GST 112 - Topic 1 - Culture and Civilization in History PDF

NIGERIAN PEOPLES AND CULTURE Facilitator: Mr. Joseph Eneji 1  No use of laptops & phones during lectures. There is no bonus mark for agreeing with the lecturer. Class participation is encouraged. Submit assignment...

NIGERIAN PEOPLES AND CULTURE Facilitator: Mr. Joseph Eneji 1  No use of laptops & phones during lectures. There is no bonus mark for agreeing with the lecturer. Class participation is encouraged. Submit assignments on or before Nuts and due date. Bolts! Evidence of independent research will count in CAs and final exam. Those who disturb the class will be sent out of the class. 2  Although the course is titled: NIGERIAN PEOPLES AND CULTURE, it also has to do with African cultures and civilizations. The scope This is because the of the knowledge of African course cultures and civilizations will help the students to better situate the Nigerian culture within the African continent. 3  The objectives of the course includes: To help students in different fields of study to understand the past, and present of Nigeria’s cultural heritage so as envision a brighter future in that regard. Course To create an African cultural Objecti identity imbued with moral and ve societal values that strengthen human solidarity, national consciousness, and unity. 4  At the end of the course, the students are expected to: Understand African history and culture, and to be able to apply the ideas therefrom to the attainment of technological, political and social development in Nigeria. Expecte Appreciate the cultural heritage of Nigeria especially in its diversity and d relevance to the development of the outcom country. e Imbibe good cultural values, and apply/live them out. Be able tap into the rich prospects of indigenous culture to meet contemporary needs. 5  Culture and Civilizati on in History 6  Man is a cultural being in all his psychosocial manifestations: attitudes, beliefs, and values. Man as a These manifestations of cultural culture form a social being heritage that is transmitted (Homo from past to present through cultural the process of enculturation is) and instrumentality of social groups. 7  Etymologically, culture is from latin verb colere which means to cultivate. Based on this etymological sense, we thus speak of: What is Culture in eliterian sense culture refers to the acquisition of great ? quantity of knowledge (hence, we speak of a “cultured” man, or ‘cultural’ formation, and the sophistication of an individual). 8  Culture in pedagogical sense: Culture in this sense points to the education of the human faculty, or cultivation of human talents. Culture in anthropological Contd… sense: The totality of customs, beliefs, techniques, and values that distinguish a social group, a tribe, a people, a nation. 9  Culture is the total way of life of a people whose elements are shared and transmitted by the members of that particular society from one generation to another. Definin Culture is made up of customs, g traditions, beliefs, behavior, culture dress, language, arts and craft, and relationships, attitude to life, civilizat technology and institutions. ion Culture is associated with human nature and thus is found 10 in every human society.  As a human phenomenon, culture is found in every human society –universality of culture. Universa Particularity of culture refers lity and to the different ways in which particula varied geographical conditions rity of and historical factors, culture influence and give rise to different traditions - modes and actions within a circumscribed environment. 11  Material- buildings, arts and crafts- dyeing, painting, metalwork, sculpture, carving, Material woodwork, jewelry. and immateri al Non-material- language dimensi (verbal and non verbal), ons to music, dances, stories, culture education, law, government. 12  Some scholars hold that culture designates a particular state of stage of civilization (E.g. Greek ‘culture’). Civilization is the condition of a Culture society and the processes and leading to that condition. civilizati on Cultural development leads to a civilization. The example of early man. 13  “An advanced state of human society, in which a high level of culture, science, industry, and government has been reached; those people or nations that have reached such a state; any Civilizati type of culture, society, etc., on of a specific place, time, or group e.g. Greek civilization.” dictionary.com 14  Stable food supply Social structures Government Consciousness of the Elements Divine of Aesthetic sensitivity civilizati Use of technology on Means of communication Transportation 15  History link together culture and civilization. We want to know what went on before, the change that altered events, ‘why-how-and-by- whom’ the change came, and consequences of the change. Culture, Civilizat To reflect on these happenings for ion AND our own gain. History “Those who fail to learn from history are condemned to live it” George Santayana 16  Written AND unwritten. Written- diaries, newspapers, minutes of meeting, letters, reports, legislative acts, books, accounts, etc. Sources Unwritten- oral tradition, of Interviews. History Archeology Linguistics Botany 17  In 1923 a European scholar A.P. Newton addressed the Royal African Society on the topic Africa and Historical Research. "Africa had no history before the coming of the Europeans. History only begins when men take to writing. And since Africa had no African knowledge of writing, information of and African history could be found only in material remains, in language and History in primitive culture.“ A.P Newton How would you critique the claim above? 18  Bako, A. Muhammed, M. Ismaila, Y. & Rufai, A. M (Eds.). (2014). Issues on Nigerian Peoples and Culture. Zaria: ABU Press Limited Falola, T. & Heaton, M. M. (2008). A History of Nigeria. Referen New York: Cambridge ces University Press. Orngu, S. Chris. (2017). Nigeria: History, Peoples and Culture. Abuja: DonAfrique Publishers. 19