Nigerian Cultural Patterns and IT’S Historical Origin: SSE 306 3 CREDIT UNIT
Course Content/Course Outline
1.
A
study of the Nigerian social and cultural relations:
2.
Sports
and culture,
3.
Utilization and Conservation of resources and
4.
loyalty to the nation
What is culture and
cultural patterns of Nigeria?
Culture
Culture is all about how
people live their lives which has to do with their values, beliefs, norms,
language, religion, art, customs, and social system. We learn it and also share
it with other and it is passed from generation to generation. Culture never
dies, it is a continuity in life. Nigeria cultural patterns depicts how various
cultures originated and also the complexity of Nigeria’s social fabric and
national identity.
Culture is the sum of
total of the learned behavior of a group of people that are generally
considered to be the tradition of that people and are transmitted from
generation to generation. Moreover, culture is a collective programming of the mind that
distinguishes the members of one group or category of people from another.
Culture consists of
patterns, explicit and implicit, of and for behavior acquired and transmitted
by symbols, constituting the distinctive achievement of human groups, including
their embodiments in artifacts; the essential core of culture consists of
traditional ideas and especially their attached values; culture systems may, on
the one hand, be considered as products of action, on the other hand, as
conditioning influences upon further action.
According to Mezieobi, culture is the compendium of man’s ways of life, language and medium of communication. (Mezieobi in Ireyefoju, 2010: 236) Culture is the arts and other manifestations of human intellectual achievement regarded collectively. Culture is the ideas, customs, and social behaviour of a particular people or society. Culture is the characteristics and knowledge of a particular group of people, encompassing language, religion, cuisine, social habits, music and arts. The word "culture" derives from a French term, which in turn derives from the Latin "colere," which means to tend to the earth and grow, or cultivation and nurture. Culture of the people in a nation depicts their attitudes, philosophies, skills, value, knowledge and disposition to unfolding events and issues in their social environment. Nigerians’ rich cultural heritage that comprises various ethnic groups can be harnessed to education, peace building, tourism, promotion of our traditional values, and inculcation of basic norms, ethics ideals with people who share their identity cultural beliefs.
Cultural
Patterns
Cultural
patterns refer to recurring and organized ways in which beliefs, values, and
behaviors are expressed within a society. They have to be structured
repetitive, socially accepted and historically rooted.
The
major Nigerian cultural patterns are the extended family structure,
lineage-based inheritance, respect for the elders and communal responsibility.
This type of pattern originated in agrarian societies where survival is ensured
by cooperation. Nigerians practice religious pluralism that has to do with
African Traditional Religion (ATR), Islam and Christianity. Strong religious
orientation is reflected by religious festivals, moral coded and daily life
practice. Nigeria also has political cultural patterns that is deepened into
traditional governance such as Monarchies (Obas, Emirs), Council of elders and
Age-grade system.
The
economic cultural pattern has to do with pre-colonial that constitute
agriculture, fishing, and craftmanship. Colonial consist of cash crop economy
and export dependency while postcolonial are made up oil -based economy and
entrepreneurial informal sector.
There
is the language pattern which is over 500 languages, English is the official
language and also indigenous languages as our identity markers. Language is
said to remain central to cultural belonging.
We have our sports and festival
patterns. The traditional sport is the first in the lives of every Nigerians.
This has to do with wrestling, horse riding and traditional board games. The
modern sports are football and athletics. Function of sports is for unity
mechanisms and identity.
The resource utilization pattern has to do with the traditional conservation such as sacred forests, rotational farming and communal land ownership. The modern challenges being faced are the oil exploration, environmental degradation and climate vulnerability.
National Loyalty Pattern has to do with mechanism promoting unity in the country such as National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Federal Character Principle and National Symbols. It will be worthy to note that ethnic and religious division sometimes challenge national cohesion.
The Characteristics of Nigerian Cultural
Patterns are:
- Communalism
- Respect for hierarchy and
elders
- Religious orientation
- Ethnic diversity
- Adaptability and resilience
- Hybridization (traditional +
Western influences)
In
summary Nigerian cultures are historically grounded, socially structured,
religiously influenced, politically significant and continuous evolving. Cultural
patterns represent the organized expressions of Nigeria’s shared values and
historical experiences. They remain central to understanding governance,
development, national unity, and identity formation.
Nigeria and
their culture
Identification: Though there is archaeological
evidence that societies have been living in Nigeria for more than twenty-five
hundred years, the borders of modern Nigeria were not created until the British
consolidated their colonial power over the area in 1914.
