, Tiv, Ijaw, and Ibibio. More than 300 smaller ethnic groups account for the remaining 20 percent of the population. However, these groups are similar in nature, thus melting all the boundaries to become a huge group. Most Nigerians speak more than one language. The country’s official language, English is widely spoken, especially among educated people. As a matter of fact, the 3rd largest English speaking nation in the world after India and USA. Apart from English, 400 native Nigeria languages are also spoken, out of which some are being threatened with extinction. Nigeria is the most populous country of Africa and seventh in the world. They comprise a population with the highest density in the whole world. People in Nigeria give great importance to religion. 48.2% of the population is Christian, 50.5% Muslim and the rest 1.4% is a mixture of quite a few indigenous religions. However, as Nigerian culture is multi-ethnic, there used to exist quite a few religions and deities.
To speak of Nigeria culture and art is to note a tapestry of traditions, customs, folklore, and on the same breath mention its dominance within the sub-Saharan region, and by extension the African context overarching it. Long steeped in a mixed lifestyle while being dominant during era of the various ancient Empires. In-spite of the many centuries of European incursion into their ways of life Nigerians sought to preserve not only their language but also all those distinctive markings of their culture.
Along the way, Nigerians have also embraced artistic, intellectual, and political movements taking place in other parts of the world, integrating into its particular context. Taken together, all of these influences have left an indelible mark on this great country, offering an impressive array of cultural manifestations with which to represent it. Anyone interested in Nigeria or Africa culture and art will find no shortage of folklore and legends, music, films, art, and literature to give voice to the country, its people, and their concerns. To acquaint you with Nigeria culture, we offer you a small sampling in the following categories: folklore, legends, films, music, and artists.
No discussion of Nigeria culture can take place without a nod to the country’s folkloric traditions. From music, dance ensembles to festivals. Segments of Nigeria’s folklore are typically passed down from generation to generation, with each region maintaining its own flavor in the way of typical costumes, customs, dialects, and overall style.These folklore has helped shaped our society because of the rich morals and wisdom they teach. We hereby explore how this folk traditions which comes in form of fables has trickled down from generations is still alive and well in this modern-day Nigeria, and continue to receive widespread support. http://www.sacred-texts.com/afr/fssn/ . Most of the festivals, carnivals and movies in the country derive their story line from the rich reservoir of folklore.
Here is a typical Nigerian folklore.
It happened that when she arrived there was a big play being held in the town, and all the people from the surrounding country had come in to dance and feast. Oyaikan, the witch, went to the play, and walked about so that every one could see her. Directly she appeared the people all marveled at her beauty, and said that she was as beautiful as the setting sun when all the sky was red. Word was quickly brought to King Mbotu, who, it was well known, was fond of pretty girls, and he sent for her at once, all the people agreeing that she was quite worthy of being the king's wife. When she appeared before him he fancied her so much, that he told her he would marry her that very day. Oyaikan was very pleased at this, as she had never expected to get her opportunity so quickly. She therefore prepared a dainty meal for the king, into which she placed a strong medicine to make the king sleep, and then went down to the river to wash.
When she had finished it was getting dark, so she went to the king's compound, carrying her dish on her head, and was at once shown in to the king, who embraced her affectionately. She then offered him the food, which she said, quite truly, she had prepared with her own hands. The king ate the whole dish, and immediately began to feel very sleepy, as the medicine was strong and took effect quickly.
They retired to the king's chamber, and the king went to sleep at once. About midnight, when all the town was quiet, Oyaikan drew her knife from her bosom and cut the king's head off. She put the head in a bag and went out very softly, shutting and barring the door behind her. Then she walked through the town without any one observing her, and went straight to Itu, where she placed King Mbotu's head before her own king.
When the people heard that the witch had been successful and that their enemy was dead, there was great rejoicing, and the king of Itu at once made up his mind to attack Old Town, Calabar. He therefore got his fighting men together and took them in canoes by the creeks to Old Town, taking care that no one carried word to Calabar that he was coming.
