Nigerian Societies and Ethnic Groups

Introduction to Nigerian People and Culture

• Nigeria is the 7th most populous nation in the world and 1st in Africa.
• The country has a population of approximately 140.8 million people (2006) and 198,503,406 (2019).
• Nigeria covers an area of about 923,768 Sq Kms or 356,669 Sq Miles.

Geography and Bordering Countries

• Nigeria is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the South, Niger Republic in the North, Chad in the North-East, Republic of Benin in the West, and Republic of Cameroon in the East.

Vegetation and Climate

• The country's vegetation varies from Mangrove Swamps in the Niger Delta to Tropical Rain Forest in the Coastal Belt and drought-prone savannah in the Northern border.

Ethnic Groups

• Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups, including Hausa, Kanuri, Fulani, Nupe, Yoruba, Edo, Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Tiv, Idoma, Igala, Itshekiri, Ijaw, and others.

Pre-Colonial Era

• The people of Nigeria had a long and varied history before 1500 when European colonial conquest began.
• The country was divided into tribal groups, including the North-Eastern Kingdom of Borno, the seven Hausa city states, and the Yoruba city states of Ife, Oyo, and Ijebu.
• The Fulani controlled the whole of Hausaland and Borno in 1804, following the Jihad of Shehu Usman Dan Fodio.

Yoruba Kingdom

• The city of Ile-Ife was the Yoruba religious center, and the legendary king Oduduwa is recognized as the founder of the Yoruba tribes.
• Oduduwa was succeeded by his son, Oranmiyan, who founded the ruling dynasty of Oyo.

Benin Kingdom

• The Benin kingdom was founded between the 12th and 14th centuries, and its origin can be traced to the Yoruba sacred city of Ile-Ife.
• The Benin Kings or Obas were known as Ogiso, and their first son occupies the position of Ediaken of Uselu until the death of the Oba.

Igbo Kingdom

• Nri in Anambra State is regarded as the ancestral home of the Igbos, and it existed as far back as the 9th century.
• The Igbos have a decentralized system of government, with no supreme King, but the highest traditional institution in Igbo land is the Oha-na Eze, whose unit of control is the Village.
• There are title holders such as the Ofo title for family heads and the Ozo title for prestigious, influential, popular, and wealthy persons.

Importance of Studying Nigerian History

• It is important to know the history of Nigerian people to understand where we are coming from and where we are heading.
• Studying Nigerian history provides a clear picture of our economic, political, social, and cultural situation and how we can move forward as a nation.
• It exposes the reasons why Nigeria has been described as a rich nation inhabited by mostly poor people and why it is considered one of the most corrupt nations in the world.

This quiz covers the basics of Nigerian societies, including their communalistic nature, kinship and lineage systems, and patrilineal family structure. It also touches on the country's early history and its various ethnic groups.