The name Nigeria was suggested by
British journalist Flora Shaw in the 1890s. She referred to the area as
Nigeria, after the Niger River, which dominates much of the country's
landscape. The word Niger is Latin for black.
More than 250 ethnic tribes call
present-day Nigeria home. The three largest and most dominant ethnic groups are
the Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo (pronounced ee-gbo). Other smaller groups include
the Fulani, Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, Tiv, Enuani,
Ika, Ndokwa, Okpe, Urhobo, Isekiri, Isoko, Edo Fulfulde etc. Prior to their conquest by
Europeans, these ethnic groups had separate and independent histories. Their
grouping together into a single entity known as Nigeria was a construct of
their British colonizers. These various ethnic groups never considered themselves
part of the same culture. This general lack of Nigerian nationalism coupled
with an ever-changing and often ethnically based on national leadership, have
led to severe internal ethnic conflicts and a civil war. Today bloody
confrontations between or among members of different ethnic groups continue.
Location
and Geography: Nigeria is in West Africa, along
the eastern coast of the Gulf of Guinea, and just north of the equator. It is
bordered on the west by Benin, on the north by Niger and Chad, and on the east
by Cameroon. Nigeria covers an area of 356,669 square miles (923,768 square
kilometers), or about twice the size of California.
Nigeria has three main
environmental regions: savanna, tropical forests, and coastal wetlands. These
environmental regions greatly affect the cultures of the people who live there.
The dry, open grasslands of the savanna make cereal farming and herding a way
of life for the Hausa and the Fulani. The wet tropical forests to the south are
good for farming fruits and vegetables are main income producers for the
Yoruba, Igbo, and others in this area. The small ethnic groups living along the
coast, such as the Ijaw and the Kalabari, are forced to keep their villages
small due to lack of dry land. Living among creeks, lagoons, and salt marshes
makes fishing and the salt trade part of everyday life in the area.
The Niger and Benue Rivers come
together in the center of the country, creating a "Y" that splits
Nigeria into three separate sections. In general, this "Y" marks the boundaries
of the three major ethnic groups, with the Hausa in the north, the Yoruba in
the southwest, and the Igbo in the southeast.
Politically, Nigeria is divided
into thirty-six states. The nation's capital was moved from Lagos, the
country's largest city, to Abuja on 12 December 1991. Abuja is in a federal
territory that is not part of any state. While Abuja is the official capital,
its lack of adequate infrastructure means that Lagos remains the financial,
commercial, and diplomatic center of the country.
Demography: Nigeria has the largest population of any African
country. In July 2000, Nigeria's population was estimated at more than 123
million people. At about 345 people per square mile, it is also the most
densely populated country in Africa. Nearly one in six Africans is a Nigerian.
Despite the rampages of AIDS, Nigeria's population continues to grow at about
2.6 percent each year. The Nigerian population is very young. Nearly 45 percent
of its people are under age fourteen. With regard to ethnic breakdown, the
Hausa-Fulani make up 29 percent of the population, followed by the Yoruba with
21 percent, the Igbo with 18 percent, the Ijaw
with 10 percent, the Kanuri with 4 percent, the Ibibio with 3.5 percent, and
the Tiv with 2.5 percent. Major urban centers include Lagos, Ibadan,
Kaduna, Kano, and Port Harcourt.
Linguistic
Affiliation: English is the official language of Nigeria, used in
all government interactions and in state-run schools. In a country with more
than 250 individual tribal languages, English is the only language common to
most people.
Unofficially, the country’s second
language is Hausa. In northern Nigeria many people who are not ethnic Hausas
speak both Hausa and their own tribal language. Hausa is the oldest known
written language in West Africa, dating back to before 1000 C.E.
Pidgin, a mix of African languages and
English, also is common throughout southern Nigeria. It basically uses English
words mixed into Yoruba or Igbo grammar structures. Pidgin originally evolved
from the need for British sailors to find a way to communicate with local
merchants. Today it is often used in ethnically mixed urban areas as a common
form of communication among people who have not had formal education in English
National
Symbol: Because there is little feeling of national unity among Nigeria's
people, there is little in terms of national symbolism. What exists was usually
created or unveiled by the government as representative of the nation. The main
national symbol is the country's flag. The flag is divided vertically into
three equal parts; the center section is white, flanked by two green sections.
The green of the flag represents agriculture, while the white stands for unity
and peace. Other national symbols include the national coat of arms, the national
anthem, the National Pledge (similar to the Pledge of Allegiance in the United
States), and Nigeria's national motto: Peace and Unity, Strength and Progress.
National
Identity: The spread of
overt colonial control led to the first and only time that the ethnic groups in
modern Nigeria came together under a commonly felt sense of national identity.
