July 9, 2018

More than 500 languages are spoken in the African nation of Nigeria—one of the highest instances of language diversity in any country on Earth! By comparison, the continent of Europe has only about 300 languages. English is the official language of Nigeria, and it is taught in schools throughout the country. English, however, is not the country’s most commonly used language. The distinct languages of Nigeria’s three largest ethnic groups—Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba—are heard more often throughout the diverse country.

The flag of Nigeria flies over a nation of nearly 200 million people who collectively speak more than 500 different languages. Credit: © Loveshop/Shutterstock

Yoruba is spoken mostly in southwestern Nigeria in the region that once made up much of the kingdom of Benin. Yoruba is part of the huge Niger-Congo language family. Almost 30 million people speak Yoruba, a tonal language with three tones. In tonal languages, varying from higher to lower pitches when speaking can change the meaning or intention of words and sentences. Yoruba is also pluricentric, meaning there are many regional versions of the language. The three standard versions are Central Yoruba, Northwest Yoruba, and Southeast Yoruba.

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Nigeria. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

Many people of southeastern Nigeria speak Igbo, a language that is also part of the Niger-Congo family. There are about 24 million Igbo speakers, most of whom belong to the Igbo ethnic group. A Latin script is used to write Igbo. This script was developed during the period of British colonization in the 1800′s.

Hausa has the most speakers in Nigeria, with around 35 million native speakers and 15 million speakers who have learned it as a second language. Hausa is part of the Afro-Asiatic language family. Native speakers of the language are largely part of the Hausa ethnic group found in northern Nigeria, Niger, and Chad. These nations occupy the area of the former Songhai Empire that peaked during the 1400′s and 1500′s. Since the Songhai era, Hausa has been a common trade language throughout western Africa. It is spoken by many people beyond Nigeria, unlike Igbo or Yoruba.

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The population of Nigeria consists of more than 250 ethnic groups. The three largest are the Hausa, the Igbo, and the Yoruba. Credit: WORLD BOOK map

The great diversity of languages in Nigeria is due in part to the way the nation came to be. Prior to early European contact in the late 1400’s and the consequent colonization, what is now Nigeria was a diverse collection of smaller kingdoms and states, many with their own languages and dialects. The region was also a crossroads and trading hub for all western Africa, which meant many far-flung languages were also spoken there. Later, neighboring kingdoms invaded, further diversifying the area’s languages and cultures.

The enigmatic Nok civilization flourished in what is now central Nigeria from about 500 B.C. to A.D. 200. In the following centuries, the region was ruled by the Islamic Kanem and Bornu kingdoms, and the mighty Songhai Empire flourished there beginning in the 1400’s. The Yoruba culture has dominated what is now southern Nigeria since the 900’s. The magnificent kingdom of Benin rose to prominence in the early 1400′s. It developed in the fertile lands between Lagos and the Niger River Delta and grew into a prosperous trade center. By the early 1800′s, the Fulani ruler Uthman Dan Fodio had conquered most of the Hausa states of what is now northern Nigeria and established an empire.

Throughout history, Africa rulers usually allowed people to maintain their indigenous languages rather than enforce their own language on minority or conquered populations. Some languages were especially important as a lingua franca (language of trade) so the diverse communities could communicate with one another and keep the prosperous trading going. Such languages remain important in Nigeria today, and most Nigerians speak at least one language in addition to their native tongue.

During the late 1800′s, the United Kingdom established protectorates in parts of southern Nigeria and made English the language of education and government. A British trading firm called the Royal Niger Company ruled most of northern Nigeria until 1900. In 1914, the United Kingdom joined the northern and southern regions into one unit—the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria. On Oct. 1, 1960, what had been a loose collection of linguistically diverse kingdoms and empires became the unified nation of Nigeria.

