History Talk - Nigeria

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, got its name from the River "Niger". Nigeria's national flag was officially adopted in 1960, representing peace, the countries forests and abundant natural wealth.

The Coat of Arms consists of a black shield with two white stripes resembling the letter Y. It represents Nigeria's two main rivers, the Benue River and the Niger River. The black shield stands for Nigeria's good earth, the two horses show dignity and the eagle represents strength. The green and white bands on the top of the shield represent the rich agricultural land of the inspiring country. The yellow flowers at the base are Costus Spectabilis, Nigeria's national flower. The country has three main environmental regions: savannah, tropical forests, and the coastal wetlands. The dry, open grasslands of the savannah is used for cereal farming and herding, while the wet tropical forests to the south are good for farming fruits and vegetables. The creeks, lagoons, and salt marshes only allow fishing and a salt trade.

Nigeria's culture is marked by its multiple ethnic groups with over 250 different languages and cultures. The country is famous for its English language literature, popular music and the Nigerian movie industry, also called "Nollywood" The music of Nigeria includes many different kinds of Folklore and popular music, some of which are known worldwide. The different styles of folk music are related to the various ethnic groups, each using their own techniques, instruments, and songs.

Udu, meaning vessel, is an African drum like musical instrument used by the Igbo people of Nigeria. It looks like a water jug with an additional hole and with its bass like sound was originally only played by women at special ceremonies.
Soccer is the national sport of Nigeria with its national team nicknamed the Super Eagles. Other popular sports are basketball, cricket, track and field, boxing, wrestling, archery, hunting, racing, swimming, boat regattas and acrobatic displays.