AbbeyMarie:

well no. I'm creating a power point presentation in the first place, not writting a term paper, and once i found this website i thought.... who could teach me more about Nigerians than Nigerians themselves? And extremely smart Nigerians at that (for instance that word you once used once: amalgamating, i mean WOW what a word!) So i'm asking you questions, and you are answering them. YES, i am going to use LOADS of this information from this thread for it, but so are my friends for which i am printing off copies of the thread for. Actually its the websites that help the most (other than your personal feed back of course ) because i can site those. and i am the world's most horrible researcher... and you guys all know tons of different websites it seems, so, hey, WHY NOT? why not ask you guys yourself? And don't worry, i have to use a stupid 6 word 7 line thing... so although i will quote you all alot, i won't like plagerize this or anything.

hehehehehe

not to worry about plagiarizing, only glad to be of help in learning a bit about our unique but queer culture.

Hey, another question for you all.

39. So at dinner, i was talking with my mom about this thread, and she said in a nut-shell that she thought she recalled that Nigeria is going through like a Civil War or something.... and that it is in serious poverty, and that all you who live in Nigeria and have computers must be the rich Nigerians.... is any of that true?

Even in London the poor people do not have computer or internet at home. The poor people here are people that depend on the state for handout, we call it "income support" or JSP (Job seekers Allowance). Basically it is people like me that work very hard that pays for their allowance.

Yes, you mum might be right to say that computer and internet connection are own by rich people. Like everywhere else in the world we have what is called internet cafee. A place you go and pay a fix amount of money for a timed period of internet access. There are lots of cafee in Nigeria today.

War, there is no war in Nigeria and would never be by the special grace of God.

Hi AbbeyMarie and friend(s)? Glad you wish to know about Nigerian Culture and Religion... You have so many questions one can't answer all at the same time. I noticed that many answers given above are misconceptions of our own. For example the real reason why twins were left out to die (and this only happened in the Eastern part of the country and is not practiced anymore) was that it was widely believed that only animals had offspring in multiples, thus the twins or triplets or whatever should be left in the wild for the animals to whom they belong to collect them/their spirits... the conception was that their bodies had somehow erroniously traversed from the animal realm to the human.....

Also note that Nigerian (indeed as in many parts of Africa) Culture and Religion are one and the same thing. A large amount of cultural activity is of a religious nature and vice versa, and for practitioners of traditional religions (existing from thousands of year ago and so long practiced before Christianity or islam was introduced) this remains the same to this day. I can give you  many REFERENCES for the type of questions you are looking for answers to, but a single EXCELLENT one comes to mind....  read INFINATE RICHES by BEN OKRI... It will give you a very good idea of the interaction and inter-relation between Culture and Religion in modern day Nigeria (It may read like a fantasy but much of what is contained therein is in priciple spiritually/culturally tangible)... Happy reading and Good luck in your knowledge quest....

By the way on a personal note, Im a christian as are many Nigerians.... you may wish to examine concurrent similarities our cultures and religions have with western/asian relions and culture. An example... in Yoruba traditional religion God the Creator (ELEDUMARE) has a son (ODUDUA) whom descended from the heavens...... Shall look in from time to time

AbbeyMarie:

Hey, another question for you all.

39. So at dinner, i was talking with my mom about this thread, and she said in a nut-shell that she thought she recalled that Nigeria is going through like a Civil War or something.... and that it is in serious poverty, and that all you who live in Nigeria and have computers must be the rich Nigerians.... is any of that true?

Your mom is wrong there.....Nigeria is not going through a Civil War, and i don't think that analogy of owning computer with rich Nigerians is true, I owned a computer while i was in the university so did several of my friends and classmates who are from middle class homes, even people from poor homes can still afford it, for those that can not afford internet connection there are dozens of cyber cafe's where you can easily browse for as long as u want for a little fee. These days, the poor, middle class, rich all have access to the internet.

Daviddylan!thats was a terrific write up thought i disagree with you on some points.

[/quote]10. If you could change one thing. Anything, but only one thing, about Nigeria, what would it be?
Excise northern nigeria from the ridiculous geographical contraption called "Nigeria"!
[quote]

Do you really think that would be the solution to Nigerian problems?

AbbeyMarie:

Hey, another question for you all.

