Chapter 5: Africa in Transition

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Chapter 5 Africa in Transition

• Section 4 Nigeria

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Lesson Questions

• How has geography affected Nigerias economy?
• How have regionalism and nationalism affected
  Nigeria?
• Why did the military take power in Nigeria?
• What economic progress has Nigeria achieved?

3
Geography and People

• One of the largest and richest nations in Africa
• Also, the most populous of all nations
• 1 out of every 6 Africans is Nigerian
• Nigeria is a powerful force in West Africa

4
Geography and People cont.

• Nigeria lies north of the tropics just north of
  the equator
• The hot, wet climate allows for rain forests
  which in turn yields a productive lumber industry
• The northern part has savannas and grasslands
  which yield a productive farming and herding
  society

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Geography and People cont.

• Nigeria is named after the Niger river
• The Benue River also runs through the country
  which allow for irrigation
• The rivers divide the country into three regions
  based upon ethnicity
• Northern home to Muslim Hausa and Fulani
• Southwest Yoruba
• Southeast Ibo
• Many southerners follow Christianity and
  traditional beliefs

6
Geography and People cont.

• Smaller ethnic groups are scattered throughout
  Nigeria
• 250 ethnic groups belong to Nigeria alone
• Six major languages are spoken, predominately
  English
• Ethnicity attachment to ones own ethnic group

7
Political Development

• Before European imperialism the major ethnic
  groups of present day Nigeria maintained their
  own states
• 1800s - G.B. made Nigeria into cash crop
  plantations (crops were peanuts, cocoa, cotton ,
  and palm oil)
• After WWI and WWII Nigerian nationalism grew and
  the vying ethnic groups (Yoruba, Hausa, Fulani,
  Ibo) joined together under Nnamdi Azikiwes
  leadership

8
Political Development

• 1960, they gained independence
• Civil war soon ensued because the Ibo thought the
  Muslim Hausa and Fulani controlled too much
  political power
• The Ibo also claimed they had more of a right to
  the local oil fields in their region
• The Ibo set up the state of Biafra in 1967 which
  resulted in a three year war that took 1 million
  lives
• To this day, regional support remains alive such
  as in the Muslim controlled north they influence
  the local government through Muslim law
• Military dictators have controlled Nigeria for
  many years until 1999
• Modern Nigerian leaders still face the problems
  of uniting their people, improving the economy,
  and reducing corruption

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Economic Development

• The production and distribution of oil from
  Nigeria led to wealth that equated into literacy
  and new schools
• However, the oil company also led to corruption
  and pollution
• It widened the gap between the rich and poor
• The pollution has caused attacks against oil rigs
  in some areas
• Despite the oil Nigeria has fallen into debt
  whenever world oil prices fall
• Most of its economy is government owned and
  reforms are needed to combat the countries
  dependence on cash crops

10
Population Growth

• A young population, a large percentage under 15
  years old
• 127 million people
• Urbanization is increasing and the government has
  now tried to stabilize farm prices, in order to
  slow movement
• Nonetheless, young people in Africa prefer the
  cities even with the prevalence of poverty

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Music and Literature

• Nigeria is known for its talking drums
• The pitch can be adjusted to imitate the African
  language
• King Sunny Ade is known as a standout Nigerian
  musician
• Chinua Achebe, wrote, Things Fall Apart, which
  dealt with how Europeans affect a Nigerian
  village
• Wole Soyinka, wrote A Dance of the Forests, was
  the first African to ever win the Nobel prize for
  Literature

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King Sunny Ade

• Wole Soyinka

Chinua Achebe