The Africans began to see themselves not as Hausas, Igbos, or Yorubas, but as
Nigerians in a common struggle against their colonial rulers.
The nationalistic movement grew out of
some of the modernization the British had instituted in Nigeria. The educated
elite became some of the most outspoken proponents of an independent Nigeria.
These elite had grown weary of the harsh racism it faced in business and
administrative jobs within the government. Both the elite and the uneducated
also began to grow fearful of the increasing loss of traditional culture. They
began movements to promote Nigerian foods, names, dress, languages, and
religions.
History and
Ethnic Relations in Nigeria
Emergence of the Nation: Every ethnic group in Nigeria has its own stories of
where its ancestors came from. These vary from tales of people descending from
the sky to stories of migration from far-off places. Archaeologists have found
evidence of Neolithic humans who inhabited what is now Nigeria as far back as
12,000B.C.E.
The histories of the people in
northern and southern Nigeria prior to colonization followed vastly different
paths. The first recorded empire in present-day Nigeria was centered in the
north at Kanem Borno, near Lake Chad. This empire came to power during the
eighth century C.E. By the thirteenth century, many Hausa
states began to emerge in the region as well.
The trans-Sahara trade also
brought with it revolutions in wealth and class structure. As the centuries
went on, strict Islamists, many of whom were poor Fulani, began to tire of
increasing corruption, excessive taxation, and unfair treatment of the poor. In
1804 the Fulani launched a jihad, or Muslim holy war, against the Hausa states
in an attempt to cleanse them of these non-Muslim behaviors and to reintroduce
proper Islamic ways. By 1807 the last Hausa state had fallen. The Fulani victors
founded the Sokoto Caliphate, which grew to become the largest state in West
Africa until its conquest by the British in 1903.
In the south, the Oyo Empire grew
to become the most powerful Yoruba society during the sixteenth century. Along
the coast, the Edo people established the Benin Empire (not to be confused with
the present-day country of Benin to the west), which reached its height of
power in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries.
As in the north, outsiders heavily
influenced the societies of southern Nigeria. Contact with Europeans began with
the arrival of Portuguese ships in 1486. The British, French, and Dutch soon
followed. Soon after their arrival, the trade in slaves replaced the original
trade in goods. Many of the coastal communities began selling their neighbors,
whom they had captured in wars and raids, to the Europeans in exchange for
things such as guns, metal, jewelry, and liquor.
After more than 350 years of slave
trading, the British decided that the slave trade was immoral and, in 1807,
ordered it stopped. They began to force their newfound morality on the
Nigerians. Many local leaders, however, continued to sell captives to illegal
slave traders, this lead to confrontations with the British Navy, which took on
the responsibility of enforcing the slave embargo. In 1851 the British attacked
Lagos to try to stem the flow of slaves from the area. By 1861 the British
government had annexed the city and established its first official colony in
Nigeria.
Christian missionaries brought Western-style
education to Nigeria as Christianity quickly spread throughout the south. The
mission schools created educated African elite who also sought increased
contact with Europe and a Westernization of Nigeria.
In 1884, as European countries engaged in
a race to consolidate their African territories, the British Army and local
merchant militias set out to conquer the Africans who refused to recognize
British rule. In 1914, after squelching the last of the indigenous opposition,
Britain officially established the Colony and Protectorate of Nigeria.
Nigeria gained full independence from
Britain on 1 October 1960, immediately following independence, vicious fighting
between and among political parties created chaos within the fledgling
democracy. On 15 January 1966 a group of army officers, most of whom were Igbo,
staged a military coup, killing many of the government ministers from the
western and northern tribes. Six months later, northern forces within the
military staged a countercoup, killing most of the Igbo leaders. Anti-Igbo
demonstrations broke out across the country, especially in the north. Hundreds
of Igbos were killed, while the rest fled to the southeast.
On 26 May 1967 the Igbo-dominated
southeast declared it had broken away from Nigeria to form the independent
Republic of Biafra. This touched off a bloody civil war that lasted for three
years. In 1970, on the brink of widespread famine resulting from a
Nigeria-imposed blockade, Biafra was forced to surrender. Between five hundred
thousand and two million Biafra’s civilians were killed during the civil war,
most dying from hunger and starvation, not combat.
Following the war, the military rulers
encouraged a national reconciliation, urging Nigerians to once again become a
unified people. While this national reconciliation succeeded in reintegrating
the Biafra’s into Nigeria, it did not end the problems of ethnicity in the
country. In the years that followed, Nigeria was continually threatened by
disintegration due to ethnic fighting. These ethnic conflicts reached their
height in the 1990s.