39. So at dinner, i was talking with my mom about this thread, and she said in a nut-shell that she thought she recalled that Nigeria is going through like a Civil War or something.... and that it is in serious poverty, and that all you who live in Nigeria and have computers must be the rich Nigerians.... is any of that true?

and so here i am at breakfast wondering if your mother just like every other american has ever been to africa but assume to know everything that goes on there thanks to those armchair journalists at CNN and the BBC. And in a nutshell i'm wondering how she "recalls" nigeria going thru a civil war over 35 yrs after it ended ( i was not even born when it ended and my mum was just 16!) except it exists only in the mind! Here i am also wondering what serious poverty is since i can't find a so much difference between the typical poor nigerian and those hapless black victims of katrina in the world's "richest nation".
Here i am also wondering if i will ever be classified as a "rich" nigerian since i had a computer in my own home and i figure most of my college friends did, infact one of my "rich" friends had a laptop and i'm just wondering if we were the ones who did not realise how rich we were.

No ma'am, unless you have ever been to Africa or Nigeria, no one is allowed to pass judgement on her and her people. If nigerians are poor today it is partly because of the neocolonialism that is being practiced today in the guise of the IMF and world bank telling us to devalue our currency, privatise all government owned corporations of which the USA is an active conspirator!

spikedcylinder:

Daviddylan!thats was a terrific write up thought i disagree with you on some points.Do you really think that would be the solution to Nigerian problems?

it may not be the one-size-fits-all end to nigeria's problems but i bet you that should be the very first step in the development of nigeria! just think for a second;

all nigeria's most popular (world aclaimed scientists) are southerners
all nigeria's literary giants are from the south
all nigeria's sports men and women are from the south
nigeria's wealth is largely derived from the south
nigeria is what it is today not because of it's size but because of its enormous oil resources (ask Chad and Niger!)

Who are those who want Jamb at all costs?
who are those who inserted the Federal character clause, Quota system and who do they really benefit?

So you suggest that Nigeria should be divided leaving the north out?

spikedcylinder:

So you suggest that Nigeria should be divided leaving the north out?

It's the most logical solution, at least we won't be talking about federal character, quota system, zoning, north vs south, we would have been spared all the locust yrs of yakubu gowon, shehu shagari, babangida and abacha.
We would have been spared the ridicule of the likes of Wada Nas, sharia, public flogging, beheading and stoning, the botched ms universe beauty contest, the threat of polio due to ignorance!

davidylan, I like your yarn, pls continue...

Hey y'all! I'm at school right now, but we are working on this project, so i have an excuse to be on here...

davidylan:

and so here i am at breakfast wondering if your mother just like every other american has ever been to africa but assume to know everything that goes on there thanks to those armchair journalists at CNN and the BBC. And in a nutshell i'm wondering how she "recalls" nigeria going through a civil war over 35 years after it ended ( i was not even born when it ended and my mum was just 16!) except it exists only in the mind!

She thought she remembered reading something about how there were lots of Wars going on in Africa, and *THOUGHT* that she had seen *Nigeria* in w/e she was reading. While having the discussion w/ her i said that i thought someone had said that Nigeria hasn't been in a war since 1973 (or something like that) and i said that the people (meaning you all) that i was talking to, talked about Nigeria as if it like was the most beautiful place in the World and was going through like ANYTHING but war, that it was FAR from being in war. So i thought i'd ask you.... thank you all for clearing that up for me, by the way.

davidylan:

No ma'am, unless you have ever been to Africa or Nigeria, no one is allowed to pass judgement on her and her people. If nigerians are poor today it is partly because of the neocolonialism that is being practiced today in the guise of the IMF and world bank telling us to devalue our currency, privatise all government owned corporations of which the USA is an active conspirator!

I understand that I am not aloud to pass judgement on Nigeria or Africa or her people, i simply respect my mother and she thought this, so i decided to ask you. Remember i knew NOTHING about Nigeria previous to reading "Things Fall Apart", so i am simply asking all the questions that come to mind... i surely hope they aren't offensive.

