The culture in Nigeria is one that is very diverse. Throughout Nigeria you will find several different religions. On the northern side of Nigeria you will mainly find people with a Muslim faith. On the southern side you will find people with a mainly Christian faith. But there are the people that have indigenous beliefs that live throughout the country. There are 50% of people that have a Muslim faith, 40% with a Christian faith.
As we look further into people that practice these faiths we see that those whom are of indigenous faith believe in things like deities, spirits, and ancestor worship. People can practice their different faiths because they have freedom of religion in the Nigerian constitution. This also means that for those that practice the Christian faith you can take days off for things like Easter, which is recognised as a national holiday. And if you are of the Muslim Faith than you can take time off for things like Ramadan.
Though the culture is not all about religion, it also has to do with family dynamic and the structure of how this great country is run. So lets start off with some good old fashioned family fun. Nigeria is still mainly built up of extended family, and is expected to provide for the welfare for every member of the family. Within these tight knit families there are relationships that are guided by hierarchy and seniority. For example the elders of a community/family are regarded with respect. To show that respect they are greeted with a bowed head, a smile, and a handshake. There is also a social standing between the families that is usually gaged by the actions of the members of that family.
Although the backbone of this country is the extended families, they can in some cases prove to be an issue when it comes to population. Like in the new capital city Abuja. It was a very appealing to most people because they were promised jobs and a sense of urbanization. But the population just went through the roof, and they can’t get water to everyone that lives there. This has made a huge affect on the culture, as people are turning to violence like terrorism. And to escape all of this, people have started to flee to the north.
Cultural Overview
By: Tiya Arian