GeoMag

L AY E R S O F N I G E R I A

TIMAYO ADEOYE SHOWOLE

LAYERS OF NIGERIA

Layers Of Nigeria Whilst Nigeria, the richest country in Africa with a GDP of $514.05 billion, is often characterised as a nation of corruption, it is currently thriving economically despite its issues. Nigeria has an enriched history, becoming a British protectorate in 1901 and finally gaining independence in 1963. Nigeria is an accumulation of up to 371 tribes, and the three main regions that we know today: Igbo, Hausa, and Yoruba. As a result, there are many social, economic, political, and demographic layers within this country. Whilst some ideas of the social inequality are true, this is not fully the case. Throughout Nigeria there’s a vibrant culture, with a variety of religions, cultures, and beliefs. Divided mainly into 53.5% Islamic and 45.9% Christian, with the remaining being indigenous religions coming from the aforementioned tribes. Yoruba has its own religion, but it is possible to be be Islamic or Christian, this applies with the other major tribes, but Hausa is usually tied with Sunni Islam and Igbos usually Catholic Christians. The demographics for these religions and tribes lies with the Islamic Hausas in the northern Nigerian Fulani Territory, the Igbos in the south-eastern region known as “Igboland” in the Niger Delta Region, and the Yoruba people in “Yorubaland” in the south coastal region of Nigeria, inhabiting Nigeria’s current economic and former political capital, Lagos (deriving from the Portuguese word lake due its many bodies of water). From this, as expected, many problems lie due to differences in belief and economic stability. In the Fulani territory lies 95% of the Hausa muslims. The terrorist group, Boko Haram, occupy this territory in north-eastern Nigeria, oppose ‘Americanisation’ due to the laws not aligning with Sharia Law, and want to overthrow over the government to destroy such Western views. The government have effectively deterred this problem but still have many issues, such as corruption. With a population of 206 million and densely populated cities such as the 14.8 million in Lagos and 3.3 million in Abuja, one would expect inequality. Yet being the richest country in Africa with a total GDP of $514.05 billion and a GDP per capita of $2,272.84, the low Human Development Index (HDI) of >

Lion Kishan Popat

40 | Geographical Magazine • Merchant Taylors’ School

2021/22 Edition | 41