40. Similar to another question, How do you practice the religions? Like at the temple, chuch, mosque, etc....?

Olorididan:

Hi AbbeyMarie and friend(s)? Glad you wish to know about Nigerian Culture and Religion... You have so many questions one can't answer all at the same time. I noticed that many answers given above are misconceptions of our own. For example the real reason why twins were left out to die (and this only happened in the Eastern part of the country and is not practiced anymore) was that it was widely believed that only animals had offspring in multiples, thus the twins or triplets or whatever should be left in the wild for the animals to whom they belong to collect them/their spirits... the conception was that their bodies had somehow erroniously traversed from the animal realm to the human.....

Do you have a website or something that would show this fact?


@ all of you wonderful people..... PICTURES GREATLY APPRECIATED!

David please when responding remember that abbey has no prior knowledge on anything nigerian.

Hey guys! This is Butterflye . I just wanted you to know that I've been reading all of your guys' responses and want you to know that I appreciate your answers SO MUCH!!! You have no idea how much you guys have helped me. But if anyone could tell me anything about the history of Christianity in Nigeria, the history/intro of Islam into Nigeria and any other religion later info that would be fantastic!!! 
Thanks again!
~~~Butterflye~~~
*Is there a reason...
A broken dream can never fly?
Is there a reason...
You believed and then you closed your eyes?
Give me a reason...
Why you hide away so much inside....
If there's a reason....
I don't know why.
I don't know why.* ~~from "Someone Said Goodbye" by Enya

AbbeyMarie:

Do you have a website or something that would show this fact?


@ all of you wonderful people..... PICTURES GREATLY APPRECIATED!

AbbeyMarie these are thousand year old practices.... there are no websites but it was a given that the practices took place in the past....

Butterflye:

Hey guys! This is Butterflye . I just wanted you to know that I've been reading all of your guys' responses and want you to know that I appreciate your answers SO MUCH!!! You have no idea how much you guys have helped me. But if anyone could tell me anything about the history of Christianity in Nigeria, the history/intro of Islam into Nigeria and any other religion later info that would be fantastic!!! 
Thanks again!
~~~Butterflye~~~
*Is there a reason...
A broken dream can never fly?
Is there a reason...
You believed and then you closed your eyes?
Give me a reason...
Why you hide away so much inside....
If there's a reason....
I don't know why.
I don't know why.* ~~from "Someone Said Goodbye" by Enya

AAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLLIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   

Olorididan:

AbbeyMarie these are thousand year old practices.... there are no websites but it was a given that the practices took place in the past....

Ok, sry! Others on here said something different, so i just have no way to PROVE which one is the ACTUAL reason.....

@Butterflye - ALI! Could you number your questions, leaving off w/ the number after the last posted question? So, we could both refer to it? *Happy Dance *

Butterflye:

