Culture of Nigeria

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Culture of Nigeria - Nigeria has over 250 different languages and cultures. The three largest are the Hausa-Fulani who are predominant in the north, the Igbo who are predominant in the southeast, and the Yoruba who are predominant in the southwest. The rest of Nigeria's ethnic groups (sometimes called "micro-minorities") are found all over the country but especially in the densely populated south. The Hausa tend to be Muslim and the Ibo, Christian. Practitioners of both Christianity and Islam are found among the Yoruba. Indigenous religious practices remain important, especially in the south, and are often blended with Christian beliefs.

Nigeria is famous for its English literature and its popular music. Since the 1990s the Nigerian movie industry, sometimes called "Nollywood" has emerged as a fast-growing cultural force all over the continent.

Some traditions:

• The Yoruba wooden masks are used in the Gelede masquerades.
• The Eyo masquerade.
• Music groups using Gongon drums.

Artists:

• Chinua Achebe, writer
• Sunny Ade, king of juju music
• Helen Folasade Adu, Sade, Nigerian born, English jazz singer
• Fela Kuti, freestyle jazz including call-and-response
• Ben Okri, writer
• Ken Saro-Wiwa, playwright
• Wole Soyinka, Nobel prize winning writer
• Yinka Shonibare, British/Nigerian artist, internationally exhibited