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| The constitution grants all citizens at least 18 years of age the right to vote. The Action Group (AG) and the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) were the major Nigerian parties when the country became independent in 1960. However, their regional rather than national focus—the AG represented the west, the NPC the north, and the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons the east—ultimately contributed to the outbreak of civil war by the mid-1960s and more than 20 years of military rule. Political parties were allowed briefly in 1993 and again starting from 1998, but only parties with national rather than regional representation were legal, such as the newly created People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Alliance for Democracy, and the All Nigeria People’s Party. | | The constitution grants all citizens at least 18 years of age the right to vote. The Action Group (AG) and the Northern People’s Congress (NPC) were the major Nigerian parties when the country became independent in 1960. However, their regional rather than national focus—the AG represented the west, the NPC the north, and the National Council for Nigeria and the Cameroons the east—ultimately contributed to the outbreak of civil war by the mid-1960s and more than 20 years of military rule. Political parties were allowed briefly in 1993 and again starting from 1998, but only parties with national rather than regional representation were legal, such as the newly created People’s Democratic Party (PDP), the Alliance for Democracy, and the All Nigeria People’s Party. |
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| Women have participated in the government since the colonial period, especially in the south. Their political strength is rooted in the precolonial traditions among particular ethnic groups, such as the Igbo, which gave women the power to correct excessive male behaviour (known as “sitting on a man”). Igbo women, showing their strength, rioted in 1929 when they believed colonial officials were going to levy taxes on women. Yoruba market women exercised significant economic power, controlling the markets in such Yoruba cities as Lagos and Ibadan. Some ethnic groups, such as the Edo who constituted the kingdom of Benin, also gave important political power to women; the mother of the oba (king) played an important part in the precolonial state. Women such as Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti (the mother of the musician Fela and human rights activist and physician Beko) actively participated in the colonial struggle, and several women have held ministerial positions in the government. Although Nigerian women may wield influence and political power, particularly at the familial and local level, this has not always been reflected at the federal level: in the early 21st century, women made up less than 5 percent of the House of Representatives and the Senate. (For more information on the historical role of women in Nigerian politics and culture, see Sidebar: Nigerian Women.) | | Women have participated in the government since the colonial period, especially in the south. Their political strength is rooted in the precolonial traditions among particular ethnic groups, such as the Igbo, which gave women the power to correct excessive male behaviour (known as “sitting on a man”). Igbo women, showing their strength, rioted in 1929 when they belie |
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| *Security
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| The Nigeria Police Force, established by the federal constitution, is headed by the inspector general of police, who is appointed by the president. The general inefficiency of the force is attributable in part to the low level of education and the low morale of police recruits, who are poorly housed and very poorly paid, and to the lack of modern equipment. Corruption is widespread.
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| The federal military includes army, navy, and air force contingents. Nigerian troops have participated in missions sponsored by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) and by the United Nations (UN).
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| *Health and welfare
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| The concentration of people in the cities has created enormous sanitary problems, particularly improper sewage disposal, water shortages, and poor drainage. Large heaps of domestic refuse spill across narrow streets, causing traffic delays, while the dumping of garbage along streambeds constitutes a major health hazard and has contributed to the floods that have often plagued Ibadan, Lagos, and other cities during the rainy season. Malaria is still a major cause of death, and at the beginning of the 21st century AIDS was becoming increasingly significant in the country.
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| Health conditions are particularly poor in the shantytown suburbs of Greater Lagos and other large cities, where domestic water supplies are obtained from wells that are often polluted by seepage from pit latrines. Rural communities also suffer from inadequate or impure water supplies. Some villagers have to walk as far as 6 miles (10 km) to the nearest water point—usually a stream. Because people wash clothes, bathe, and fish (sometimes using fish poison) in the same streams, the water drawn by people in villages farther downstream is often polluted. During the rainy season, wayside pits containing rainwater, often dug close to residential areas, are the main source of domestic water supplies. Cattle are often watered in the shallower pools, and this contributes to the high incidence of intestinal diseases and guinea worm in many rural areas.