Hey guys! This is Butterflye . I just wanted you to know that I've been reading all of your guys' responses and want you to know that I appreciate your answers SO MUCH!!! You have no idea how much you guys have helped me. But if anyone could tell me anything about the history of Christianity in Nigeria, the history/intro of Islam into Nigeria and any other religion later info that would be fantastic!!!
Thanks again!
~~~Butterflye~~~
*Is there a reason...
A broken dream can never fly?
Is there a reason...
You believed and then you closed your eyes?
Give me a reason...
Why you hide away so much inside....
If there's a reason....
I don't know why.
I don't know why.* ~~from "Someone Said Goodbye" by Enya

it will be extremely difficult for anyone to give you a complete history of comtemporary religion in nigeria. however you might want to check this website;
http://www.countryreports.org/index.aspx

it contains virtually all the information you need but it requires a member subscription. i think there is a place where you can subscribe for a school or a whole class and it's cheaper than doing an individual subscription.
hope this helps.

Thanks, davidylan, but I won't make a paying subscription to a site. Don't have the permission, or the means.  But thanks for the help! If any of you guys could please just sum it up a liiiiiittle bit that would sooo great!!! (Remember, this is a slide show powerpoint thingie so it's just supposed to be the general, important points!)
Thanks again!!!
Oh, and abbeymarie I have lost count of the question number you are on. That, and you are asking about so many things! I want to know as much as I can about Nigeria too, but I have more limited time to sift through the info given to me than you do. Sry  .
~Butterflye~
*Is there a reason/Why a broken dream can never fly?/Is there a reason/You believed and then you closed your eyes?/ Give me a reason/Why you hide away so much inside/If there's a reason/I don't know why./I don't know why.* ~~ "Someone Said Goodbye" by Enya

WHERE ARE ALL OF YOU PEOPLE? Sry, Butterflye asked a question YESTERDAY and as of this moment, no one has yet to reply. I totally would.... but i'm not exactly the most qualified person.... because i CREATED this thread after all...


*We REALLY REALLY REALLY need her answer to be answered

But if anyone could tell me anything about the history of Christianity in Nigeria, the history/intro of Islam into Nigeria and any other religion later info that would be fantastic!!!

that's like asking us to write a documetary. i bet there are a couple of websites that answer the question.
there are some people on this site who won't mind answering/summarizing it though. it's just going to take time a little.
I definitely have limited knowledge/understanding of the answer to the question.
it'll probably be better if you asked more specific straight foward questions like the ones you've been asking at first than really  general ones like the one above. that's way too broad.  . .

someone will answer it i bet. but it might take a little bit of time.
isn't your project due tomorrow?

AbbeyMarie, I think the subject you have chosen is likely to be an extremely difficult one for a fourteen year old. Nigeria is a very diverse place, both in language and culture and many of the questions you have asked are better answered by experts, otherwise you may be further misled. Many of the views you will be given here are those of non-experts and are not necessarily correct.

One thing to say. Things Fall Apart addresses mainly Igbo culture and that is only a very small part of the overall culture of Nigeria. In some cases things are done almost in an opposite way in differrent parts. For instance, only one or two ethnic groups regarded twins as a bad omen - and that was a very long time ago, around the time cowboys were fighting Indians in America. In the Yoruba part of Nigeria, twins were almost revered and were said to bring good luck to their parents. They were desired.

It may help if you focus your project on a narrower subject. Then you can search the internet for books, written by experts and researchers, on the subject. There are many books covering various aspects of Nigerian culture. I wish you the best.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

9. Many say that Nigerian Culture is 'rich'. What exactly is it you mean by this? What even, would a normal day look like in Nigeria.

We cherish our culture, we do not let modern times erase our culture,we respect it,the yorubas have their way,igbo's,hausa,tiv and more.that's is what we mean by having a rich culture.
10. If you could change one thing. Anything, but only one thing, about Nigeria, what would it be?

The people in power,they are to corrupt,when we change them we change Nigeria for the best, they are the root of the suffering in nigeria.

11. Do the people generally look the same, or is it a moshpit of differences?

No we dont look the same,i know u can differentiate the african americans in ur school so its the same here.

12. What are the clothes like? Do you have like, Abercrombie and Fitch, Holister, Hot Topic etc...? Or is the style completely different than in America (or any other contry?)

We wear clothes from around the world, hip hop style,evening gowns,and our local traditional clothes.

13. Child Soldiers. Do you know anything about them?
I have never seen or heard about any child soldier, we are not into war, just political war.

14. So do you call the area you live in like a town, village, city, etc...?
Live in a city,stay in lagos,its better than the villages by far but many parts in lagos are far from suburban and city looks in America.

15. What is Diaspora?
People from a country migrating to another because of the conditions present like nigerians goin 2 Ghana.

17. You ALL live in Mansions and duplex's? How is this possible? Is Nigeria, as a whole, rich in money?

