Unity is the best factor!Nigerian People

POPULATIONIn case you didn't know, most Nigerians are 'black'. (Yes, I know that is not 'politically correct'. Yes, I also know it is not accurate either...my hair is 'black', my skin is 'brown'.) Population figures in Nigeria have never been reliable. They are usually estimated, and even these can differ. I have seen an estimate of 101 million people from the ABC Country Book, 114 million from the World Bank, 127 million from the United Nations estimate, all for the year 1995. It has one of the highest population densities in the world (at one time, it had the third highest population densities), and roughly 1 out of every 4 Africans is a Nigerian. There ARE plans to conduct another population census in the year 2001. In the meantime, this page prints two articles that I found on Nigeria's population and it's growth, and this page gives population figures/ratios from the US Census Bureau, and this page shows some additional figures. Back to Contents
RELIGIONTo most Nigerians, religion and faith are important aspects of everyday life. It controls the laws, how you think and act, what you believe, what you value, and more. (Of course, in any 'religion', there are going to be hypocrites who claim to be what they are not.) The religions in Nigeria are roughly 45% Christian, 45% Muslim, and about 10% 'everything else', including traditional religions and beliefs. Though the government supports the different religions, the past rulers have usually been Muslim. Because it is difficult to 'summarize' the beliefs and history of a religion, and because this page is to give facts and not to preach, I try to give just the highlights of the religions below. For more information on the actual religion, you can find them in the books of the religion, or by searching other sites on the web for these topics.

CHRISTIANITY
Deity
God
Followers
Christians
Book
The Bible
Place of Worship
The Church
'Main Prophet'
Jesus ChristBack to Contents

ISLAM
Deity
Allah
Followers
Muslims
Book
The Quran (spellings may differ)
Place of Worship
The Mosque
Main Prophet
Muhammed (spellings may differ)Back to Contents

TRADITIONALThere are a number of different traditional religions available. They usually are specific to the different ethnic groups, and the deities are usually the gods and goddesses that the ethnic group believes in, and each ethnic group had a shrine dedicated to the deities that it believed in. The deities ranged from those who created the earth, to those who offer divine protection and/or blessings to it's worshippers, to those who had control over certain aspects of the world (like weather or war), to spirits that can be somewhat controlled by human beings. Most of these religions did not have written documentation of their beliefs and practices, but they did rely on a priest to teach them and to intervene on their behalf, and the priests were usually very highly trained for this, to the extent of being raised for this task sometimes. Some of the deities were represented by inanimate objects, while others were represented by animate objects, some of which are now valuable antiques in museums and holy places. Here are some other links that may provide you with more information on traditional religions:
RootsAndRooted: Information about Orisa (Orisha) practices and temples
LinkServe: Religion in Nigeria
African Traditional Religion
West African Dahomean Vodoun
TheAncestralCall.com Back to Contents

INFLUENCEOutside influence from the missionaries of the different religions has influenced different parts of the culture in Nigeria. For instance, early Christian missionaries aided with getting printed matter, including vocabulary of the different languages, and teaching English to the people. Also, missionaries aided with Nigerian buildings and architecture, and with education and healthcare.In terms of healthcare, though western medicine was brought into the country and is practiced, there is no doubt that there are still traditional forms of healing that have been beneficial, and now a mixture of the two are used. This is not particular to only Nigeria. Even in the United States, people are starting to realize the power of natural herbs and remedies in treating ailments. Back to Contents
ETHNIC GROUPSThere are many many ethnic groups in Nigeria. The three most popular ones are Yoruba, Ibo (also spelled Igbo), and Hausa-Fulani, and I intend to have a lot more information in this section, especially about my own. For now though, here are some other links I found that MIGHT help (I haven't looked at them closely myself). Also, many of these ethnic groups have organizations worldwide, and I have an ever-growing list here.