After decades of military rule, elections
for a new civilian president were finally held on 12 June 1993. A wealthy
Yoruba Muslim named Moshood Abiola won the elections, beating the leading Hausa
candidate. Abiola won support not only from his own people but from many
non-Yoruba as well, including many Hausas. This marked the first time since
Nigeria's independence that Nigerians broke from ethnically based voting
practices. Two weeks later, however, the military regime had the election
results annulled and Abiola imprisoned. Many commanders in the Hausa-dominated
military feared losing control to a southerner. They played on the nation's old
ethnic distrusts, hoping that a divided nation would be easier to control. This
soon created a new ethnic crisis. The next five years saw violent protests and
mass migrations as ethnic groups again retreated to their traditional
homelands.
The sudden death of Nigeria's last
military dictator, General Suni Abacha, on 8 June 1998 opened the door for a
transition back to civilian rule. Despite age-old ethnic rivalries, many
Nigerians again crossed ethnic lines when they entered the voting booth. On 22
February 1999 Olusegun Obasanjo, a Yoruba who ironically lacked support from his
own people, won the presidential election. Obasanjo is seen as a nationalist
who opposed ethnic divisions. However, some northern leaders believe he favors
his own ethnic group. Unfortunately, violent ethnic fighting in Nigeria
continues.
In October 2000, clashes between Hausas and
supporters of the Odudua People's Congress (OPC), a militant Yoruba group, led
to the deaths of nearly a hundred people in Lagos. Many also blame the OPC for
sparking riots in 1999, which killed more than a hundred others, most of them
Hausas.
Sports
and Culture
Sports pertain to any form of
competitive physical activity or game that aims to use, maintain or improve
physical ability and skills. Sports are physical contests pursued for the goals
ad challenges they entail. Sports are part of every culture past and present,
but each culture has its own definition or sports. The most useful definitions
are those that clarify the relationship of sports to play, games, and contests.
Sport is an athletic activity requiring skill or physical prowess and often of
a competitive nature, as racing, baseball, tennis, golf, bowling, wrestling,
boxing, hunting, fishing etc. sometimes sports are used to amuse oneself with
some pleasant pastime or recreation. Sports help to build society; and for any
society to survive, culture must be passed from one generation to the other, in
such a way that the claims of the society are given proper attention over the
wants of individuals. It is in record that there had been a healthy social
intercourse amongst the ethnic groups constituting the state of Nigeria many
decades of centuries which was in history. Nigerians relate very well in
sports, buying or appreciation of cultural arts of other ethnic groups as
dancing, cooking, dressing, music, language are adopted across ethnic groups.
Such people are the Igbos who dress like the Efik, some other ones are the Edos
who dress like the Hausas and other people like the Yorubas who love Igbo music
and style of dressing all these cuts across ethnic groups. In terms of marital life most Nigerian has
married across their ethnic groups this attribute is still insignificant.
According to Meziobi in Eboh and Ukpong (1993:208):
The
indigenous culture of Nigeria. Has undergone a number of
Changes
as a result of influences. By foreign (or other Nigerians
Ethnic
group) cultures. Even. Cultural traits of the indigenous
Ethnic
grouping has also. Changed drastically as a result of
The
gradual acculturation. Undertaken by the people of the
Various
ethnic groupings.
Nigerians are involved in National sports festivals
and National league; there are Nigerians who partake in sports activities in
other state that is not theirs. Most states often at times organize national
Arts Carnivals in Nigeria to showcase the cultural heritage of ethnic groups in
Nigeria. They showcase the carnival to make them viable at national
competition. Also school system promotes culture through the environmental
education. It is also appalling and disheartening that our present governments
don’t remember great sports men and women who had worked hard and won laurels
for the country thereby promoting the country’s image and the pride of the
nation.
Sport and culture can
be seen to have similar identity. Culture signifies the social, moral conduct,
the norm and an acceptable behavioural pattern of an individual within a
society. Whereas, sport, serve as role model, enabling the participants to
retain the proper mental and physical traits to be emulated by other members of
society. It can be said to serve as an appropriate channel through which the
behaviour accepted by custom may be regulated (Agbo, 2011: 46).
Sports in developing
societies are altogether a serious and functional business. They are state
controlled with specific utilitarian and ideological designs associated with
hygiene, health, defense, patriotism, integration productivity international
recognition, cultural identity and nation building. Sports is said to have a
revolutionary role of being an agent of social change, with the state pilot
(Omenma in Riordan, 1986:288).