June 15, 2016

On June 10, 2016, in the oil hub city of Warri in Nigeria’s Delta State, a billboard asks for citizens’ help against the Niger Delta Avengers’ campaign of oil industry disruption. © Stefan Heunis, AFP/Getty Images

On Monday, June 13, Nigeria’s Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) announced they were ready to talk with the west African nation’s federal government. The NDA—a militant group that has attacked petroleum and natural gas installations in the Niger River Delta—has strict preconditions, however, before a dialogue can be arranged. The NDA insists that damaged pipelines and facilities remain out of service, and that the selling of crude oil be suspended. The group wants international oil companies at the talks and a commitment from the government to improve conditions in the impoverished and badly polluted delta. The government, desperate to stop the attacks and regain the delta’s fossil fuel wealth, has recently called off military efforts against the NDA. The government, however, may be unwilling or unable to comply with the militant group’s pretalk conditions.

The NDA grabbed the government’s attention earlier this year by launching “Operation Red Economy,” systematic attacks meant to cripple the Niger Delta’s rich oil and gas industry. NDA sabotage has destroyed or forced the closures of pipelines, terminals, and wells belonging to such oil giants as Chevron, Royal Dutch Shell, and Italy’s ENI. Nigeria’s oil production has since been reduced to its lowest level in 20 years.

The NDA emerged from the remains of previous militant groups in the Niger Delta that fought for control of the region’s oil wealth as well as independence from the Nigerian government. The NDA’s crusade, however, has largely centered on the economic well-being of delta citizens and the restoration of land and water contaminated by spills and irresponsible oil and gas exploration. The NDA has thus far avoided open warfare with Nigerian troops and has followed self-imposed rules against kidnapping or killing. The NDA has ominously warned, however, that these rules could change.

The Niger Delta forms the southernmost region of Nigeria, along the Gulf of Guinea. It consists of deposits of clay, mud, and sand at the mouth of the Niger River. Lagoons and mangrove swamps cover much of the region. Large-scale oil and gas extraction in the delta began in the 1950′s.

On May 29, 2015, former military dictator Muhammadu Buhari, 72, was sworn in as the new president of Nigeria. Buhari, a member of the All Progressives Congress party, replaced incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan, whom he defeated in a March 28 election. As Buhari took office, Nigeria faced a number of challenges, including political corruption and shortages of electric power. Deadly attacks by Boko Haram, a terrorist organization that supports Muslim extremists in Nigeria, have also plagued the nation. During his inaugural speech in Abuja, the Nigerian capital, Buhari called Boko Haram “a mindless, godless group, who are as far away from Islam as one can think.”

New Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari salutes his supporters during his inauguration in Abuja, Nigeria, Friday, May 29, 2015. AP Photo/Sunday Alamba

The inauguration took place with much fanfare in Abuja’s central Eagle Square. Nigerian flags flew among the flags of dozens of other nations, and soldiers marched smartly before giant posters of Buhari and his running mate, former law professor Yemi Osinbajo. Red carpets and floral arrangements contrasted with the barbed wire, barricades, and intense security surrounding Eagle Square. Many high-level dignitaries attended the event, including South African President Jacob Zuma and United States Secretary of State John Kerry. The peaceful transition of power came as a great relief in Nigeria, where elections often result in violence.

On Dec. 31, 1983, Buhari, then a major general in the Nigerian Army, led a coup that ousted President Shehu Shagari, and Buhari took dictatorial powers. His regime, noted for its strict policies and human rights abuses, was itself overthrown in August 1985. Military rule in Nigeria ended in 1999.

Other World Book articles:

• Africa (1985-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (1984-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (1985-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (1986-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2003-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2007-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2009-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2010-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2011-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2012-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2013-a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria (2014-a Back in Time article)

March 31, 2015

General Muhammadu Buhari in a photo taken in 2015.(Credit: Chatham House, the Royal Institute of International Affairs)

In an upset, General Muhammadu Buhari has been elected the next president of Nigeria. Buhari, a former military ruler in Nigeria, defeated incumbent Goodluck Jonathan by about 2 million votes out of around 28 million votes cast in the March 28 poll. Buhari ruled Nigeria with an iron fist from 1983 to 1985, after a military coup deposed the prior government.

Since post-colonial rule, Nigeria was ruled by military governments for much of its history until 1999. In that year, the People’s Democratic Party came to power and has ruled ever since. Mr. Jonathan became president in 2010.