YORUBAThe Yoruba people live mostly in the Southwestern states. Since it is the ethnic group I am from, some of this site has somewhat of a Yoruba focus, only because I am having trouble getting information on the other groups. So, things like food, language, attire, marriage and family, music for this group are on Motherland Nigeria. However, for more details about the group, I have found the following web sites which are devoted sites:
YorubaLand: A Journey: This is a great interactive site.
Yorubaland: Another great interactive site dedicated to teaching about Yoruba
Yoruba Nation Home Page
Isokan Yoruba Home Page
Yoruba Community Association
Ijo Orunmila (the site IS written in English)
21st Century Yoruba Home Page
Yoruba Religion and Myth
The World of the Yoruba
Yoruba Descendants Home Page
Yoruba Info: Art & Life in Africa
Virtual Festival: Yoruba Naming Ceremony
Yoruba House
University of Wisconsin-Madison: Links to Yoruba Culture on the web
Virtual Festival: Links to Yoruba Culture
IFA: The Indigenous Faith of Africa
Yoruba: Nigerian Galleria
Festival of Ogun: Yoruba, African Culture & it's Derivatives: has many links that are Yoruba-related
Yoruba Art in Wood and Metal: which also has some historical information. Back to Contents

IBO (or IGBO)The Ibo people live mostly in the Southeastern states. The following are links to sites that are devoted to their culture.
The Virtual Igbo Homesite with a section on who they are.
The Igbo Homepage
Igbo People
Nigeria and the Igbo Culture
Igbo Culture Center
Igbo Net
Igbo Info: Art & Life in Africa
G.I.Jones Photographic Archive of Southeastern Nigerian Art and Culture: with some descriptions (from 1930s)
Marriage among the Igbo of Nigeria
Widowhood Among the Igbo of Eastern Nigeria
Igbo: Nigerian Galleria
YoungIgbos.com
Dele's Igbo Page Back to Contents

HAUSA- FULANIThe Hausa people live mostly in the Northern states. The following are links to sites that are devoted to their culture:
UCLA Hausa Home Page
Hausa Links
Society-HAUSA
Fulani: Art & Life in Africa
Hausa: Art & Life in Africa
Fulani of Nigeria
The Hausa of Nigeria (Prayer Profile)
The Fulani of Nigeria (Prayer Profile)
Hausa: Nigerian Galleria
Hausa.com
HauseNet.com Back to Contents

OTHERSI can not get into a detailed description of every ethnic groups, or even every other major ethnic group in Nigeria, so I will just mention some of the other major ones. As usual, if I am missing one that you want me to add, or if you have information about the ones listed/unlisted, let me know. Also, because the net changes by the minute, you may be able to find links/books that weren't there when I made the list. I would suggest that if the information here is not sufficient, you search the net or search for books.
GROUP
LINKS
MATERIALS
Angas
Angas: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Awak
Awak: Prayer Profile
Awak: Ethnologue Nigeria

Bachama
Bacama: Ethnologue Nigeria

Baggara
Baggara: Prayer Profile

Banga
Banga: Prayer Profile
Banga: Ethnologue Nigeria

Bangwinji
Bangwinji: Prayer Profile
Bangwinji: Ethnologue Nigeria

Bariba
Bariba: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Bassa
Bassa: Ethnologue Nigeria

Benin
Benin Kingdom: Art & Life in Africa
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Birom


Bura
Bura People
Bura: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Butawa
Butawa: Prayer Profile

Chala (Daffo-Batura)
Chala: Prayer Profile
Chala: Ethnologue Nigeria

Chamba
Chamba Daka: Ethnologue Nigeria
Chamba Leko: Ethnologue Nigeria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Degema


Dirim
Dirim: Prayer Profile
Dirim: Ethnologue Nigeria

Doka
Doka: Prayer Profile
Doka: Ethnologue Nigeria

Dong
Dong: Prayer Profile
Dong: Ethnologue Nigeria

Duguri
Duguri: Prayer Profile
Duguri: Ethnologue Nigeria

Dukawa
Dukawa: Prayer Profile
Dukawa: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Edo
EdoFolks.com
Edo-Nation.net
Site on issues affecting Edo-Delta people
Edo blurb from Nigeria: The Country Today
Edo: Ethnologue Nigeria
Edo: Nigerian Galleria
Edo Cultural & Traditional Association
Bibliography of Edo
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Efik
Efik: Ethnologue Nigeria
Efik: Nigerian Galleria
Amazon list
Efik Language Products
Textbook for learning Efik
Eggon
Eggon: Ethnologue Nigeria

Eket
Eket Info: Art & Life in Africa
Eket: Ethnologue Nigeria

Ekoi
Ekoi: Ethnologue Nigeria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Eloyi
Eloyi: Prayer Profile
Eloyi: Ethnologue Nigeria

Esan
Esan Community Association of Minnesota
Nigerian Esan Community in the Netherlands

Esie
Esie Info: Art & Life in Africa
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Gera
Gera: Prayer Profile
Gera: Ethnologue Nigeria