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| Medical and health services are the responsibility of the state governments, which maintain hospitals in the large cities and towns. Most of the state capitals have specialized hospitals, and many are home to a university teaching hospital. There are numerous private hospitals, clinics, and maternity centres. Medical services are inadequate, even in the five western states (Kwara, Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, and Oyo) where a free health service scheme was introduced in 1979. Many hospitals do not have enough medical personnel, and drugs are scarce; often surgical patients must supply their own equipment for operations. Rural areas are extremely undersupplied.
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| There is no nationwide health insurance scheme or social welfare system. Most commercial firms and factories provide free medical services for their employees and, in some cases, their immediate families. Civil servants are entitled to free medical care in government-financed hospitals. Most elderly Nigerians and the unemployed depend on the extended family, which serves as the traditional social welfare system.
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| *Housing
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| Overcrowding in the cities has caused slums to spread and shantytown suburbs to emerge in most of the larger urban centres. Most houses are built by individuals, and, because banks do not normally lend money for home construction, most of these individuals must rely on their savings. A federal housing program provides funds for the construction of low-cost housing for low- and middle-income workers in the state capitals, local government headquarters, and other large towns.
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| House types vary by geographic location. In the coastal areas the walls and roofs are made from the raffia palm, which abounds in the region. Rectangular mud houses with mat roofs are found in the forest belt, although the houses of the more prosperous have corrugated iron roofs. In the savanna areas of the central region and in parts of the north, houses are round mud buildings roofed with sloping grass thatch, but flat mud roofs appear in the drier areas of the extreme north. Some mud houses are also covered with a layer of cement. Larger houses are designed around an open courtyard and traditionally contained barrels or cisterns in which rainwater could be collected.
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| During the colonial period, British officials lived in segregated housing known as Government Reserve Areas (GRA). After independence GRA housing became very desirable among the African population.
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| *Education
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| Great Britain did little to promote education during the colonial period. Until 1950 most schools were operated by Christian missionary bodies, which introduced Western-style education into Nigeria beginning in the mid-19th century. The British colonial government funded a few schools, although its policy was to give grants to mission schools rather than to expand its own system. In the northern, predominantly Muslim area, Western-style education was prohibited because the religious leaders did not want Christian missionaries interfering with Islam, and Islamic education was provided in traditional Islamic schools.
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| Today primary education, free and compulsory, begins at age six and lasts for six years. Secondary education consists of two three-year cycles. Although federal and state governments have the major responsibility for education, other organizations, such as local governments and religious groups, may establish and administer primary and secondary schools. Most secondary schools, trade centres, technical institutes, teacher-training colleges, and colleges of education and of technology are controlled by the state governments.
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| Nigeria has more than 50 universities and colleges that were widely dispersed throughout the country in an attempt to make higher education easily accessible. Most of the universities are federally controlled, and the language of instruction is English at all the universities and colleges. At the time of Nigeria’s independence in 1960, there were only two established postsecondary institutions, both of which were located in the southwestern part of the country: University College at Ibadan (founded in 1948, now the University of Ibadan) and Yaba Higher College (founded in 1934, now Yaba College of Technology). Four more government-operated universities were established in the 1960s: University of Nigeria, Nsukka (1960), in the east; University of Ife (founded in 1961, now Obafemi Awolowo University) in the west; University of Northern Nigeria (founded in 1962, now Ahmadu Bello University) in the north; and University of Lagos (1962) in the south. In the 1970s and ’80s the government attempted to found a university in every state, but, with the ever-increasing number of states, this practice was abandoned. Attempts by individuals and private organizations, including various Christian churches, to establish universities did not receive the approval of the federal Ministry of Education until the 1990s. Since then, several private postsecondary institutions have been established.
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| Nigeria’s educational system declined significantly in the 1980s and ’90s. There was a shortage of qualified teachers, and the government was sometimes unable to pay them in a timely manner. Moreover, the number of schools did not increase proportionally with the population, and existing schools were not always properly maintained. This led to an increase in the number of private primary and secondary schools. Nigerian universities and colleges also often have inadequate space and resources, and semesters have been canceled owing to campus unrest for reasons ranging from students protesting tuition increases to teachers and staff striking for higher salaries and better working conditions. Governors of some states began to address these issues at the beginning of the 21st century.
