نايجېريا

From Wikipedia

{{{اصلي نوم}}}

[[Image:{{{بېرغ}}}|125px|د {{{عام نوم}}} بېرغ]] [[Image:{{{نښان}}}|110px|د {{{عام نوم}}} نښان]] [[د {{{عام نوم}}} بېرغ|بېرغ]] [[د {{{عام نوم}}} نښان|نښان]]
Motto: Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress
ملي ترانه: {{{ملي سرود}}}
[[Image:{{{نخشه}}}|250px|د {{{عام نوم}}} موقيعت]]
پلازمېنه	{{{پلازمېنه}}} 9°10′ N 7°10′ E
[[د {{{عام نوم}}} لوی ښار|لوی ښار ]]	{{{لوی ښار}}}
(رسمي ژبه/ ژبې)	{{{رسمي ژبه}}}
حکومت {{{د لارښود لقب}}}	{{{د حکومت بڼه}}} {{{د لارښود نوم}}}
{{{زمکنۍ بشپړتيا}}} - Declared - Recognized - Republic	From United Kingdom October 1, 1960 October 1, 1960 October 1, 1963
مساحت  • ټولټال    • اوبه (%)	[[{{{د مساحت ارتوالی}}} m²|{{{مساحت}}} km²]] {{{مساحتي وېش}}} 356,667 mi²  {{{د اوبو سلنه}}}
د وګړو شمېر  • [[As of {{{د وګړو د شمېر د اټکل کال}}}|{{{د وګړو د شمېر د اټکل کال}}}]] est.  • [[As of {{{د وګړو د سرشمېرنې کال}}}|{{{د وګړو د سرشمېرنې کال}}}]] census  • ګڼه ګونه	{{{د وګړو اټکل}}} (9th) {{{د وګړو سرشمېرنه}}} {{{د وګړو ګڼه ګونه}}}/km² (71st) {{{د وګړو ګڼه ګونهmi²}}}/mi²
GDP (PPP)  • ټولټال  • Per capita	2005 estimate $132.1 billion (47th) $1,188 (164th)
HDI (2003)	0.453 (158th) – low
پېسه	{{{پېسه}}} ({{{د پېسو نښه}}})
د ساعت توپير  • Summer (DST)	{{{وخت}}} (UTC+1) (UTC+2)
د انټرنېت م.م(TLD)	.ng
هېوادنی کوډ	{{{هېوادنی کوډ}}}
ټيليفوني پېل ګڼ	+{{{پېل ګڼ}}}
1.)Note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected.

Nigeria, officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa and the most populous country on the African continent. Nigeria shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, چاډ and کېمرون in the east, نايجېر in the north, and borders the Gulf of Guinea in the south. Since 1991, its capital has been the centrally-located city of Abuja; previously, the Nigerian government was headquartered in Lagos.

The people of Nigeria have an extensive history, and based on archaeological evidence, human habitation of the area dates back to at least 9000 BC. The Benue-Cross River area is thought to be the original homeland of the Bantu migrants who spread across most of central and southern Africa in waves between the 1st millennium BC and the 2nd millennium AD. However, the Nigerian state came into being on October 1, 1960 when Nigeria declared its independence from the British and at present consists of 36 states and the federal capital territory. Nigeria re-achieved democracy in 1999 after a sixteen-year interruption by a series of military dictators. From 1966 until 1999, Nigeria had been ruled (except the short-lived second republic, 1979-1983) by military dictators who seized power in coups and counter-coups.

نيوليک 1 Etymology 2 History 3 Government and politics 3.1 Law 4 Foreign relations and military 4.1 Foreign relations 4.2 Military of Nigeria 5 Administrative divisions 5.1 Cities 6 Geography and climate 7 Economy 8 Demographics 8.1 Ethnic groups 8.2 Language 8.3 Religion 9 Culture 9.1 Nigerian literature 9.2 Entertainment in Nigeria 10 Sport 10.1 World Cup history 10.1.1 USA 94 10.1.2 France 98 10.1.3 Korea/Japan 2002 10.1.4 Best International Outing 11 Societal issues 11.1 Crime 11.2 Public health 11.3 Environmental degradation 11.4 Strife and sectarian violence 11.5 Education 12 References 13 External links

[سمادول] Etymology

The country's name first appeared in print in The Times in 1897 and was suggested by the paper's colonial editor Flora Shaw who would later marry Frederick Lugard, the first Governor General of the Amalgamated Nigeria. The name comes from a combination of the words "Niger" (the country's longest river) and "Area". Its adjective form is Nigerian, which should not be confused with Nigerien for Niger.