Goemai
Goemai: Prayer Profile
Goemai: Ethnologue Nigeria

Guruntum
Guruntum: Prayer Profile
Guruntum: Ethnologue Nigeria

Gwandara
Gwandara: Prayer Profile
Gwandara: Ethnologue Nigeria

Gwari


Ibibio
Ibibio Info: Art & Life in Africa
Ibibio blurb from Nigeria: The Country Today
Ibibio: Ethnologue Nigeria
Ibibio: Nigerian Galleria
G.I.Jones Photos
AkwaIbomState.com
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Idoma
Idoma Info: Art & Life in Africa
Idoma: Ethnologue Nigeria
Idoma: Nigerian Galleria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Idon
Idon: Prayer Profile
Idon: Ethnologue Nigeria

Igala
Igala: Ethnologue Nigeria
Igala: Nigerian Galleria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Igbira
Igbira Info: Art & Life in Africa
Igbira: Ethnologue Nigeria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Ijaw
Ijaw Center
Ijaw People
The Ijaws: from NigeriaNext.com.
Ijaw: Brown University
Ijaw: Ethnologue Nigeria
G.I.Jones Photos
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Ijo (Zon)
Ijo blurb from Nigeria: The Country Today
Ijo Info: Art & Life in Africa
Ijo: Ethnologue Nigeria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Ika
Ndi-Ika site

Iku
Iku: Prayer Profile
Iku: Ethnologue Nigeria

Ikwere
IkwerreUSA.com

Isoko


Itsekiri
Itsekiri.com
Itsekiri.net
Itsekiri.org
Itsekiri Survival Movement
Itsekiri: Ethnologue Nigeria
Isekiri: Nigerian Galleria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Jarawa
Jarawa: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Jukun
Jukun blurb from Nigeria: The Country Today
Jukun Takum: Ethnologue Nigeria
Jukun Wurkum: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Kalabari


Kambari
Kambari: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Kanuri
Kanuri blurb from Nigeria: The Country Today
Kanuri: Prayer Profile
Kanuri, Manga: Ethnologue Nigeria
Kanuri, Yerwa: Ethnologue Nigeria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Katab
Katab: Ethnologue Nigeria

Katana
Katana Info: Art & Life in Africa

Kilba
Kilba Development Association

Kwanka
Kwanka: Prayer profile
Kwanka: Ethnologue Nigeria

Mambila
Mambila Info: Art & Life in Africa
Mambila: Ethnologue Nigeria

Mandara (Wandala)
Mandara: Prayer profile
Mandara: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Marghi
Marghi Central: Ethnologue Nigeria
Marghi South: Ethnologue Nigeria

Mumuye
Mumuye Info: Art & Life in Africa
Mumuye: Prayer Profile
Mumuye: Ethnologue Nigeria
Amazon list
Nok
Nok Info: Art & Life in Africa
Amazon list
Nupe
Nupe blurb from Nigeria: The Country Today
Nupe: Ethnologue Nigeria
Nupe: Nigerian Galleria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Ogidi
Ogidi Association

Ogoni
OGONI
MOSOP Canada
The Body Shop
Ogoni: Ethnologue Nigeria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Ogori-Magongo
Ogori-Magongo: Prayer profile
Ogori-Magongo: Ethnologue Nigeria

Okobo


Oron
Oron Info: Art & Life in Africa
Oron: Ethnologue Nigeria
Oron: Nigerian Galleria

Owo
Owo Info: Art & Life in Africa

Paa
Paa: Prayer profile

Puku
Puku: Prayer profile
Puku: Ethnologue Nigeria

Shanga (Shangawa)
Shanga: Prayer profile
Shanga: Ethnologue Nigeria

Songhai
Songhai: Prayer Profile

Tarok
Tarok: Ethnologue Nigeria

Tiv
Tiv blurb from Nigeria: The Country Today
Tiv: Ethnologue Nigeria
Tiv: Nigerian Galleria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Tuareg
Tuareg Info: Art & Life in Africa
Tuareg: Prayer Profile
Tuareg: Ethnologue Nigeria
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Urhobo
Urhobo.com
Urhobo.net
Urhobo Info: Art & Life in Africa
Urhobo: Ethnologue Nigeria
Urhobo: Nigerian Galleria
Amazon list
Warji (Warjawa)
Warji: Prayer Profile
Warji: Ethnologue Nigeria

Wodaabe
Wodaabe Info: Art & Life in Africa
BarnesandNoble list
Amazon list
Zerma
Zerma: Prayer Profile
Zerma: Ethnologue Nigeria

Zuru

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