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| ==Culture Life of Nigeria==
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| '''Cultural milieu'''
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| Nigeria’s rich and varied cultural heritage derives from the mixture of its ethnic groups with Arabic and western European influences. The country combines traditional culture with international urban sophistication. Secret societies, such as Ekpo and Ekpe among the Igbo, were formerly used as instruments of government, while other institutions were associated with matrimony. According to the Fulani custom of sharo (test of young manhood), rival suitors underwent the ordeal of caning as a means of eliminating those who were less persistent. In Ibibio territory, girls approaching marriageable age were confined for several years in bride-fattening rooms before they were given to their husbands. A girl was well-fed during this confinement, with the intent of making her plump and therefore more attractive to her future husband; she would also receive instruction from older women on how to be a good wife. These and other customs were discouraged by colonial administrators and missionaries. Some of the more adaptable cultural institutions have been revived since independence; these include Ekpo and Ekong societies for young boys in parts of the southeast and the Ogboni society found in the Yoruba and Edo areas of southern Nigeria. (For information on the historical role of women in Nigerian society, see Sidebar: Nigerian Women.)
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| '''Daily life and social customs'''
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| Nigeria’s vibrant popular culture reflects great changes in inherited traditions and adaptations of imported ones. Establishments serving alcoholic beverages are found everywhere except where Islamic laws prohibit them. Hotels and nightclubs are part of the landscape of the larger cities. Movie theatres, showing mostly Indian and American films, are popular among the urban middle- and low-income groups. Radio, television, and other forms of home entertainment (e.g., recorded music and movies) have also grown in popularity, though their use is dependent on the availability of electricity.
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| Whether in urban or rural areas, the family is the central institution. Families gather to celebrate births and weddings. Funerals are also times when the family gathers. Because so many Nigerians live outside the country, funerals for non-Muslims are often delayed for a month or more to allow all the family members to make plans to return home.
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| Food is an important part of Nigerian life. Seafood, beef, poultry, and goat are the primary sources of protein. With so many different cultures and regions, food can vary greatly. In the southern areas a variety of soups containing a base of tomatoes, onions, red pepper, and palm oil are prepared with vegetables such as okra and meat or fish. Soups can be thickened by adding ground egusi (melon) seeds. Gari (ground cassava), iyan (yam paste), or plantains accompany the soup. Rice is eaten throughout the country, and in the north grains such as millet and wheat are a large part of the diet. Beans and root vegetables are ubiquitous. Many dishes are flavoured with onions, palm oil, and chilies.
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| Nigerians celebrate several holidays throughout the year, including Independence Day (October 1), Workers Day (May 1), and various Christian and Islamic holidays.
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| '''The arts'''
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| Nigeria has a rich artistic heritage, including both traditional and contemporary art forms. From the naturalistic statues produced at Ife to the bronzes made for the king of Benin, Nigerian artists have crafted art that is world famous. The terra-cotta figurines of the Nok are some of the earliest statues in existence from sub-Saharan Africa. Ekpe masks and ikenga (personal shrines) from the Igbo in eastern Nigeria and ibeji (twin) sculptures from the Yoruba in western Nigeria are just three examples of the art produced in pre-colonial Nigeria. While many artists still work in these traditions, more-contemporary artists, who combine African and Western traditions, also abound. One of the earliest of these was Ben Ewonwu, who painted in oils as well as producing sculptures; to commemorate the visit to Nigeria of Queen Elizabeth II of England in 1956, Ewonwu made a bronze statue of her, later displayed at the Nigerian House of Representatives in Lagos. Other Nigerian artists include the Nsukka group, formed at the University of Nigeria at Nsukka in the early 1970s, consisting of Uche Okeke, Chike Aniakor, Obiora Udechukwu, El Anatsui, Tayo Adenaike, Ada Udechukwu, and Olu Oguibe. The Oshogbo movement, founded in the early 1960s, includes the artists Muraina Oyelami, Twins Seven-Seven (Prince Taiwo Osuntoki), Bisi Fabunmi, Tijani Mayakiri, Rufus Ogundele, and Ademola Onibonokuta.
