Fun Facts About Nigeria – Birthplace of Hakeem Olajuwon!
Welcome to Nigeria-A Multicultural Country in Africa
Hakeem Olajuwon
Did you know- Nigerian-born Hakeem Abdul Olajuwon is the “second-best player in the world” in the words of George Karl, former coach of the United States Men’s National Team. Like Sade (singer) and Wole Soyinka (1986 Nobel Prize), Mr Olajuwon is an idol in Nigeria. He once said, “I do not like it when TV only shows the bad things and then say, ‘This Lagos’ (Nigeria’s former capital). There are bad things, sure, but in Lagos we have designer clothes, big buildings, videos, and many other things that people enjoy in America. TV doesn’t show that, and I get tired of trying to explain it”.
Geography
Did you know– The modern country of Nigeria, once the seat of an ancient kingdom, is located on the southern coast of western Africa. This former British colony is bordered by Benin (known as Dahomey until 1972) to the West, Niger (ex French colony) to the north, Chad (former French colony) and Cameroon (former French & British territory) to the East, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It is an African country of considerable contrasts: It is home to mangrove swamps, plateaus, semideserts, and tropical rainforests. Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria, but Lagos, former capital, is the largest city.
Independence
Did you know- On October 1, 1960, Nigeria, after a 102-year European occupation, became an independent country within the British Commonwealth.
Nigeria & USA
Did you know- Abuja and Washington have maintained excellent diplomatic ties. Under this context, America’s leader Jimmy Carter visited the African country in 1978. Subsequently, on August 24, 2000, Lagos was visited by Bill Clinton.
Population
Did you know- The English-speaking country is the ten-largest country in population in the world, with 154 million people. About 50 percent of the population is Muslim. At least 1.5 millions Nigerians live in abroad, 70% of them in Western Europe
Democracy
Did you know- The 38-year of military rule ended in 1998 when Olusegun Obasanjo won the country’s first free elections. In the subsequent years, Nigeria, an oil-rich country, became a democratic state.
United Nations
Did you know- After independence, on October 7, 1960, the country joined the United Nations. Post 1960, it was one of the anti-apartheid leaders on Earth.
International Awards
Did you know- At the end of 1986, Wole Soyinka became the first black author to win a Nobel Prize for Africa. Indeed, Mr. Soyinka was one of sub-Saharan Africa’s well-known novelists in the latter half of the past century. In addition to his career as novelist, he was a prominent campaigner for democracy and human rights on the African mainland in the 70s and 80s.
Soccer
Did you know- The 1999 FIFA Under-20 World Cup was held in Nigeria an event that was the envy of the rest of the world. In fact, this is the largest soccer tournament to be held in Nigeria.
Tourism
Did you know- From a culturally perspective Nigeria is a notable place with over 100 ethnic groups. Apart from that, the English-speaking country is interesting in terms of its biodiversity: there are many national parks and wildlife sanctuaries; lions, elephants, wild birds and reptiles all populated these national parks. In addition, its capital, Abuja, is one of sub-Saharan Africa’s most modern cities. Music is also one of the main activities of the nation, birthplace of Sade, one of the world’s most successful female singers. Finally, it also has spectacular architectural sites: the Osun-Sogbo Sacred Grove, a World Heritage Site, is one of the most visited scenic places in Nigeria.
Famous Visitors
Did you know- In the early 1980s, Pope John Paul visited Nigeria.
george clothing