[سمادول] History

Main article: History of Nigeria

Nigeria has had a unique history. More than 2,000 years ago, the Nok people were producing sculptures. In Kano and Katsina, recorded history dates back to around 1000. Hausa kingdoms and the Kanem-Bornu Empire prospered as trade posts between North and West Africa. The Yoruba kingdoms of Ifẹ and Ọyọ were founded about 700-900 and 1400 respectively. The Ifẹ produced the terra cotta and bronze heads, the Ọyọ extended as far as modern Togo. The Kingdom of Benin developed an efficient and renowned army. The Benin (Edos)are related to the Yoruba by history. The southeast produced the Onitsha, Nri, and Arochukwu kingdoms. The Nri kingdom reigned before slavery with Divine priests and powerful Ezenri. There was also the great Ogbunka kingdom which was noted for his ability to repulse every form of aggression. A prominent town they controlled was Igbo Ukwu which was home to Bronze figures and was a burial site for Kings. Other kingdoms also flourished, like the Calabar, Opobo, Bonny, Brass, Elem kalabari and others which were controlled by the Ijaw, Efik, Igbo, and Ibibio.

Beginning in the 17th century Europeans established ports for slave trafficking. In the early 19th century the Fulani leader Usman dan Fodio united most areas in the north under the control of an Islamic Fulani Empire centred in Sokoto.

The 17th century brought Portuguese traders to what is now the Lagos area. In fact, the name Lagos came from the Portuguese word for lagoon, resulting in the name of the area. However, it was the British in the 19th century that established permanent settlement and control over the region. In 1901, Nigeria was made a British protectorate and remained under the control of Britain until its independence in 1960.

Newly independent Nigeria's government was coalition of conservative parties: the Nigerian People's Congress (NPC), a party dominated by Northerners and those of the Islamic faith, and the Igbo-dominated National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC) led by Nnamdi Azikiwe, who became Nigeria's maiden Governor-General in 1960. Forming the opposition was the comparatively liberal Action Group (AG), which was largely dominated by Yorubas and led by Obafemi Awolowo. The nation parted with its British legacy in 1963 by declaring itself a Federal Republic, with Azikiwe as the first president. When elections came about in 1965, the AG was outmanouvered for control of Nigeria's Western Region by the Nigerian National Democratic Party an ammalgamation of conservative Yoruba elements backed heavily by the Federal Government amid dubious electoral circumstances. This left the Igbo NCNC to coalesce with the remnants of the AG in a weak progressive alliance.

This disequilibrum in power led in 1966 to a back-to-back military coups by regional and ethnic cabals. The first was in January led by leftists under General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, the then-army head of Igbo extraction, who was installed as head of state. The Igbo-led coup was counter-acted by another successful plot, supported primarily by Northern military officers and engineered by Murtala Mohammed, which allowed Gen. Yakubu Gowan to become head of state.

Ethnic and religious tensions following independence led to the Nigerian Civil War and the start of intermittent democratic and military rule that did not end until 1999, when the democratic republic was permanently re-established with the election of Olusegun Obasanjo as its current president. Recently, supporters of Obasanjo had tried and failed to extend term limits following rejection by the national assembly. New elections are set for 2007.

With its economy and infrastructure devastated by years of military rule, corruption, and mismanagement, Nigeria is now reforming and rebuilding itself to be a modern, prosperous nation. It is taking advantage of its position as sub-Saharan Africa's most populous country to push for a more prominent role in African and international politics. Such examples are its chairmanship of ECOWAS and the deployment of peace keeping troops to Liberia and Sierra Leone, and the African Union with troop deployments to the Sudan. Nigeria is a member of the Commonwealth of Nations.

Despite these positive developments, problems abound in Nigeria such as endemic corruption and crime such as the 419 scams; ethnic and religious strife, particularly between Christians and Muslims in the northern half of the country, and insurgents in the oil-rich Niger Delta. The Niger Delta conflict is hampering Nigeria's oil production capabilities and is even affecting international oil prices.