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| Music and dance are integral to Nigerian culture, and each ethnic group has its own specialties. Traditional instruments include various types of flutes, trumpets, musical bows, xylophones, and wooden clappers, as well as many varieties of drums. Music is used to celebrate rulers and to accompany public assemblies, weddings and funerals, festivals, and storytelling. At one time the Edo of the kingdom of Benin distinguished between urban music that was performed at the palace and less complex music that was played in rural areas. Dance also has many varieties: Ishan stilt dancers in colourful costumes twist themselves in the air; one Tiv dance, called ajo, features male dancers who work in pairs, and another involves teams of women who perform a dance called icough while composing songs about current events. Dance for the Ubakala shows their value system, helps resolve conflicts, and also institutes change. Ekiti Yoruba dancers wear head masks so heavy that they can do only processional dances. The Hausa, who do not consider dancing to be an art, divide their dances into the categories of social dancing and ceremonial bòorii dances.
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| Nigerian playwright and musician Hubert Ogunde, founder of Nigeria’s first professional theatrical company (the Ogunde Concert Party), incorporated traditional instruments into his musical dramas of the 1940s in an effort to revive interest in indigenous culture. After radio and television stations were established in all the state capitals, they began broadcasting programs featuring traditional music and dance, folk operas, and storytelling; these programs are now available in some 25 languages.
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| Nigerian contemporary music, which combines Western popular music with indigenous forms, has been exported throughout the world and has had wide influence (see also African popular music). Notable musicians include King Sunny Ade, who performed in a style called juju that combines the sounds of several guitars, vocals, and talking drums; and the politically charged Fela Anikulapo-Kuti, whose music is characterized by short songs and extended instrumental pieces. Each musician organized a large band with a horn section, a variety of drummers, and many guitar players.
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| Nigerian literature is known throughout the world. Wole Soyinka, who won the 1986 Nobel Prize for Literature, was the first black African to receive the award. Other Nigerian writers with a worldwide audience include Chinua Achebe, Buchi Emecheta, Flora Nwapa, and Amos Tutuola.
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| '''Cultural institutions'''
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| Nigeria has many national museums, generally found in large cities and state capitals. The National Library of Nigeria is located in Lagos, as is the National Theatre. The Institutes of African Studies, at the Universities of Ibadan and Nigeria (Nsukka), have done much to reawaken interest in traditional folk dancing and poetry.
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| Physical features with cultural significance include the Sukur cultural landscape in Adamawa state, which provides a glimpse into the past of the Sukur people, and the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove in Osun state, a forest that contains several shrines and artwork in honour of the Yoruba deity Osun. These places were designated UNESCO World Heritage sites in 1999 and 2005, respectively.
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| '''Sports and recreation'''
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| In precolonial 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.
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| 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.
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| '''Media and publishing'''
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| There are many dozens of daily, Sunday, and weekly newspapers in Nigeria, most of which are in English. The Nigerian Television Authority operates stations throughout the country, and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria broadcasts in English as well as several African languages; there are also many privately owned television and radio stations.
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| '''[[Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette of Nigeria]]'''
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| The culture of Nigeria is shaped by Nigeria's multiple ethnic groups. The country has over 50 languages and over 250 dialects and ethnic groups. The three largest ethnic groups are the Hausa-Fulani who are predominant in the north, the Igbo who are predominant in the south-east, and the Yoruba who are predominant in the southwest.--->[[Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette of Nigeria|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| '''[[Etiquette and Customs in Nigeria]]'''
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| '''Meeting People'''
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| > The most common greeting is a handshake with a warm, welcoming smile.<br>
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| > Men may place their left hand on the other person’s shoulder while shaking hands. Smiling and showing sincere pleasure at meeting the person is important.<br>
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| > As in the rest of Africa, it is rude to rush the greeting process.--->[[Etiquette and Customs in Nigeria|>>>Read More<<<]]
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| ==History of Nigeria==
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| *[[Early Nigerian cultures]]
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| :THE NOK CULTURE
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| Evidence of human occupation in Nigeria dates back thousands of years. The oldest fossil remains found by archaeologists in the southwestern area of Iwo Eleru, near Akure, have been dated to about 9000 bce. There are isolated collections of ancient tools and artifacts of different periods of the Stone Age, but the oldest recognizable evidence of an organized society belongs to the Nok culture (c. 500 bce–c. 200 ce).--->[[Early Nigerian cultures|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| '''[[THE EVOLUTION OF NIGERIA, 1849 – 1960]]'''
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| The evolution of Nigeria from about 1849 until it attained independence in 1960 is largely the story of the transformational impact of the British on the peoples and cultures of the Niger-Benue area.--->[[THE EVOLUTION OF NIGERIA, 1849 – 1960|>>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Foreign Relationship of Nigeria]]==
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| '''FOREIGN RELATIONS AND COOPERATION.'''