Sports are recognized
by the international organization for the role in development of the social
fabric and cultures in many countries. Moreover, in international circles
sports have been seen as a tool of international
diplomacy, in terms of resolving nation-state disputes or conflicts.
Presently Africans has been noted for their outstanding performance at world
class competitions. Sports are the highest industries operating outside the
state. Many people identify their talents in sports, develop their talent with
or without the state support and excel to a greater height. Our youths are
facing a lot of challenges today due to government inability of sponsoring
them; thereby wasting so many talented individuals in our nation.
In Nigerian Museums
today, the cultural art of ethnic groups are in display, such as locally made
dresses, creative works of arts, local houses, cooking utensils, dyed
materials, bronze casting of ife and Benin people, Black smiting works from
Nkwerre and Awka and more. Local cowries, the film industries in Nigeria are
recreating culture through film production; they have overtaken the markets of
neigbouring countries in Africa and Europe (Mezieobi,2014)
The Objectives of sustaining Nigeria’s social and
cultural relations are as follows:
Ø To broaden the boundaries of Nigeria’s culture or at best promote cultural educationTo showcase Nigeria’s rich cultural heritage
For the promotion of national unity through interactive social relationships among citizens in sports, arts or cultural activities
Ø Thereby encourage the
spirit of nationalism and patriotism among the youth and peace-loving Nigeria.
Ø For achievement of
national integration, which is ideal for sustainable democratic governance in
Nigeria
Ø For sensitizing the
message of interrelationships in diverse multi-ethnic society.
Ø To train our youth that
poses qualities of leadership and skills for the betterment of the nation
Ø To build up gap and
values against national bitterness, destructions of lives and property.
History of Sports in Nigeria
Nigerian
sports, was noted first in the 1950s. Nigeria had its first appearance in the
Helsinki Olympic Games in 1952, and its first victory in 1954, when Emmanuel
Ifeanjuna won a gold medal in the high jump at the Commonwealth games in
Cardiff. In 1962, the Nationals Sports Council was set up, and in 1971, the
National Sports Commission, and they had the following responsibilities (stated
exactly as is):
·
To
coordinate and integrate efforts to raise the standard of performance in sports
in Nigeria.
·
To encourage the development, organization and
participation of sports in Nigeria.
·
To make any arrangements on behalf of the
States' Sports Councils for Competitions, technical assistance, etc.
The Athletics Federation of Nigeria is
the governing body for the sport of athletics in Nigeria. It is a member of the
Confederation of African Athletics and the International Association of
Athletics Federations. It was founded as the Central Committee of the Amateur
Athletic Association of Nigeria in 1944.
In
pre-colonial times the sport of wrestling was a vehicle for expressing
individual and social identity, status, and prestige.
British colonizers introduced other sports to Nigeria in the early 20th
century; football (soccer), boxing, athletics (track and field), and tennis
were spread through mission schools, railroad companies, the armed forces, and
the colonial bureaucracy.
After independence in 1960, the Nigerian government used domestic and
international sporting events to foster a sense of national identity among the
various ethnic groups and to gain global recognition.
Football is the most popular sport in
Nigeria.
The Nigeria Football
Federation (formerly known as Nigeria Football Association until
2008) is Nigeria's football governing body. It was formally launched in
1945 and formed the first Nigerian national football team in
1949. It joined CAF in 1959 and FIFA in 1960. The
NFF headquarters is located in the city of Abuja.
As of 2008 it organizes three
leagues: The Nigerian Premier League, the Amateur League and the Women's League, and five
competitions, including the Federation
Cup and Women's Cup. Their next Election is slated for
2022. Nigeria has a rich history, and sports have significantly added to these
traditions, starting with Nigeria ‘s oldest sport called Dambe Boxing, a
festival-held Hausa Martial Arts. Dambe Boxing involves learning military
skills in the early days, but the game is now only played as a way of achieving
personal reputation, displaying masculinity, and respecting one ‘s family
and village. (https://neoprimesport.com/12000/top-most-popular-sports-in-nigeria/)
Ever since, three centuries of antiquity the Dambe is a form of
traditional boxing associated with the Hausa people that mainly inhabit the
north of Nigeria, in the south of Niger and in the southwest of Chad, in West
Africa. Although there are many young people in the cities who are looking
for prestige, money or just for fun, they immerse themselves in the Dambe
world, even today. Most of the Dambe boxing fighters still belong to the caste groups
of the butchers. Hausa’s caste is considered inferior, which in the twentieth
century traveled to rural areas in the harvest season where the corresponding
parties were held, looking for a fight with the locals as entertainment. Dambe was also traditionally
practiced as a way for men to prepare to go to war. Many of the techniques used
in the Dambe refer to war.