[سمادول] Government and politics

Template:Morepolitics Nigeria is a Democratic Republic modelled after the United States, with executive power exercised by the president. The president's power is checked by a Senate and a House of Representatives, which are combined in a body called the National Assembly. There is also a Constitution. The current president of Nigeria is Olusegun Obasanjo who was elected in 1999 following the restoration of democracy after several years of military dictatorship.

The two major parties in Nigerian politics are the People's Democratic Party of Nigeria and the All Nigeria People's Party.

See also:

• Federal ministers of Nigeria
• Federal Ministries of Nigeria
• Political Parties in Nigeria
• Government of Nigeria

[سمادول] Law

There are four distinct systems of law in Nigeria:

• English Law which is derived from its colonial past with Britain
• common law, a development of its post colonial independence
• customary law which is derived from indigenous traditional norms and practices
• Sharia law, used only in the predominantly Hausa and Muslim north of the country

While there was some controversy with the implementation of Sharia law, the legal systems seemingly work, although the practice of sharia is unconstitutionally forced on non Muslims. There is a Judicial branch with a Supreme Court which is regarded as the highest court of the land.

[سمادول] Foreign relations and military

[سمادول] Foreign relations

Nigeria is currently in better foreign relations due to its current state of democracy and with the help of the current president Obasanjo. It is a member of the African Union and sits on that organization's Peace and Security Council. Since 1960 Nigeria has been a member of the UN and also joined the Commonwealth of Nations the same year, however they were briefly suspended between 1995 and 1999. It currently is the chair of the regional IGO, Economic Community of West African States or ECOWAS and ECOMOG, its military arm. Both are presently headquartered in the capital Abuja.

Nigeria is also a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US-military (as covered under Article 98).

[سمادول] Military of Nigeria

Main article: Military of Nigeria

The military of Nigeria has played a major role in the country's history, often seizing control of the country and ruling it through major periods of its history. Its last period of rule ended in 1999 following the death of the leader of the previous military junta Sani Abacha in 1998.

Taking advantage of its role of sub-saharan Africa's most populated country, Nigeria has repositioned its military as an African peacekeeping force. Since 1995, the Nigerian military through ECOMOG mandates have been deployed as peacekeepers in Liberia (1997), Ivory Coast (1997-1999), Sierra Leone 1997-1999, and presently in Sudan's Darfur region under an African Union mandate.

Active duty personnel in the three Nigerian armed services is total approximately 76,000. The Nigerian Army, the largest of the services, has about 60,000 personnel deployed in two mechanized infantry divisions, one composite division (airborne and amphibious), the Lagos Garrison Command (a division size unit), and the Abuja-based Brigade of Guards. It has demonstrated its capability to mobilize, deploy, and sustain battalions in support of peacekeeping operations in Liberia, former Yugoslavia, Angola, Rwanda, Somalia, and Sierra Leone. The Nigerian Navy (7,000 members) is equipped with frigates, fast attack craft, corvettes, and coastal patrol boats. The Nigerian Air Force (9,000 members) flies transport, trainer, helicopter, and fighter aircraft, but most are currently not operational. Nigeria also has pursued a policy of developing domestic training and military production capabilities. Nigeria has continued a strict policy of diversification in her military procurement from various countries. After the imposition of sanctions by many Western nations, Nigeria turned to the People's Republic of China, Russia, North Korea, and India for the purchase of military equipment and training.

[سمادول] Administrative divisions

Main article: States of Nigeria

Nigeria is divided into 36 states and one Federal Capital Territory. It is further sub-divided into 774 local authorities.

The states include: Abia, Adamawa, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bauchi, Bayelsa, Benue, Borno, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Ẹdo, Ekiti, Enụgụ, Gombe, Imo, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Kebbi, Kogi, Kwara, Lagos, Nassarawa, Niger, Ogun, Ondo, Ọsun, Ọyọ, Plateau, Rivers, Sokoto, Taraba, Yobe, and Zamfara.

[سمادول] Cities

Nigeria has dozens of major cities, which play an important role in Nigeria's culture, heritage, and economy.

