Welcome to Nigeria, a multicultural country in Africa
Hakeem Olajuwon
Did you know- Nigerian-born Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is the “second best player in the world,” in the words of George Karl, former coach of the United States Men’s National Team. Like Sade (singer) and Wole Soyinka (1986 Nobel Laureate), Olajuwon is an idol in Nigeria. He once said: “I don’t like it when the television only shows the bad things and then says: ‘This Lagos’ (the former capital of Nigeria). There are bad things, of course, but in Lagos we have designer clothes, big buildings, videos , and many other things that people enjoy in America. Television does not show that and I get tired of trying to explain it. “
Geography
Did you know– The modern country of Nigeria, once the seat of an ancient kingdom, is located on the southern coast of West Africa. This former British colony borders Benin (known as Dahomey until 1972) to the west, Niger (former French colony) to the north, Chad (former French colony) and Cameroon (former French and British territory) to the east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. . It is an African country of considerable contrasts: it is home to mangroves, plateaus, semi-deserts and tropical forests. Abuja is the capital of Nigeria, but Lagos, the former capital, is the largest city.
Independence
Did you know- On October 1, 1960, Nigeria, after a 102-year European occupation, became an independent country within the British Commonwealth.
Nigeria and the US
Did you know- Abuja and Washington have maintained excellent diplomatic relations. In this context, the American leader Jimmy Carter visited the African country in 1978. Later, on August 24, 2000, Bill Clinton visited Lagos.
Population
Did you know- The English-speaking country is the ten largest country in population in the world, with 154 million people. About 50 percent of the population is Muslim. At least 1.5 million Nigerians live abroad, 70% of them in Western Europe
Democracy
Did you know- The 38 years of military rule ended in 1998 when Olusegun Obasanjo won the country’s first free elections. In the following years, Nigeria, an oil-rich country, became a democratic state.
United Nations
Did you know- After independence, on October 7, 1960, the country joined the United Nations. After 1960, he was one of the anti-apartheid leaders on Earth.
International awards
Did you know- In late 1986, Wole Soyinka became the first black author to win an African Nobel Prize. In fact, Soyinka was one of the best-known novelists in sub-Saharan Africa in the second half of the last century. In addition to his career as a novelist, he was a prominent activist for democracy and human rights on the African continent in the 1970s and 1980s.
Soccer
Did you know- The 1999 FIFA U-20 World Cup was held in Nigeria, an event that was the envy of the rest of the world. In fact, this is the largest soccer tournament held in Nigeria.
sightseeing
Did you know- From a cultural perspective, Nigeria is a remarkable place with more than 100 ethnic groups. Apart from that, the English-speaking country is interesting in terms of its biodiversity: there are many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries; Lions, elephants, wild birds and reptiles populated these national parks. In addition, its capital, Abuja, is one of the most modern cities in sub-Saharan Africa. Music is also one of the main activities of the nation, the birthplace of Sade, one of the most successful singers in the world. Lastly, it also has spectacular architectural sites: the Osun-Sogbo Sacred Grove, a World Heritage Site, is one of the most visited scenic spots in Nigeria.
Famous Visitors
Did you know- In the early 1980s, Pope John Paul visited Nigeria.