Football is popular in Nigeria with a local
team, the Super Eagles, competing regularly for national titles.
The Nigeria national football team competes regularly for
international titles and many Nigerian footballers compete in Europe,
particularly in England.
Football is a
national obsession in
Nigeria. The national team, the Super Eagles, led by such outstanding players
as Nwanko Kanu and Jay-Jay Okocha, reached the World Cup finals
in 1994, 1998, and 2002 and won the gold medal at the 1996 Olympics. Likewise,
the national women’s team has repeatedly reached the Women’s World Cup finals.
The acclaim won by many Nigerian footballers playing abroad was mirrored
by Hakeem
Olajuwon, who became a superstar in the National
Basketball Association in the United States,
sparking widespread interest in the sport in Nigeria by the end of the 20th
century. Nigerian boxers have also achieved international success, most notably
middleweight and light-heavyweight world champion Richard Ihetu, who
fought as “Dick Tiger.” Nigerians have excelled in
boxing and athletics in the Olympic Games, to
which the country sent
its first team in 1952, in Helsinki.
Nigeria won the Olympic Gold in Atlanta USA in boxing;
Duncan Dokiwari (+91kg) won a bronze medal (in Atlanta USA) 1998. Nigeria had its 2nd World Cup appearance
(made it to the 1/8 Finals) and won the 11th African Athletics Championship in
Dakar (Nigeria collected 23 medals). They also finished 1st at the 1998 African
Women's Soccer Championship 1999. In boxing, Segun Ajose won a gold medal,
Jegbefu Albert and Eromosele Albert won silver medals each (in South Africa) in
2000 Olympic. The Federal Ministry of Youths and Sports guides a number of
sports associations with administrative backup. Each association is responsible
for hosting and participating in all international sports competitions.
Some sports
associations in Nigeria are as follows:
· Amateur Bodybuilding and Fitness Federation
· Athletics Federation of Nigeria
· Badminton Federation of Nigeria
· Bobsled & Skeleton Federation of Nigeria
· Cycling Federation of Nigeria
· Handball Federation of Nigeria
· Karate Federation of Nigeria
· Nigeria Auto Sports Association
· Nigeria Baseball and Softball Association
· Nigeria Basketball Federation
· Nigeria Federation for Physically Disabled
· Nigeria Paralympics Committee
· Nigeria Polo Sports Federation
· Nigeria Rowing Canoe & Sailing Federation
· Nigeria Shooting Sport Federation
· Nigeria Table Tennis Federation
· Nigeria Tenpin Bowling Federation
· Nigeria Weightlifting Federation
· Nigeria Wrestling Federation
· Sport Fishermen's Association of Nigeria
· Taekwondo Federation of Nigeria
·
The Nigerian Federation of
Gymnastics
Importance of sports in our life
1.
Sports are very essential in every human life which keeps them
fit and fine and physical strength.
2.
It has a great importance
in each stage of life.
3.
It keeps the organ at alert and makes the heart stronger.
4.
It keeps the blood
pressure healthy and making the blood vessel to be clean.
5.
It reduces the sugar level and cholesterol regulations.
6.
It helps us to be free
from diseases.
7.
It improves the bones of
both old and young people.
8. It unites people and promotes love and understanding
Roles of Sport in National development:
i. Employment: It gives employment opportunity since sports are big channel to make more money once you are employed as a star on a very rich football clubs or other clubs, example; footballers, volleyball, basketball, hockey, etc. you will automatically make in life. Many youths are gainfully employed in different types of game more especially in the developed countries like UK, USA, China, France, Germany and in other African countries.
ii.
A Source of Revenue: Nowadays, sports have become
one of the most lucrative parts of the entertainment industry, earning billions
of dollars from various sources. Sports leagues and sports teams profit from
sponsorships, ticket revenues, transfers, stadium rentals, broadcasting deals,
merchandise, etc. Professional sports generate
massive amounts of revenue all over the world.
Serie A is an Italian football league that is hugely popular throughout Europe. Some of its popularity is due to the large number of world-renowned players who play for teams in the country. This league generates an estimated $2.3 billion in revenue every year. The largest percent of Serie A’s income comes from broadcasting rights. Commercial and sponsorship incomes are second, which makes sense considering the success of Serie A teams in major competitions.
The Bundesliga is Germany’s
national soccer league, and it is one of the biggest on the continent. Back in
2019, the German league reported $4.33 billion in revenue. Founded in 1963,
Bundesliga attendances peaked at over 13,298,147 last year with an annual
attendance of 43,458, making it one of the most popular sports leagues in the
world.