Main article: List of cities in Nigeria

• Lagos - (Lagos State) The former capital, and Nigeria's second largest city and commercial centre. Based on its estimated population, it is indeed the most populous city in sub-Saharan Africa and one of the most populous cities in the world.
• Abuja - (Federal Capital Territory FCT.) Nigeria's current capital and newest city.
• Ibadan - (Oyo State) The largest indigenous city in Africa. Ibadan is larger than Lagos in geographical size. Known for its local industries including food processing and cigarette manufacture.
• Kano - (Kano State) The historical and ancient city in northern Nigeria and an industrial centre.
• Port Harcourt - (Rivers State) As well as being the fourth largest city in Nigeria. Port Harcourt has two of the four refineries in Nigeria and it is the place where most oil business transaction takes place. This makes it one of the most important cities in Nigeria as oil is the most important commodity in Nigeria and the main source of foreign exchange in Nigeria.
• Aba - (Abia State) One of the biggest commercial centres in Nigeria.

[سمادول] Geography and climate

Main article: Geography of Nigeria

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Located in western Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, Nigeria has a total area of 356,669 square miles (923,768 km²); of that around 5,000 square miles (13,100 km²) is water. Nigeria has a 2,515 mile (4,047 km) border that it shares with Benin, Cameroon, Chad and Niger.

The highest point in Nigeria is Chappal Waddi at 7,936 feet (2,419 m).

Nigeria has a varied landscape. From the Obudu Hills in the southeast through the beaches in the south, the rainforest, the Lagos estuary and savanna in the middle and southwest of the country and the Sahel and the encroaching Sahara Desert in the extreme north.

Nigeria's main rivers are the Niger, the Benue which converge and empty out in the Niger Delta, one of the world's largest river deltas.

Nigeria is also an important centre for biodiversity. It is widely believed that the areas surrounding Calabar, Cross River State contain the world's largest diversity of butterflies. The drill monkey is only found in the wild in Southeast Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon.

[سمادول] Economy

Main article: Economy of Nigeria

Years of military rule, corruption, and mismanagement have hobbled economic activity and output in Nigeria and continue to do so, despite the restoration of democracy and subsequent economic reform. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit and the World Bank, Nigerian GDP at purchasing power parity was only at $170.7 billion as of FY 2005. The GDP per head is at $692. [1]

Nigeria is a leading petroleum producer and exporter. It is the 12th largest producer of petroleum in the world and the 8th largest exporter. Nigeria also has one of the world's largest proven natural gas and petroleum reserves and is a founding member of OPEC. However, due to crumbling infrastructure, ongoing civil strife in the Niger Delta- its main oil producing region- and corruption, oil production and export is not at 100% capacity.

More mineral resources that are present in Nigeria but not yet fully exploited are coal and tin. Other natural resources in the country include iron ore, limestone, niobium, lead, zinc, and arable land. Agricultural products include groundnuts, palm oil, cocoa, coconut, citrus fruits, maize, millet, cassava, yams and sugar cane. It also has a booming leather and textile industry, with industries located in Kano, Abeokuta, Onitsha, and Lagos.

Like many third world nations, Nigeria has accumulated a significant foreign debt. However many of the projects financed by these debts were inefficient, bedevilled by corruption or failed to live up to expectations. Nigeria defaulted on its debt as arrears and penalty interest accumulated and increased the size of the debt. However, after a long campaign by the Nigeria authorities, in October 2005 Nigeria and its Paris Club creditors reached an agreement that will see Nigeria's debt reduced by approximately 60%. Nigeria will use part of its oil windfall to pay the residual 40%. This deal will free up at least $1.15 billion annually for poverty reduction programmes. As of April 2006, Nigeria became the first African Country to fully pay off her debt (estimated $30billion) owed to the Paris Club.

The currency unit of Nigeria is the Nigerian Naira.

Nigeria also has significant production and manufacturing facilities such as factories for Peugeot the French car marker, Bedford the English truck manufacturer, now a subsidiary of General Motors, and also manufactures t-shirts and processed food.

[سمادول] Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Nigeria

Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa but exactly how populous is the subject of speculation. The United Nations estimates that the population in 2004 was at 131,530,000 [2], with the population distributed as 48.3% Urban and 51.7% rural and population density at 139 people per square km. National census results in the past few decades have been disputed.

According to the United Nations, Nigeria has been undergoing explosive population growth and one of the highest growth and fertility rates in the world. By their projections, Nigeria will be one of the countries in the world that will account for most of the world's total population increase by 2050. [3]. According to current data, one out of every four Africans are Nigerian. [4] Presently, Nigeria is the ninth most populous country in the world, and even conservative estimates conclude that more than 20% of the world's black population lives in Nigeria.