The morning following the murder of Mbotu his people were rather surprised that he did not appear at his usual time, so his head wife knocked at his door. Not receiving any answer she called the household together, and they broke open the door. When they entered the room they found the king lying dead on his bed covered in blood, but his head was missing. At this a great shout went up, and the whole town mourned. Although they missed the pretty stranger, they never connected her in their minds with the death of their king, and were unaware of any impending danger, and were unprepared for fighting. In the middle of the mourning, while they were all dancing, crying, and drinking palm wine, the king of Itu with all his soldiers attacked Old Town, taking them quite by surprise, and as their leader was dead, the Calabar people were very soon defeated, and many killed and taken prisoners.
MORAL.--Never marry a stranger, no matter how pretty she may be.
Nigerian music like other African traditional music was highly localized according to the tradition and custom of the local people. Styles of folk music are related to the multitudes of ethnic groups in the country, each with their own techniques, instruments, and songs. Poly rhythms, in which two or more separate beats are played simultaneously, are a part of much of traditional African music. Little is known about the country's music history prior to European contact, although bronze carvings dating back to the 16th and 17th centuries have been found depicting musicians and their instruments.
In Nigeria there are music for different occasions. There is music for rituals, social, festivals, etc.
MODERN NIGERIA
On 1 October 1954, the colony became the autonomous Federation of Nigeria, Full independence was granted on 1 October 1960 under a constitution that provided for a parliamentary government and a substantial measure of self-government for the country's three regions namely the Western region, the Eastern region and the Northern region. The Yorubas dominated the western region, the Igbos dominated the eastern region while the northern region was dominated by the Hausa/Fulanis. These ethnic groups represent 70% of the population. Another 10 percent comprises of several other groups numbering more than 1 million members each, including the Kanuri, Tiv, Ijaw, and Ibibio. More than 300 smaller ethnic groups account for the remaining 20 percent of the population. However, these groups are similar in nature, thus melting all the boundaries to become a huge group. Most Nigerians speak more than one language. The country’s official language, English is widely spoken, especially among educated people. As a matter of fact, the 3rd largest English speaking nation in the world after India and USA. Apart from English, 400 native Nigeria languages are also spoken, out of which some are being threatened with extinction. Nigeria is the most populous country of Africa and seventh in the world. They comprise a population with the highest density in the whole world. People in Nigeria give great importance to religion. 48.2% of the population is Christian, 50.5% Muslim and the rest 1.4% is a mixture of quite a few indigenous religions. However, as Nigerian culture is multi-ethnic, there used to exist quite a few religions and deities.
CULTURE AND ART
Along the way, Nigerians have also embraced artistic, intellectual, and political movements taking place in other parts of the world, integrating into its particular context. Taken together, all of these influences have left an indelible mark on this great country, offering an impressive array of cultural manifestations with which to represent it. Anyone interested in Nigeria or Africa culture and art will find no shortage of folklore and legends, music, films, art, and literature to give voice to the country, its people, and their concerns. To acquaint you with Nigeria culture, we offer you a small sampling in the following categories: folklore, legends, films, music, and artists.
NIGERIA FOLKLORE
Here is a typical Nigerian folklore.
The Pretty Stranger who Killed the King
MBOTU was a very famous king of Old Town, Calabar. He was frequently at war, and was always successful, as he was a most skillful leader. All the prisoners he took were made slaves. He therefore became very rich, but, on the other hand, he had many enemies. The people of Itu in particular were very angry with him and wanted to kill him, but they were not strong enough to beat Mbotu in a pitched battle, so they had to resort to 'craft. The Itu people had an old woman who was a witch and could turn herself into whatever she pleased, and when she offered to kill Mbotu, the people were very glad, and promised her plenty of money and cloth if she succeeded in ridding them of their worst enemy. The witch then turned herself into a young and pretty girl, and having armed herself with a very sharp knife, which she concealed in her bosom, she went to Old Town, Calabar, to seek the king.It happened that when she arrived there was a big play being held in the town, and all the people from the surrounding country had come in to dance and feast. Oyaikan, the witch, went to the play, and walked about so that every one could see her. Directly she appeared the people all marveled at her beauty, and said that she was as beautiful as the setting sun when all the sky was red. Word was quickly brought to King Mbotu, who, it was well known, was fond of pretty girls, and he sent for her at once, all the people agreeing that she was quite worthy of being the king's wife. When she appeared before him he fancied her so much, that he told her he would marry her that very day. Oyaikan was very pleased at this, as she had never expected to get her opportunity so quickly. She therefore prepared a dainty meal for the king, into which she placed a strong medicine to make the king sleep, and then went down to the river to wash.