National
Football League: At $16 billion in
revenue, the NFL is just a couple of billion dollars short of being worth more
than all the soccer entries. A fact that is made even more impressive when you
consider that the NFL isn’t all that popular outside of the US and Canada. But
despite that limited appeal, the league has managed to create the richest teams
and players in the world. The majority of the NFL’s revenue is generated by its
TV contracts. The league sells broadcasting rights for billions of dollars to
the biggest media companies in the world, such as FOX, CBS, NBC, ESPN, etc.
iii.
A source of National Integration: sports unite the people and give them one voice and a
sense of belonging. Sports have great potential for the promotion of
inter-provincial harmony and national integration in Nigeria by strengthening
the collective identity of the alienated segments of the society. it is a
formidable force at the national level which positively contribute to the
formation of national identity. Sports provide a medium for interaction and
cultural exchange to the people of diverse regions and different cultural
backgrounds for exchange of experiences which promote cordial relationship and
mutual understanding and strengthen sentiments of solidarity among the people.
When we talk of national solidarity it is the sense of unity and inclusiveness
shared by diverse segments of a composed political entity.
The term integration consists of co-operation.
Co-operation is an integrated action of individuals or groups towards the
achievement of some common purpose or goal. Sports competitions, group
competitions, inter-community sports contests, intramural sports competitions,
special programmes in the schools and at home play a predominant role in
developing the concept of national integration. The spirit of brotherhood and
friendship is fostered through games and sports. Ideas, actions, reactions,
behaviours and human movements acquire a unity of colour and flavor at the
sports field. The ideal of oneness springs up through play. Physical education
and sports create the principle of give and take policy among the individuals.
Education cannot be a happy affair unless the teachers and the students
co-operate or integrate with one another.
iv.
It also promotes International Diplomacy: it is an important tool for resolving international
conflicts and international diplomacy. Sport is a tool for achieving the
foreign policy objective of most nations in diplomatic row. The unification of
East and West Germany in 1989 was primarily achieved through the organization
of international friendly football competition between the divided German
nations. Youths, sports were used to ice the tempo of hatred and anger between
the ruling elites, through sports, it dawns on the leaders that the younger
generation can compete friendly, with little or no malice, putting aside class
or national differences (Omenma, 2010:73) Helps in guiding the youth in proper
direction.
The usefulness of
athletics/sports
i.
Builds and define the character of a nation
ii.
Helps in building infrastructure
iii.
Creating a global community
iv.
Promoting physical and mental health as well as
supporting education and improving social cohesion
v.
Promotes peace and understanding of unity and integrity
among different nations
vi.
It breaks all the barriers of discrimination based
on colour, caste, creed, and religion
vii.
It promotes social interaction among people and
fills them with a feeling of brotherhood
viii.
It builds love, friendship, and trust among people
from different origins.
Sports
is a nations pride i.e., when gold medals and other gifts are won, it promotes
the personality and the country of the individual example Mary onyali,
Amokachie, Sam okparji, Ogenyi, Onazi, Mikel Obi, Amed Musa, Wilfred Ndidi,
Kelechi Iheanacho, Mmaduka Okoye etc.
Other
top Athletes from Nigeria:
§
Hakeem Olajuwon (basketball)
§
Rashidi Yekini (football)
§
Nwankwo Kanu (Football)
§
Nojeem Maiyegun (Boxing)
§
Austin Okocha (Football)
§
Innocent Egbunike (Track & Field)
§
Chioma Ajunwa (Football, Track & Field)
§
Christian Chukwu/Segun Odegbami (Football)
§
Enefiok Udo-obong (Track & Field)
§
Mercy Akide (Football)
§
Dick Tiger (Boxing)
§
Stephen Keshi (Football)
§
Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey (Boxing)
§
Teslim ‘Thunder’ Balogun (Football)
Utilization and Conservation of Resources
Utilization is making use
of something or turning something into a practical use. In terms of cultural
utilization, this has to do with utilizing our culture for the benefit of the
society. Resource utilization however is the process of strategically measuring
how effect resources are, thereby making use of them. (Cultural utilization
and) conservation can be simply defined as careful and rational use of
resources for greater number of people for a very long time (Meziobi in Igbiwu,
1996: 258). Sustainable culture is meant to be preserved and utilized in
keeping the norms of the society, directing human conducts preserving and
inculcating morals and values for societal social stability.
