Nigeria – ‘A country of
happy people.' The New Scientist - 2003
Nigerians are known for their ostentatious taste in
clothes. All Nigerians like to dress
well and look good regardless of the fashion origin, Men normally wear agbada,
sokoto and cap; women wear blouse and wrapper. Traditional African fabric can
be made into western style dresses for both men and women. Western suits can be
worn by all when they fancy. Jewellery consists of gold and beads, and other
trendy styles.
Family life
Most families in Nigeria are extended. This means that a family
unit consist of mother, father, children, cousins, uncles and aunties.
Few families are nuclear like in the West where there is just a
father, mother and their children.
All family units provide members with food, shelter, love,
company, education, support and a sense of belonging.
In your view, what are the advantages and disadvantages of
belonging to an extended family?
Read the statement below:
Most of our children are
graduates.
They move away to the
cities and other parts of the world. We are concerned about the survival of our
traditions and customs.
This is referred to in
economic terms as 'brain drain'. Research the term and complete a PMI
(positive, minus & interesting points) of the people migration. Do you
think the chiefs and elders concerns are justified? Why do you think so?
Childhood
Nigeria is a country of contrast. A child's experiences will depend on whether they are from a rich
or poor family.
For rich children, their experiences will be similar to those of
the children in the West. For poor children, it is the case of making do with
available resources from the land. They will mostly help their parents out on
the farms and in the evenings, tell stories or visits friends.
All children whether rich or poor, enjoy playing and watching
satellite, cable network television and DVDs of African drama.
Girls spend less time playing with dolls; they prefer playing
outside with their friends.
All Nigerian girls learn to plait hair from a very early age. It
is part of the fun of growing up.
Games all Nigerian children play include:
The age old popular Snakes & ladders.
Jigsaw puzzles can fill the time.
Card games are popular with both boys and girls.
Nigerian children can also select from a wide variety of passed
down traditional games, stories, poems and rhymes.
Click on the weblink below to see some of them:
Activity: Select one of the stories from this web site and illustrate it in cartoon stripes for a younger class.
Childhood in Nigeria can be fun, exploratory and educational.
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