The last few years were difficult for Goodluck Jonathan and Nigeria. The nation is dependent on oil for revenue (Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer), but in the last year both oil and Nigeria’s economy have fallen in value. Mr. Jonathan’s government has been associated with corruption scandals. And, since 2009, the Islamic militant group Boko Haram has killed some 20,000 people in its attempt to create an Islamic state in Nigeria. Jonathan’s government and troops have had a difficult time pushing back against the insurgents.

This election could become historic for Nigeria. It is the first time in the nation’s history that a sitting president has admitted defeat and agreed to step down after losing an election. And, experts believe that the election might begin the process of moving Nigeria toward a two-party system and away from one dominant party.

Other World Book articles:

• Nigeria
• Sani Abacha

July 28, 2014

The worst recorded epidemic of the deadly and highly contagious Ebola virus led the West African nation of Liberia today to close most of its border crossings. Liberia is one of three nations, along with Sierra Leone and Guinea, that are being hard hit by the virus. Liberia’s President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf also issued restrictions on public gatherings and said areas hit by the virus could be quarantined. The current outbreak of Ebola hemorrhagic fever, which began in  March in southern Guinea, has killed at least 670 people, including the Liberian doctor who was heading his country’s efforts to contain the epidemic. Yesterday, Nigeria’s Arik Air suspended all flights into Sierra Leone and Guinea after Nigerian officials confirmed the first Ebola death in Lagos, Nigeria’s capital and the most populous city in Africa. Meanwhile, medical workers in Guinea were meeting hostility and resistance from residents who blamed them for spreading the disease.

Ebola hemorrhagic fever is characterized by massive internal bleeding as well as diarrhea and vomiting. It is spread by direct contact with such bodily fluids as saliva and blood and by contact with towels and other objects cotaminated by the virus. While animals, including chimpanzees and gorillas, can transmit the virus, the natural source is unknown. There is no cure or vaccine for the disease. Symptoms appear within 5 to 10 days of infection. About 80 to 90 percent of all people who become infected die, though patients who receive treatment while in the early stages of the disease have a slightly better chance of recovery. Treatment consists mainly of rehydration to replace lost body fluids.

The current Ebola outbreak began in southern Guinea in March and has spread to Liberia and Sierra Leone. (World Book map; map data © MapQuest.com, Inc.)

As of July 20, Ebola had killed 454 people in Sierra Leone; 314 in Guinea; and 224 in Liberia, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Forty-five cases, including 28 deaths, were reported in those three countries between July 18 and 20 alone.

Most hemorrhagic viruses have a host, often a rodent or insect, which carries the virus but does not become ill. Scientists have not yet identified the host for the Ebola virus. However, the bushmeat trade is highly suspected of spreading the virus among people. The WHO has warned people against eating raw bushmeat and avoiding contact with infected apes, bats, and monkeys.

Additional World Book article:

• Disease Detectives (a special report)
• The Origin of New Diseases (a special report)

May 6, 2014

The leader of Nigeria’s Islamist militant group Boko Haram has threatened to sell into slavery more than 200 girls seized from their school on April 14. Yesterday, Abubakar Shekau released a video confirming that under his direction, Boko Haram militants had abducted the girls. On May 4, the group kidnapped an additional 8 girls, all between the ages of 12 and 15. The gunmen arrived in two trucks and seized the girls as well as farm animals and food from a village in the northeastern state of Borno, a stronghold of the Islamist movement.

The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama has condemned the kidnappings as an “outrage” and has offered the Nigerian government assistance in trying to find the girls. There is mounting domestic and international anger at the inability of the government of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathon to protect Nigeria’s civilian population. An offensive ordered by Jonathan to find the girls did little but trigger reprisals against civilians.

Until recently, Boko Haram terrorist activities have been largely confined to northeast Nigeria. However, the Islamist militants in April carried out attacks in Abuja, the capital. (World Book map; map data © MapQuest.com, Inc.)

In its attempt to establish an Islamist state under Shari`ah law, Boko Haram has since 2009 killed tens of thousands of Nigerians, both Christian and Muslim. About half the people of Nigeria are Muslims–the majority of the population in the north. Nearly 40 percent of the people are Christians, who live mainly in southern and central parts of Nigeria.

