WRITING SEMINAR
With a population estimated at 170 million, Nigeria is the seventh-most populous country in the world. The total area it covers is just over 900,000 square kilometres and it comprises 36 states. Among these many and diverse people, there are over 250 various ethnic groups with different languages, customs, cultures and religions. The three major ethnic groups are Igbo, Hausa / Fulani, and Yoruba. These three alone account for over 60% of the population of Nigeria. Each tribe is located in a specific geographical position in the country.
The Igbo ethnic group is located mainly in the Southeastern part of the country and has a population of about 15 million and the language spoken is called Igbo, but it has different dialects in different states such as Delta-Igbo in Delta State, Ikwerre in Rivers State, Ika in Anambra State to mention a few. The Yoruba ethnic group is located mainly in the western part reaching into the central parts and Yoruba is predominantly spoken with Owo, Ikere and Sagamu as minor dialects. Finally, the Hausas are located in all of the northern part of the country which is mostly desert-like, and they are the largest of all the various ethnic groups. Hausa, Fulani and other minor languages such as Tiv, along with Arabic are spoken by the people. Despite all these minor languages, the lingua franca of Nigeria is English.
Religion is very diverse among these three ethnic groups. The Igbos are mainly Christians, however, deities such as Amadioha, the god of lightning and thunder, are also worshipped across the land. Religion among the Yoruba ethnic group is split between Christianity and Islam, but indigenous Yoruba people worship divinities such as Orisha, which is believed to be a link between them and Olodumare, who they believe is the creator. The Hausas have always practiced Islam and ultimately believe in Allah, whom the religion portrays as the creator of all mankind.
The Igbos engage mainly in farming as a source of livelihood. Crops grown include cassava, oil palm, and cotton. They are also noted for their excellent trade skills in whatever business they decide to run, ranging from small kiosks to huge personal enterprises. The Yoruba people engage in local arts and crafts such as basket weaving, bronze and wood sculpting, and weaving of different kinds. Farming is widespread because of the fertile loamy soil and abundant rainfall, which encourage the growth of almost all kinds of crops. The indigenous Hausa people are mainly cattle rearers due to a largely nomadic lifestyle; however, the North Central states have a perfect mix of both loam and sandy soils which encourage the growth of a wide range of crops. Thus, they are known as “the food basket of the nation” because they essentially feed most of Nigeria’s population.
Customary festivals are held in Igbo land to make sacrifices to their ancestral gods, which the indigenes believe brings rain, fertility, and prosperity. The most notable is the New Yam Festival, which is held to mark a good yam harvest, thus showing fertility throughout the land. The Eyo festival is unique to the Yoruba people and is held annually in Lagos, the nation’s most populous city, with masquerades mostly wearing white apparel dance around paying homage to the traditional leader of the land, the Oba. The Hausa people have many minor festivals all year round, but notably the Argungu fishing festival, which takes place in Kebbi State annually, is recognized. People jump into the river with their various fishing tools ranging from nets to calabashes to try and catch the largest fish within a limited amount of time.
The diversity of Nigeria is summarized in the religion, customary rites and lifestyles of the people. Also, most of the national income is centred on oil and gas, which is abundant in the southern states closest to the Atlantic Ocean and jobs in related fields provide employment to a large number of the people. Nigeria is sometimes called the ‘trigger’ of Africa, looking at the map as a gun pointing to the south.