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The Last Word: Ch 5 Test Friday

Nigeria

An African Nation Case Study

Nigeria – GeographyLocated in West/Central Africa

Major rivers: Niger and BenueCapital – now Abuja; moved from Lagos

Nigeria - People

Population is largest in Africa

Over 164 million people 1 in 6 Africans are Nigerians

Nigeria - People

Very diverse - Over 250 different ethnic groups

Main groups are: • Ibo (SE, 21%) and Yoruba (SW, 18%) both Christian/traditional religion

•Fulani and Hausa (Muslim, 29%) in the north

Ethnic Groups in Nigeria

Nigeria – Economy

Based heavily on abundant oil reservesProvides most of the revenue for the country

Has provided wealth for select few; most remain impoverished (60% below poverty)The 5th largest supplier to the US

Most people still make a living from subsistence farming Heavy borrowing means Nigeria also has a large debt

$30 billion external debt

Distribution of oil reserves in Nigeria

Nigeria – Political Development

Annexed by Britain in the late 1800’s

Resisted by many groups within Nigeria

Nigeria – Political Development

In 1960 Nigeria achieves independence Leader of independence movement - Dr. Nnamdi AzikiwePictured here on an N500 note (naira)

The “Civil War” in Nigeria

After independence, religious, ethnic and economic differences lead to conflictCivil war breaks out in 1967 between different ethnic groups in Nigeria

Ibo (Christian/traditional in southeast) believe Muslim Hausa and Fulani groups have too much power

The Civil War in Nigeria

Ibo break away and form Republic of Biafra

• Over 1 million people killed as central government moves to restore unity.

Back and Forth, Back and ForthAfter the civil war ends, Nigeria moves from civilian to military rule and back again and again

Military government from ’74-79Elections in ’79Army coup in ’83Army coup of ’85Constitution drafted in ’90, failed election in 1993Army coup in 1993Failed elections in 1998Obasanjo elected in 1999, and again in 2003

• These elections were disputed by some international observers

Nigeria’s Government RankingsDemocracy - 89th out of 150 nationsPolitical rights - 4 out of 7 (avg. to below)Political liberties - 4 out of 7 Press Freedom – 68th out of 150Corruption – 114th out of 150Economic Freedom – 112th out of 165

**How would you rate Nigeria’s government in terms of democracy and development (from A – F?)

Review

Where is Nigeria located?What is Nigeria’s most abundant resource?Name one notable fact about Nigeria’s population.What are the main religions in Nigeria?How has Nigeria’s government changed over the course of its history?

Promotional Video about Nigeria

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-YiOvZuzAg

Nigeria's 160 million people are divided between numerous ethno-linguistic groups and also along religious lines. Broadly, the Hausa-Fulani people based in the north are mostly Muslims. The Yorubas of the south-west are divided between Muslims and Christians, while the Igbos of the south-east and neighbouring groups are mostly Christian or animist. The Middle Belt is home to hundreds of groups with different beliefs, and around Jos there are frequent clashes between Hausa-speaking Muslims and Christian members of the Berom community.

Despite its vast resources, Nigeria ranks among the most unequal countries in the world, according to the UN. The poverty in the north is in stark contrast to the more developed southern states. While in the oil-rich south-east, the residents of Delta and Akwa Ibom complain that all the wealth they generate flows up the pipeline to Abuja and Lagos.

Southern residents tend to have better access to healthcare, as reflected by the greater uptake of vaccines for polio, tuberculosis, tetanus and diphtheria. Some northern groups have in the past boycotted immunization programs, saying they are a Western plot to make Muslim women infertile. This led to a recurrence of polio, but the vaccinations have now resumed.

Female literacy is seen as the key to raising living standards for the next generation. For example, a newborn child is far likelier to survive if its mother is well-educated. In Nigeria we see a stark contrast between the mainly Muslim north and the Christian and animist south. In some northern states less than 5% of women can read and write, whereas in some Igbo areas more than 90% are literate.

Nigeria is Africa's biggest oil producer and among the biggest in the world but most of its people subsist on less than $2 a day. The oil is produced in the south-east and some militant groups there want to keep a greater share of the wealth which comes from under their feet. Attacks by militants on oil installations led to a sharp fall in Nigeria's output during the last decade. But in 2010, a government amnesty led thousands of fighters to lay down their weapons.

Nigeria’s Rebel Group Boko Haram

Nigeria’s Oil Pirates