When she had finished it was getting dark, so she went to the king's compound, carrying her dish on her head, and was at once shown in to the king, who embraced her affectionately. She then offered him the food, which she said, quite truly, she had prepared with her own hands. The king ate the whole dish, and immediately began to feel very sleepy, as the medicine was strong and took effect quickly.
They retired to the king's chamber, and the king went to sleep at once. About midnight, when all the town was quiet, Oyaikan drew her knife from her bosom and cut the king's head off. She put the head in a bag and went out very softly, shutting and barring the door behind her. Then she walked through the town without any one observing her, and went straight to Itu, where she placed King Mbotu's head before her own king.
When the people heard that the witch had been successful and that their enemy was dead, there was great rejoicing, and the king of Itu at once made up his mind to attack Old Town, Calabar. He therefore got his fighting men together and took them in canoes by the creeks to Old Town, taking care that no one carried word to Calabar that he was coming.
The morning following the murder of Mbotu his people were rather surprised that he did not appear at his usual time, so his head wife knocked at his door. Not receiving any answer she called the household together, and they broke open the door. When they entered the room they found the king lying dead on his bed covered in blood, but his head was missing. At this a great shout went up, and the whole town mourned. Although they missed the pretty stranger, they never connected her in their minds with the death of their king, and were unaware of any impending danger, and were unprepared for fighting. In the middle of the mourning, while they were all dancing, crying, and drinking palm wine, the king of Itu with all his soldiers attacked Old Town, taking them quite by surprise, and as their leader was dead, the Calabar people were very soon defeated, and many killed and taken prisoners.
MORAL.--Never marry a stranger, no matter how pretty she may be.
NIGERIA MUSIC
In Nigeria there are music for different occasions. There is music for rituals, social, festivals, etc.
A survey of Nigerian traditional music focus on the individual and collective functions of musical instruments, musical instruments as symbolic musical instruments identified with particular occasion. It explains the peculiar role of song texts as well as the different uses and functions of traditional orchestras.`
The very first fusion of Nigeria’s indigenous musical forms with Western civilization was as a result of its contact with the guitar. This was in the 1920s through sailors and Kru-men from Sierra Leone who played the guitar as an instrument of pleasure. Over the years, many more instruments were added. The professional approach has since been adopted to performance, and the music itself has evolved through various trends and complexities which in contemporary terms have continued to be propelled by high technological advancement.
Nigeria has been called "the heart of African music" because of its role in the development of West African highlife and palm-wine music, which fuses native rhythms with techniques imported from the Congo for the development of several popular styles that were unique to Nigeria, like apala, fuji, jùjú, highlife, and Yo-pop.
Highlife was however the early form of the popular Nigerian music highlife of the guitar dominated type played at palm wine bars to provide background entertainment. Names like Tunde King in Lagos, Okonkwo Adigwe from Delta State, Ishie Brothers from the Eastern part of Nigeria, Appollo and Paul Ede from Edo State, among many others from the Southern part of Nigeria come to mind as some of the pioneers of palm wine highlife music in Nigeria.
Following World War II, Nigerian music started to take on new instruments and techniques, including electric instruments imported from overseas became very popular in Nigeria, and elements of these genres were added to jùjú by artists such as IK Dairo, Bobby Benson, Jim Lawson, Prince Nico Mbarga. At the same time, apala's Haruna Ishola was becoming one of the country's biggest stars.
