Where does the name Nigeria come from?

Like so many modern African states, Nigeria is the creation of European imperialism. Its very name – after the great Niger River, the country's dominating physical feature – was suggested in the 1890s by British journalist Flora Shaw, who later became the wife of colonial governor Frederick Lugard.

What does Nigeria mean?

Official name: Federal Republic of Nigeria. Etymology: Named after the Niger River, from a native term "Ni Gir" (meaning "River Gir"). The name has often been misinterpreted as derived from the Latin niger, a reference to the dark complexions of the inhabitants of the region.

What was Nigeria named before?

What was its name before Nigeria? The former name for Nigeria was the Royal Niger Company Territories. It does not sound like a country name at all! The name Nigeria was replaced and preserved up until today.

Who founded Nigeria?

On January 1, 1914, Lord Frederick Lugard, the governor of both the Northern Nigeria Protectorate and the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria, signed a document consolidating the two, thereby creating the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.

Which tribe is the oldest in Nigeria?

The oldest tribe in NIgeria is Ijaw tribe. Ijaw (also known by the subgroups"Ijo"or"Izon") are a collection of indigenous peoples mostly .

The history of Nigeria explained in 6 minutes (3,000 Years of Nigerian history)

What is the race of a Nigerian?

The three biggest ethnic groups in Nigeria, according to the 2008 DHS, are Hausa (22.5 %), Yoruba (18 %), and Igbo (15.5 %). Fulani and Ijaw/Izon comprise only 6 and 4 % of the population, respectively.

What is the full name of Nigeria?

A virtual guide to Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, a country in the south east of West Africa, with a coast at the Bight of Benin and the Gulf of Guinea. Nigeria is bordered by Benin, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger, it shares maritime borders with Equatorial Guinea, Ghana, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

What is another name for Nigeria?

The presidential aide's response came after Nigeria's House of Representatives received a proposal to rename Nigeria to the United African Republic (UAR).

What was Nigeria before colonization?

The Benin Empire (1440–1897; called Bini by locals) was a pre-colonial African state in what is now modern Nigeria. It should not be confused with the modern-day country called Benin, formerly called Dahomey.

What is the indigenous name for Africa?

In Kemetic History of Afrika, Dr cheikh Anah Diop writes, “The ancient name of Africa was Alkebulan. Alkebu-lan “mother of mankind” or “garden of Eden”.” Alkebulan is the oldest and the only word of indigenous origin. It was used by the Moors, Nubians, Numidians, Khart-Haddans (Carthagenians), and Ethiopians.

What are Nigerians known for?

Nigerians are known for their vibrant and friendly energy expressed through diverse creative expressions. Home to over 200 million inhabitants, Nigeria has one of the largest populations of youth, and is the sixth most populous country in the world.

Why is the Niger river called Niger?

Unknown (possibly from Berber for River Gher or local Tuareg word n-igereouen meaning "big rivers") Or it may be a direct translation by Leo Africanus from Arabic bilād as-sūdān (بلاد السودان) "Land of the Blacks", into Latin (Niger "black").

When was Nigeria created?

Modern Nigeria dates from 1914, when the British Protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria were joined. The country became independent on October 1, 1960, and in 1963 adopted a republican constitution but elected to stay a member of the Commonwealth.

What makes you a Nigerian?

Nigerian nationality is typically obtained under the principal of jus sanguinis, i.e. by birth to parents with Nigerian nationality. It can be granted to persons with an affiliation to the country, or to a permanent resident who has lived in the country for a given period of time through naturalisation.

How many races do we have in Nigeria?

Nigeria has over 250 ethnic groups, the most populous and politically influential being Hausa-Fulani 29%, Yoruba 21%, Igbo (Ibo) 18%, Ijaw 10%, Kanuri 4%, Ibibio 3.5%, Tiv 2.5%. It also has over 500 languages, with English being the official language.

Is Niger in the Bible?

He is mentioned in Acts 13:1 as being one of the "prophets and teachers" in the church of Antioch: In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul.

Is river Nile in Nigeria?

The White Nile, which is the longer of the two, begins at Lake Victoria in Tanzania and flows north until it reaches Khartoum, Sudan, where it converges with the Blue Nile. The Blue Nile begins near Lake Tana in Ethiopia. The Nile River empties into the Mediterranean Sea in northern Egypt.

What happened to the city Timbuktu?

In 1960 it became part of the newly independent Republic of Mali. Timbuktu is now an administrative centre of Mali. In the late 1990s, restoration efforts were undertaken to preserve the city's three great mosques, which were threatened by sand encroachment and by general decay.

How do u say hello in Nigerian?

Ẹ n lẹ (en-le): Hello

The tradition of the Yoruba people places much emphasis on greetings generally – it's a very significant part of their culture, especially when addressing older people. The women kneel down to greet, while the men lay flat on the ground facing downwards. Ẹ n lẹ means hello in this part of Nigeria.

What is marriage like in Nigeria?

Two major types of marriage exist in Nigeria: monogamy, a marriage of one man to one woman, and polygyny, a marriage of one man to two or more wives. In most cultural groups in Nigeria, traditional marriage is usually an arrangement between two families as opposed to an arrangement between two individuals.

Is Nigeria richer than the US?

United States has a GDP per capita of $59,800 as of 2017, while in Nigeria, the GDP per capita is $5,900 as of 2017.

What was Africa called before Africa?

According to experts that research the history of the African continent, the original ancient name of Africa was Alkebulan. This name translates to “mother of mankind,” or “the garden of Eden.” Alkebulan is an extremely old word, and its origins are indigenous.

What did the Romans call Africa?

The name Africa came into Western use through the Romans, who used the name Africa terra — "land of the Afri" (plural, or "Afer" singular) — for the northern part of the continent, as the province of Africa with its capital Carthage, corresponding to modern-day Tunisia.

Why Africa has no history?

From about 1885 to the end of the Second World War, most of Africa was under the yoke of colonialism; and hence colonial historiography held sway. According to this imperial historiography, Africa had no history and therefore the Africans were a people without history.