Nigerian Tribes and Culture

Nigerian tribes are the considered as the pagan inhabitants of Nigeria. The tribes of Nigeria are diverse, comprising about three hundred seventy one groups. Among the tribes of Nigeria, only three have achieved the status of ethnicity.
The rest are minor ethnic group. The groups are bearers of the Nigerian culture each distinct in their own way. The major ethnic Nigeria tribes are the Hausa Fulani, Yoruba and the Ibo. The minor tribes of Nigeria are deprived of the modern resources. These people are not exposed to the world, the technological advancements actively steering the country's economy. The Hausa Fulani tribe inhabits the northern part of Nigeria, while the Yoruba and the Ibo shelters southwestern and the southeastern part of the country respectively.

The Hausa Fulani tribe are a mixed race of the Hausa and the Fulani. The Hausas are a mixture of Sudanese people. However according to the experts they are the descendants of Sahara and the Chad Basin, while legends term them as the descendants of Palestine, Mecca, Canaan, Libya and Baghdad. Theses people are the followers of Islam. The Hausas are administers of Islamic law. The Fulanis trace their origins in the 13th century, from the gypsies and are also the followers of Islam.

Ibo is the second largest group among the Nigerian tribes, comprised of smaller ethnic groups. Their origins cannot be traced and mostly inhabit the forest area of the Niger valley. The Ibo tribe claims Nri town, which is considered as the bosom of the Ibo people.

Yoruba tribe is the third largest ethnic group in Nigeria. They are an united group of people residing in the Ife town of Nigeria. Yoruba people believe that Oduduwa is their patron, who created earth and they are his children.

These three groups form 57% of the Nigerian population and the rest comprises of the smaller ethnic groups. The other groups are the Nupe, Kanuri, Tiv, Abayon, Awori, Bali, Bele, Chamo, Diba, Ouguri, Ekoi, Gira, Gudu and so on. These different Nigerian tribes have different languages and culture and take pride in retaining it.

Nigerian culture is as multi-ethnic as the people in Nigeria. The people of Nigeria still cherish their traditional languages, music, dance and literature. Nigeria comprises of three large ethnic groups, which are Yoruba, Hausa-Fulani and Igbo. However there are other ethnic groups as well. Thus culture in Nigeria is most positively multi-ethnic.

Culture of Nigeria gives a lot of value to different types of arts, which primarily include ivory carving, grass weaving, wood carving, leather and calabash. Pottery, painting, cloth weaving and glass and metal works.

There are more than 250 languages spoken in Nigeria. English is considered to be the official language. However, it is notable that not more than about 50% of the population are able to speak in English. Every tribe has got its own language, which they prefer following as the standard mode of communication among themselves. Nigeria culture includes varieties in types of clothing as there are different groups of people living in the country. What is common in their dressing style is the conservativeness.

Nigerian culture gives a lot of importance in treating the guests with utmost care and warmth. The hospitality of people represents this tradition. That is why people are not supposed to say thank you, when they are offered food. Among the games, the Nigerians enjoy soccer the most. Polo, cricket, swimming and wrestling are popular among the affluent classes. Nigerian culture is as old as 2000 years and what makes it stand out is its diversity.