In the early to mid 1970s, three of the biggest names in Nigerian music history were at their peak: Fela Kuti, Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade, while the end of that decade saw the start of Yo-pop and Nigerian reggae. Although popular styles such as highlife and jùjú were at the top of the Nigerian charts in the '60s, traditional music remained widespread. Traditional stars included the Hausa Dan Maraya, who was so well known that he was brought to the battlefield during the 1967 Nigerian Civil War to lift the morale of the federal troops.The musical flame was kept alive by legendary singer and trumpeter Victor Olaiya (the only Nigerian to ever earn a platinum record), Stephen Osita Osadebe, Sonny Okosun, Victor Uwaifo, and Orlando "Dr. Ganja" Owoh, whose distinctive toye style fused jùjú and highlife
However over the years there has been steady growth in Nigeria music industry and the reason for the tremendous growth today could be attributed to thirst for aesthetic and material success and a voracious appetite for life, love and music, and a huge domestic market, big enough to sustain artists who sing in regional languages and experiment with indigenous styles.
The genres of Nigerian music currently featured on Nigeria Music Network are:
AfroPop, AfroBeat, Highlife, Nigerian Hip-Hop, Nigerian Gospel, Reggae, R&B.
NIGERIA FILM
Tracing the history of Nigeria film industry, her first contact with cinema was in 1903, made possible by Herbert Macaulay, a foremost nationalist who invited the Balboa and Company who was then doing an exhibition tour of silent films on the West African Coast to Nigeria. The films were shown at the Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos in August, 1903. The success of this venture opened the way for an influx of European film exhibitors to Nigeria. These films were highly censored by the colonial government who at this time showed a lot of interest in the production, distribution and exhibition. Initially these film were restricted within Lagos where they compete with concerts and drama shows. Gradually, however it fanned out to towns in the immediate hinterland of Lagos and beyond. As the country became more industrialized and urbanized, there was a need to establish distribution/ exhibition centers in these new areas and in no time, the branches of the distribution and exhibition companies had spread all over the country.
The first indigenous feature film that was produced in Nigeria: KONGI’S HARVEST. was however directed by an American and it featured many foreigners as crew members.
The earliest indigenous filmmakers are Ola Balogun, Hubert Ogunde Eddie Ugbomah, Ladi Ladebo, and U.S.A Galadima, Meanwhile, the Yoruba Travelling Theatre practitioners were motivated by their audiences’ demand to do their stage plays to film decided to produce their own movies. Working with the legendary Ola Balogun and others, the Alarinjo theatre troupes made films include AROPIN TENIA, JAIYESIMI, IJA OMINIRA, IJA OMIRAN, OWO L’GBA etc all on 35mm celluloid reel.
With the release of the box-office movie LIVING IN BONDAGE in 1992 by NEK Video Links owned by Kenneth Nnebue in the eastern city of Onitsha set the stage for Nollywood as it is known today. The film industry is the second largest film industry in the world in terms of number of annual film productions, placing it ahead of the United States and behind only the Indian Cinema . The largest in Africa. According to Hala Gorani and Jeff Koinange formerly of CNN, Nigeria has a US$250 million movie industry, creating some 200 videos for the home video market every month.
The very first fusion of Nigeria’s indigenous musical forms with Western civilization was as a result of its contact with the guitar. This was in the 1920s through sailors and Kru-men from Sierra Leone who played the guitar as an instrument of pleasure. Over the years, many more instruments were added. The professional approach has since been adopted to performance, and the music itself has evolved through various trends and complexities which in contemporary terms have continued to be propelled by high technological advancement.
Nigeria has been called "the heart of African music" because of its role in the development of West African highlife and palm-wine music, which fuses native rhythms with techniques imported from the Congo for the development of several popular styles that were unique to Nigeria, like apala, fuji, jùjú, highlife, and Yo-pop.