On April 14, 2014, Boko Haram shocked the nation by carrying out a brazen terrorist attack in the capital, Abuja. It bombed a bus station during the morning rush hour, killing at least 70 people and wounding dozens of others. In February, it attacked a boys’ boarding school in troubled Yobe state and killed some 30 students. The attackers torched a locked dormitory, then brutally murdered the boys as they tried to escape the fire. Schools, particularly schools that teach Nigeria’s national curriculum, are frequent targets of Boko Haram, which roughly translates to “Western education is forbidden.”

Additional World Book articles:

• Nigeria 2009 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2010 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2011 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2012 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2013 (a Back in Time article)

April 15, 2014

At least 70 people were killed and some 120 others wounded when the explosion of a massive bomb ripped through a bus station during the morning rush hour in Nigeria’s capital, Abuja. At least 40 vehicles were destroyed, including 16 luxury buses.

Nigeria’s president, Goodluck Jonathan, blamed the attack on Boko Haram, an Islamic extremist group that is attempting to turn Nigeria into a fundamentalist Islamic state under Shari`ah law. Nigeria is approximately half Muslim and 40 percent Christian. Muslims make up the majority of the population in the north. Christians live mainly in southern and central parts of Nigeria. Many Nigerians, especially in the rural areas, practice traditional religions based on the worship of multiple gods and spirits.

Boko Haram, a fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organization, operates mainly in northern and northeastern Nigeria, where the majority of people are Muslims. (World Book map; map data © MapQuest.com, Inc.)

In the past week, Boko Haram carried out attacks that left at least 64 people dead, including 8 teachers at a boarding school. Schools, particularly schools that teach Nigeria’s national curriculum, are frequent targets of Boko Haram, which can be roughly translated as “western education is sinful.”

In February, members of Boko Haram attacked a boys’ boarding school in troubled Yobe state in northeastern Nigeria and killed at least 59 students. The attackers torched a locked dormitory, then shot students trying to escape through windows.

Additional World Book articles:

• Nigeria 2009 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2010 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2011 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2012 (a Back in Time article)
• Nigeria 2013 (a Back in Time article)

May 24, 2012

A group dedicated to eradicating polio worldwide launched an emergency plan after recent outbreaks of the disease threatened countries that previously had been free of polio. The group, known as the Global Polio Eradication Initiative (GPEI), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, was launched by the World Health Organization (WHO), national governments, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and Rotary International in 1988.

Polio, officially known as poliomyelitis, is an infection caused by a virus. Some people may have only such mild, short-term symptoms as headache, sore throat, and vomiting. Others may develop back and leg pain that leads to permanent paralysis.

In the past, polio epidemics were common throughout the world and greatly feared. However, during the 1950′s, American researcher Jonas E. Salk developed the first vaccine against polio. In 1961, an oral vaccine developed by another American researcher, Albert B. Sabin, was approved. The vaccines quickly became part of the standard vaccination regimen recommended for children. Since then, polio has been nearly eliminated in developed countries. From 1955 to 1957 in the United States, inoculation reduced the incidence of polio by 85 to 90 percent. When GPEI was founded in 1988, more than 350,000 children in more than 125 countries were paralyzed from polio each year. By the first decade of the 2000′s, the incidence of polio had been reduced by 99 percent.

Dr. Salk administers the polio vaccine to a child in 1954 as part of a mass testing program. (Courtesy of March of Dimes Foundation)

In early 2012, health officials at WHO were thrilled to announce that India (the second most populous country in the world) had been free of polio for one year. Nevertheless, polio remains endemic (constantly present somewhere in the population) in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria. In addition, China, Tajikistan, and West Africa reported large outbreaks of polio in 2012, their first cases in many years. Epidemiologists (doctors who study epidemics) determined that the disease had spread into China from Pakistan and into West Africa from Nigeria.

An infant in Afghanistan is immunized against polio through a program administered by UNICEF. (Courtesy of AP/Wide World)

GPEI officials urged donor countries to step up funding so that the group could intensify its efforts to increase vaccination coverage in Afghanistan, Pakistan, and Nigeria. The group hoped that more technical assistance and greater social mobilization would increase accountability, coordination, and oversight of each country’s vaccination campaign and ease cultural misconceptions that often interfere with immunization.

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