Its not like that,some people live in mansions and suburban homes,flats are manageable but this accounts for a small % of the population.

19. Who is Wesley Snipes? Is he someone here on Nairaland?

Wesley Snipes is an American Actor, he is popular and its somehow 4 u 2 be askn bout him.


21. Are you glad, or reproachful or some other emotion towards the British for coming and teaching you? What is the emotion Nigeria as a whole, would you say, feels towards them?

I sure don't have any problems with the British Colonising Nigeria, because they brought development to country,the railway built in the early 1900's by the British is still the one we have now, I have a feeling that we would have been like the asian tigers by now if the Bristish were still ruling us, our leaders are just too corrupt.

22. What is wrong with your political system?

Corruption, the number one and major fault.

23. What is the Oba? The Emir? The Eze? Are they politicions? Are they like the kings/presidents of each different part of Nigeria? If so, how do they make desisions for Nigeria?

The Oba is the title given to a ruler in Yorubaland (southwestern Nigeria), the Emir is given to a ruler in Hausaland (Northern Nigerian), the Ibo's have several titles for their rulers, Eze, Obi, Igwe. Mind you there are also other tribes in Nigeria, like the Urhobos (Midwestern Nigeria) have titles like Orodje, Ovie for their rulers, the itsekiris call their ruler Olu. And many other titles from smaller ethnic groups(remember there are 250 tribes!). They are now forming a league with the corrupt politicians to amass wealth. Sooner than later they will become ceremonial and


25. People can do magic in Nigeria? Is magic practiced alot, or only by few?
They do magic or jazz,its no joke its has been with our forefathers in the thick forests of Africa years ago,we have our own black magic.

26. You said, "colonial masters" what does this mean, and why must you obey them? (you say that they told you that it was evil, so you no longer do it anymore)

Check the dictionary for the meaning of Colonial


27. How important would you say Mary Slessor is, to Nigerian culture? Like do schools have history lessons on her?

She sure is important especially to the Calabar people in eastern Nigeria, She stopped the killing of twins which was thought to be a curse.

28. The other person said that Nigerians live in duplex's and mansions, and you say you live in a 5 bedroom bungalow. Is a 5 bedroom bungalow considered a mansion? Or, are there different 'rich', 'well-off', 'not so well-off', 'poor', 'broke', parts of Nigeria?

Some nigerians live in nice duplex's having 5bedrooms and more, like in lekki and ikoyi, but when it comes to mansions, nigerians are not joking, you hear of 50 bedroom mansions like that of Babaginda.

29. How does Nigeria work if there are more than one kings that are ruling parts of it?

There are different tribes,each controls their own side.

Hey guys, Butterflye here. I just want you to know that you have been SOOOOO helpful!!!!! Our final slideshows are being presented tomorrow (wish us luck!!) and I just wanted you to know that-- should I have time-- I will STILL come on this site, just to talk with you guys and read and express opinions about Christianity, religion, etc.
Thanks again!!!!
~~Butterflye~~

hey dagirl wantz to visit nigeria, take her to lagos abuja and aba. lol leave her there to fend for herself lol juz kiddin
come to Nigeria alwayz eager to meet pplz and appreciate them.
ONE NIGERIA

Thank you all SO SO SO SO much for helping us all out. Butterflye and I both, have presented our power-points and are waiting to hear what our grades are. We both give you all ten million hugs and thankyous for helping us. We appreciate it SOOOO much!

Thanks again!

I am new to this so i was just wondering if one of you could please give me a sight on Nigerian info, pleeease

kalimin:

I am new to this so i was just wondering if one of you could please give me a sight on Nigerian info, pleeease

There's tons of information on this thread, do you have any question in particular you want answered?

Do we still have cannibals in Nigeria? I was travelling recently to Akwa Ibom, and i had asked for travel directions on how to get there. A friend of mine told me that i also had to pass through Isiala Ngwa, who are people eaters, but i dismissed it as a joke since i assumed that Nigerians had gone beyond that level of thinking . Anyway as our bus was passing  through that town, what my friend told me triggered again in my mind and i staRted loooking at the people with suspicion. And so my mind is still enmeshed in this particular quest to know if actually cannibalism still exists in Nigeria. What do you think?

I am an Ibibio man, from Akwa Ibom state, and as far as I am aware of, my tribe has not be associated with cannibalism. I cant say for any other ethnic group, but there have been allegations that this sadistic practise has persisted in some areas of Nigeria, even in today's age.

@sbucareer
[Yoruba people are the most intelligent people in Nigeria today. This is because they amount the vast majority of learned people in Nigeria. But I must say this, this has made them lazy, always wanting to work in big office and count money. Beside that they are industrious people particularly their women.][quote][/quote]

"BUT I MUST SAY THIS, THIS HAS MADE THEM LAZY"

you need to examine your head and watch your mouth before making derogatory and negative comments about other tribes. how do you judge their laziness?. Is it only Yorubas that work in big offices and always wanting to count money. be careful o, and be very very careful o. "so ara e gidi gan ki olorun oba so e"

@felucci,i was told that isiala ngwa are Ibo's,and they still eat people.another thing they say is calabar, is a home of witchcrafts and HIV .my aunt has been to nigeria before.everything you heard is true.