According to Peterson, (1972), describes natural resources of a nation as its natural endowments, which can be put to useful utilization through her level of technology and education. Cultural Conservation and Utilization can effectively be realized in a polity through qualitative education of the masses and the learners on the contributions of culture to national development. Culture can be preserved through festivals, carnivals, culture exhibitions, cultural studies and research ventures.
What
is the essence of cultural utilization and conservation in Nigeria?
Ø Cultural
utilization is based on conservation of cultural attributes, artifacts and
material for general use or consultation.
Ø For
the demonstration of the dynamic nature of culture in embracing other cultures
and innovations in the globe.
Ø To
equip learners or students with the skills of culture, maintenance,
reformation, revival and transformation
Ø To
inculcate cultural awareness to the youths over multi-ethnic and multi-cultural
society of Nigeria through social studies instructions.
Ø To
boost interest in cultural studies and create awareness on the interdependence
of local and foreign cultures.
Loyalty to the Nation
Every Nigeria in his or
right sense should be loyal to the nation. The national pledge states thus: I
pledge to Nigeria my country to be faithful loyal and honest to serve Nigeria with all my strength, to defend
her unity and uphold her honour and glory so help me God. Loyalty promotes
development and peace.
Loyalty, in general use, is
a devotion and faithfulness to
a nation, cause, philosophy, country, group,
or person.
Philosophers disagree
on what can be an object of loyalty, as some argue that loyalty is strictly
interpersonal and only another human being can be
the object of loyalty. The definition of loyalty in law and political
science is the fidelity of an individual to a nation, either
one's nation of birth, or one's declared home nation by oath (naturalization).The state or quality of being loyal
[to someone or something]; faithfulness to commitments or
obligations;
Loyalty is one of the
most important character traits every single person should develop at an early
age and optimize throughout their whole life. In every kind of relationship, no
matter if romantic, friendship, or business, loyalty plays a big role. Even
though it is such an important quality, some of us don’t make it a priority,
give it enough value or know how to show loyalty properly. Our martial arts
programs help with this process and teach diverse life values. Loyalty is
necessary and should be shown in our daily life
Loyalty leads to a
feeling of security which means being able to communicate better and build
deeper bonds. By being loyal toward others, you’ll find them treating you with
loyalty too. This is how real connections develop. People who care for you that
are trustworthy and are a constant part of your life are worth way more than
those that come and go. Our martial arts programs help us to build trust and
loyalty and build the basis for deep connections with the people around us.
Our value system need re-evaluation,
leadership should be meant for service and not to amass wealth. The distressing
issue is that the decay in leadership quality has continued to worsen over the
years. Some politicians and public officers have embezzled huge public funds
with a minor waiver by the court, the nation’s unserious attitude is likely to
mar the spirit of patriotism and loyalty to national goal and aspirations.
What should be done to step up
national loyalty in Nigeria?
Ø There
is the need for government to step into poverty alleviation which will serve as
an ideal for increasing loyalty support to national development.
Ø Merit
or awards should be given priority not only to highly placed people but for all
who are honest, hardworking, service to humanity and dutiful individuals.
Ø There
is need for leadership transparency and accountability. Our leaders should be
genuinely audited, probed and brought to book if found guilty.
Ø There
should be job creation, through industrial expansion as well as acquisition of
sustainable skills for economic survival as paramount in Nigeria.
Ø National
interest should be paramount above self-interest. There is the need of
involving the masses in critical national issues for decision making this will
give governance a leeway to address the upsurge of social problems enveloping
the nation at large.
Ø Subject
or course programme as social studies coupled with value contents, should be
funded by the government, private organization or well to do individuals with a
view to execute research to broaden the values scope of the youth.
Ø Above
all there should be peace and security in the country. our leaders must ensure
that the safety of their wards should be their utmost priority as it is
stipulated in the Nigerian constitution Chapter
II Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy section 14:
(2b) the security and welfare of the
people shall be the primary purpose of
Government.
It is enough in the killing and maiming of people in Nigeria more especially in
the North eastern part of Nigeria. Where Boko Haram has turned the area to a
bloody zone. Down to the South – East, west and Niger Delta, they are faced
with kidnapping, cyber crimes, stealing, and rituals killing. Once these cases
are addressed in Nigeria nothing will stop the citizen from being loyal to the
country.
Textbook: Current
Development in Social Studies Education
By Edinyang, s. D
Ph.D
Meziobi, D. I.
Ph.D
Igba, D, I. Ph.D
&Yaro, K. L.
References
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K. (2021). Cultural diversity and national integration in Nigeria. African
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Afolayan,
A., & Suleiman, M. (2021). Language, culture, and identity among Nigerian
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Akande,
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Danladi,
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Ogunyemi,
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