[سمادول] Ethnic groups

Main article: Ethnic groups in Nigeria

Nigeria has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a country of rich ethnic diversity. The largest ethnic groups are the Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo (Ibo), Ijaw, Kanuri, Ibibio, and Tiv. ^[1]

There are small minorities of Afrikaners, English, Americans, East Indians, Chinese, Japanese, Lebanese and refugees and immigrants from other West African nations. These minorities mostly reside in major cities such as Lagos and Abuja, or in the Niger Delta as employees for the major oil companies. A number of Cubans settled Nigeria as political refugees following the Cuban Revolution. A number of them include Afro-Cubans and mixed-raced Cubans.

[سمادول] Language

Main article: Languages of Nigeria

There are a total of 250 languages spoken in Nigeria which correspond with the estimated number of ethnic groups in Nigeria. To facilitate cultural and linguistic unity, English was chosen as the official language. The major languages spoken in Nigeria are Hausa, Yoruba, and Igbo.

[سمادول] Religion

Main article: Religion in Nigeria

Nigerians adhere to a variety of religions which tend vary regionally, this situation accentuates regional and ethnic distinctions but has often times been seen as a major source of sectarian conflict amongst the population. All religions represented in Nigeria were practised in every major city in the 1990s. Islam dominates in the north with some northern states having incorporated Shari'a law amid much controversy.

Protestantism and local syncretic Christianity predominate in Yoruba areas, while Catholicism has a strong historical presence amongst the Igbo and closely-related ethnic groups. Indigenous Beliefs such as Orisha and Voodou are still widely held amongst the Yoruba and other ethnic groups in the southwest of the country. Recently however, such worship has undergone significant decline, as many adherents are being converted to Christianity. Christianity is undergoing a major resurgence in the country, particularly following visits by Pope John Paul II in the 1990s.

Judaism is also present in Nigeria, practised largely by people of the Igbo ethnic group (see Jews of Nigeria) who have an oral tradition of having originated from certain of the Lost tribes of Israel. [5]

[سمادول] Culture

Main article: Culture of Nigeria

[سمادول] Nigerian literature

Nigeria has a rich literary history, both prior to British imperialism and after, as Nigerians have authored several monumental works of post-colonial literature in the English language. The first African Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka is Nigeria's best-known writer and playwright. Other Nigerian writers and poets who are well known on the international stage are Chinua Achebe, John Pepper Clark, Ben Okri, Sonny Oti and Ken Saro Wiwa who was executed in 1995 by the military regime.

Nigeria has the largest newspaper market in Africa with an estimated circulation of at least 3.3 million copies daily in 2003.

[سمادول] Entertainment in Nigeria

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Nigerian music includes many kinds of folk and popular music, some of which are known worldwide. Styles of folk music are related to the multitudes of ethnic groups in the country, each with their own techniques, instruments and songs. As a result, there are many different types of music that come from Nigeria. Many late 20th century musicians such as Fela Kuti have famously fused cultural elements of various indigenous music with American Jazz and Soul to form Afrobeat music. JuJu music which is percussion music fused with traditional music from the Yoruba nation and made famous by King Sunny Ade, is also from Nigeria. There is also a budding hip hop movement. World famous musicians that come from Nigeria Fela Kuti, Femi Kuti, King Sunny Ade, Ebenezer Obey. Nigeria has been called "the heart of African music" because of its role in the development of West African highlife and palm-wine music, which fuses native rhythms with techniques imported from the Congo, Brazil, Cuba and elsewhere.

The Nigerian Film Industry also known as Nollywood is famous throughout Africa. Many of the film studios are based in Lagos and Abuja and the industry is now a very lucrative income for these cities. As opposed to cinemas, the industry relies heavily on selling VCD's or what are often known as home movies. The movies are normally based around domestic issues though some have ventured further, this has led to some commentators branding the story lines as being trite.

[سمادول] Sport

Main article: Football in Nigeria

Like many nations football is Nigeria's national sport. There is also a local Premier League of football. Nigeria's national football team, known as the Super Eagles, has made the World Cup on three occasions (1994, 1998, and 2002), won the African Cup of Nations in 1980 and 1994, and also hosted the Junior World Cup. They won the gold medal for football in the 1996 Summer Olympics and various other junior international competitions. According to the official July 2006 FIFA World Rankings, Nigeria is currently the highest-rated football nation in Africa and 11th in the world.