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| Since independence, Nigerian foreign policy has been characterized by a focus on Africa and by attachment to several fundamental principles: African unity and independence; peaceful settlement of disputes; nonalignment and no intentional interference in the internal affairs of other nations; and regional economic cooperation and development.--->[[Foreign Relationship of Nigeria|>>>>Read More.<<<<]]
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| ==[[Political of Nigeria]]==
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| '''NIGERIA - POLITICAL PARTIES.'''
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| Nigeria has a multi-party system with sometimes two or three stronger parties and a third party that is electorally successful. A list of the registered and officially recognized political parties at various times in Nigeria’s political history is as follows:->>>>[[Political of Nigeria|>>>>Read More.<<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria from the Article Juvenile Justice]]==
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| Nigeria’s system of juvenile justice, which is modeled after the British system, was established in 1914, although it has been modified in various locations to accommodate local customs. Juvenile...[[Nigeria from the Article Juvenile Justice|>>>''Read More<<<]]
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| ==[[2015 NIGERIA AND THE PROPHETS, WINDS OF CHANGE]]==
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| Happy New year to everyone and the may this year bring goodness and favor from the Lord to us all, individually, families and the Nation at large in the Name of Jesus Christ Amen.
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| I have waited with bated breath to see the yearly jamboree of prophetic utterances concerning Nigeria and rest of the world from our acclaimed local prophets but have been disappointed this year maybe because election is in the air and clouding the spirits and minds of our prophets. I speak in a distasteful, sarcastic yet satirical and sardonic manner (excuse my prolonged French). Due to the nature and issues of Africa's deeply rooted problems which are majorly spiritual, some have resorted to making merchandise of gullible people who do not understand that spiritual problems and curses are consequences of bad behavior and human wickedness from unrestrained greed and self promotion that come from Satan himself.--->[[2015 NIGERIA AND THE PROPHETS, WINDS OF CHANGE|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria in 2014]]==
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| Nigeria Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq mi) Population (2014 est.): 177,156,000 Capital: Abuja Head of state and government: President Goodluck Jonathan Throughout 2014 the political scene.--->[[Nigeria in 2014|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria in 2010]]==
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| Nigeria Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq mi) Population (2010 est.): 158,259,000 Capital: Abuja Head of state and government: Presidents Umaru Musa Yar’Adua, Goodluck Jonathan (acting) from February .--->[[Nigeria in 2010|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria in 2009]]==
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| Nigeria Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq mi) Population (2009 est.): 154,729,000 Capital: Abuja Head of state and government: President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua In late 2009 Nigeria experienced.--->[[Nigeria in 2009|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria in 2008]]==
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| Nigeria Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq mi) Population (2008 est.): 146,255,000 Capital: Abuja Head of state and government: President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua During 2008 Nigeria’s economy was severely.--->[[Nigeria in 2008|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria in 2006]]==
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| Nigeria Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq mi) Population (2006 est.): 134,375,000 Capital: Abuja Head of state and government: President Olusegun Obasanjo Record crude oil prices in 2006 helped .--->[[Nigeria in 2006|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria in 2004]]==
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| Nigeria Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq mi) Population (2004 est.): 128,254,000 Capital: Abuja Head of state and government: President Olusegun Obasanjo Several bouts of violence and civil unrest.--->[[Nigeria in 2004|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==[[Nigeria in 1996]]==
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| Nigeria A republic and suspended member of the Commonwealth, Nigeria is located in West Africa, on the Gulf of Guinea. Area: 923,768 sq km (356,669 sq mi). Pop. (1996 est.): 103,912,000. Cap.: Abuja.--->[[Nigeria in 1996|>>>Read More.<<<]]
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| ==Disclaimer==
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| {{disclaimer countries}}
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| [[category:countries]]
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