Highlife was however the early form of the popular Nigerian music highlife of the guitar dominated type played at palm wine bars to provide background entertainment. Names like Tunde King in Lagos, Okonkwo Adigwe from Delta State, Ishie Brothers from the Eastern part of Nigeria, Appollo and Paul Ede from Edo State, among many others from the Southern part of Nigeria come to mind as some of the pioneers of palm wine highlife music in Nigeria.
Following World War II, Nigerian music started to take on new instruments and techniques, including electric instruments imported from overseas became very popular in Nigeria, and elements of these genres were added to jùjú by artists such as IK Dairo, Bobby Benson, Jim Lawson, Prince Nico Mbarga. At the same time, apala's Haruna Ishola was becoming one of the country's biggest stars.
In the early to mid 1970s, three of the biggest names in Nigerian music history were at their peak: Fela Kuti, Ebenezer Obey and King Sunny Ade, while the end of that decade saw the start of Yo-pop and Nigerian reggae. Although popular styles such as highlife and jùjú were at the top of the Nigerian charts in the '60s, traditional music remained widespread. Traditional stars included the Hausa Dan Maraya, who was so well known that he was brought to the battlefield during the 1967 Nigerian Civil War to lift the morale of the federal troops.The musical flame was kept alive by legendary singer and trumpeter Victor Olaiya (the only Nigerian to ever earn a platinum record), Stephen Osita Osadebe, Sonny Okosun, Victor Uwaifo, and Orlando "Dr. Ganja" Owoh, whose distinctive toye style fused jùjú and highlife
However over the years there has been steady growth in Nigeria music industry and the reason for the tremendous growth today could be attributed to thirst for aesthetic and material success and a voracious appetite for life, love and music, and a huge domestic market, big enough to sustain artists who sing in regional languages and experiment with indigenous styles.
The genres of Nigerian music currently featured on Nigeria Music Network are:
AfroPop, AfroBeat, Highlife, Nigerian Hip-Hop, Nigerian Gospel, Reggae, R&B.
NIGERIA FILM
Tracing the history of Nigeria film industry, her first contact with cinema was in 1903, made possible by Herbert Macaulay, a foremost nationalist who invited the Balboa and Company who was then doing an exhibition tour of silent films on the West African Coast to Nigeria. The films were shown at the Glover Memorial Hall, Lagos in August, 1903. The success of this venture opened the way for an influx of European film exhibitors to Nigeria. These films were highly censored by the colonial government who at this time showed a lot of interest in the production, distribution and exhibition. Initially these film were restricted within Lagos where they compete with concerts and drama shows. Gradually, however it fanned out to towns in the immediate hinterland of Lagos and beyond. As the country became more industrialized and urbanized, there was a need to establish distribution/ exhibition centers in these new areas and in no time, the branches of the distribution and exhibition companies had spread all over the country.
The first indigenous feature film that was produced in Nigeria: KONGI’S HARVEST. was however directed by an American and it featured many foreigners as crew members.
The earliest indigenous filmmakers are Ola Balogun, Hubert Ogunde Eddie Ugbomah, Ladi Ladebo, and U.S.A Galadima, Meanwhile, the Yoruba Travelling Theatre practitioners were motivated by their audiences’ demand to do their stage plays to film decided to produce their own movies. Working with the legendary Ola Balogun and others, the Alarinjo theatre troupes made films include AROPIN TENIA, JAIYESIMI, IJA OMINIRA, IJA OMIRAN, OWO L’GBA etc all on 35mm celluloid reel.
With the release of the box-office movie LIVING IN BONDAGE in 1992 by NEK Video Links owned by Kenneth Nnebue in the eastern city of Onitsha set the stage for Nollywood as it is known today. The film industry is the second largest film industry in the world in terms of number of annual film productions, placing it ahead of the United States and behind only the Indian Cinema . The largest in Africa. According to Hala Gorani and Jeff Koinange formerly of CNN, Nigeria has a US$250 million movie industry, creating some 200 videos for the home video market every month.