[سمادول] World Cup history

Nigeria has played in three consecutive World Cups.

[سمادول] USA 94

Nigeria's first World Cup appearance was in the 1994 USA World Cup. Nigeria qualified by leading the group stages with 6 points. Nigeria defeated Bulgaria 3 - 0, lost to Argentina 2 - 1, and defeated Greece 2 - 0. But Nigeria's race was cut short in the Round of 16, suffering a 2 - 1 defeat by Italy.

[سمادول] France 98

This was Nigeria's second World Cup. Nigeria started out good in the group stages by defeating the Spaniards 3 - 2 and defeating Bulgaria by 1 - 0, but lost to Paraguay 3 - 1. Nigeria topped the group into the Round of 16, but failed to move on into the quarter- finals with a 4 - 1 defeat by Denmark.

[سمادول] Korea/Japan 2002

This was Nigeria's poorest World Cup outing; they were defeated in their first two games, but managed to get 1 point through a 0 - 0 draw with England.

[سمادول] Best International Outing

Nigeria's best outing was in the Atlanta 1996 Olympics defeating Brazil 4 -3 in the semi-finals and finishing with a 3 - 2 win over Argentina in the gold medal game.

[سمادول] Societal issues

Despite its vast government revenue from the mining of petroleum, Nigeria is beset by a number of societal problems due primarily to a history of inept governance. Some of these problems are listed below.

[سمادول] Crime

Nigeria is widely associated with international 419 scams or advance fee fraud, a fraudulent scheme to extract money from victims. The basic operation is the scammer contacts a potential victim (usually at random) by fax, e-mail or traditional paper mail, claiming to have an enormous amount of money that they are having trouble moving from one country to another. The reasons given vary widely, including war, political unrest, or economic necessity. The scammer flatters the victim, making it appear as if they have searched for and found the ideal partner who can be loyal and trusting. They ask to use the victim's bank account to transfer the money, and in return they will give the victim a significant portion of the fortune. People who respond to the scam are then told a fee (usually bank or customs) is necessary to complete the transaction, which the victim will need to pay. From there it is stretched out to however much money the victim supplies. The success rate for these scams can be as low as 1%, but with the Internet the scammers can send out an enormous number of contacts. Some victims have lost their entire savings, and a few who have traveled to Nigeria, either to confront the scammers or to further participate in it, have been killed.

The origin of the 419 scam is currently debated, but the term "419" is based on the section it is written under in Nigerian law (section 419). Many critics believe that the scam slowly began in Nigeria, possibly developing from earlier forms of fraud practised by Nigerian petroleum companies, criminal gangs, and government agencies in the 1970s or 1980s. The modern 419 scam well predated the widespread use of e-mail, and earlier variants were often sent via fax or even Telex. In recent years the 419ers as they are also known, have come to use the internet as a major tool for their scam, whereas before letters or phone calls were used. [6]

Another increasingly common aspect of internet crime that is strongly associated with Nigeria is romance scamming whereby victims are targeted on dating websites and internet chatrooms. The perpetrators are very presentable, claim to be westerners working or visiting Nigeria temporarily, usually post (stolen) photos of physically attractive individuals and can be incredibly charming, often persistently pursuing their victims for many months so as to induce feelings of love. Once in the romantic grip of the perpetrator, he (almost always a man)confesses that he cannot make the trip home to be united with his online lover for a wide range of reasons but mainly because he has not been able to cash his pay checks in Nigeria. They therefore request the victim to help them by cashing these checks and sending the money to Nigeria so as to to assist their beloved make it to them (victim). Of course the checks are either stolen or forged and the perpetrator never shows up and the victim is left with a broken heart and many thousands of pounds of debt.

A new version of scam, which so far has not been named, involves consumer goods for sale by private sellers at online websites, typically electronics like games or cameras. The seller is contacted and told the buyer is interested in purchasing the item for a friend (or relative, a wide variety of false pretenses are used) who is in Africa. The country turns out to almost invariably be Nigeria. If the buyer follows through, payment is typically made by a stolen credit card or false money order that bounces. Often the money order is for an amount greater than the purchase price, so that when the victim cashes it they send out both the item that was "purchased" and additional money.

More sophisticated schemes have the scammer issuing forged e-mails that appear to come from a payment service, promising payment once a shipment tracking number is supplied. Some scammers resort to outright extortion, claiming to have paid for an item that was never sold, and anticipating the seller will cave in to their demands.

The failure of the Federal Government to exercise effective law enforcement has led to the emergence of numerous popular vigilante groups. Some, such as the Bakassi Boys in southeastern Nigeria, enjoy the open endorsement of state governments.

[سمادول] Public health

While the HIV/AIDS rate in Nigeria is much lower compared to the other African nations, because of its large population, Nigeria has a much higher percentage of total HIV/AIDS patients worldwide as it currently the third highest in the world. [7] Nigeria, like many developing countries, also suffers from a Polio crises as well as periodic outbreaks of Cholera, Malaria, and Sleeping Sickness. As of 2004, there has been a vaccination drive spearheaded by the W.H.O to combat Polio and Malaria that was met with controversy in some regions. [8]

[سمادول] Environmental degradation

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[سمادول] Strife and sectarian violence

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Due to its multitude of diverse, sometimes competing ethno-linguistic groups, Nigeria has been beset since prior to independence with sectarian tensions and violence. This is particularly true in the oil-producing Niger Delta region, where both state and civilian forces employ varying methods of coercion in attempts gain control over regional petroleum resources. The civilian population, and especially certain ethnic groups like the Ogoni, has experienced severe environmental degradation due to petroleum extraction. However, when these groups have attempted to protest these injustices, they have been met with repressive measures by Nigerian government and military forces. As a result, strife and deterioration in this region continues as of 2006.

There are also significant tensions on a national scale, especially between the primarily Islamic, highly conservative northern population and the more liberal Christianized and indigenous groups who reside in the south. Extant animosity between major social groupings was exacerbated during the colonial era, as the British utilized divide and rule tactics to subdue and facilitate governance over a diverse and agitated population. Following the victory of the Nigerian state in the Nigerian Civil War during the 1960s, when the largely Igbo southeast attempted to secede and form the independent nation of Biafra.

Since the ending of the civil war in 1970, racial and religious violence has continued. Violence between Christians and Muslims (usually Igbo Christians and Hausa or Fulani Muslims) has been incessant.

In February 2006, Muslims in Northern Nigeria protesting caricatures of the Prophet Muhammed (published in Denmark, see: Jyllands-Posten Muhammed cartoons controversy) attacked Christians and burned churches in violence that left dozens dead or injured. A majority of the dead were Igbo's of Christian or Jewish extraction.

In 2004, in the city of Kano (Nigeria's largest Muslim city) angry young Muslim men attacked "nonbelievers" with machetes, while others burned cars, stores and apartments. The violence came hours after thousands of Muslim protesters — some carrying daggers, sickles and clubs — marched from the main mosque in the northern city. Muslim Hausa-speaking men armed with sticks, knives and clubs were searching cars for Christians and animists asking passengers to recite Muslim prayers.

In 2002, organisers of the Miss World Pageant announced that they would move the pageant from the Nigerian capital, Abuja, to London in the wake of violent protests in the Northern, Muslim part of the country that left more than 100 people dead and over 500 injured. The rioting erupted after a newspaper suggested the Prophet Muhammed would have approved of the Miss World beauty contest because the women looked "beautiful". The death toll in the town of Kaduna was an estimated 105 with a further 521 injured taken to hospital. Angry mobs in the mainly Muslim city 600 kilometres (375 miles) northwest of Lagos burnt Christian churches and rampaged through the streets stabbing, bludgeoning and burning bystanders to death.

[سمادول] Education

Main article: Education in Nigeria

Courtesy of the oil boom years of the 1970s, tertiary education was expanded to reach every subregion of Nigeria. The Federal Government and the State Governments were previously the only bodies licensed to operate universities in Nigeria. Recently, licenses have also been granted to individuals, corporate bodies and religious bodies to establish private universities in Nigeria. The National Universities Commission (NUC) is the major accreditation body that enforces uniform standard and sets admissions capacity of every university in Nigeria. List of Nigerian universities

[سمادول] References

[سمادول] External links

Government

• Nigerian Government official site
• National Population Commission of Nigeria

Nigerian Portals

• Nigerian Circle - Nigeria Discussions, Politics, Entertainment.

Non-Nigerian Overviews

• BBC Nigeria Profile - Nigeria
• CIA World Factbook - Nigeria
• US State Department — Nigeria includes Background Notes, Country Study and major reports
• Library of Congress Country Study
• Template:Wikitravel

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