Nigeria Into North And South example essay topic

Aliens in Nigeria Africans have been migrating through out the continent, including Nigeria, long before there was even written record. Because of this, there has always been an extensive amount of inter-mingling between various ethnic groups, making it difficult to actually trace back who came from where. Aside from this amalgamation, there has been a huge impact on the peoples of Nigeria by outside forces. In particular, three major groups that had a major impact were Muslim merchants from across the Sahara, British slave traders and eventual colonizers, and the French and British Christian missionaries. The combination of these three groups has had both an economic and cultural impact on Nigeria that is still present today. External penetration of Nigeria started as early as the 9th century AD when Muslim merchants from western Sudan, Maghreb, Tripolitan ia and Egypt started traveling across the Sahara with camel caravans in search of trade.

Over the course of the next six centuries, Islam became accepted widely in the north, especially among the Hausa and Fulani, and not only as a religion. It also imposed a central government, segregated the sexes, influenced language and script, and established a hierarchical class system that was not there beforehand. Islam did not spread south because of the dense tropical forest that divides Nigeria into north and south. This also caused the two regions to "develop" at different rates because while the south was still alien to Europeans, the north was expanding culturally and economically because of its deep involvement with the trans-Sahara trade routes. The peoples of the south remained untouched by Europeans until the 1470's when Portuguese explorers, under the inspiration and guidance of Henry the Navigator, arrived and traded spirits, cloth, guns and gunpowder for slaves.

The Portuguese did not really have much of a cultural effect on the indigenous people (besides the slowly diminishing population). This is because they rarely traveled farther than the coast, if they even left the ships. Eventually the British ships were dropping anchor along Nigeria's coast after Britain realized the extent of the profits the Portuguese were making and what they could reap from slavery. By 1712 they had established a slave monopoly along the west coast.

Chiefs and African slave traders brought slaves to ship side in exchange for European trinkets. Most of the leading European nations were involved in the slave trade, especially after the discovery of America and the establishment of Spanish colonies in the West Indies, which greatly increased the demand for slaves to work on the new cotton plantations. Nigeria became known as the "Slave Coast" until the middle of the nineteenth century. Characteristics traceable to Yoruba culture have been found in communities of African descent in Brazil, Cuba and in the West Indies.

Also, many of the Creoles of Freetown, Sierra Leone, are descendants of early Yoruba freed slaves. Even after the British supposedly abolished slavery in 1807, slavery merely stopped becoming an export but was replaced by forced labor to work for cultivating groundnuts, palm oil and gathering ivory. Also, during this "abolishment", the Portuguese came back to trade of slaves and pick up where the British left off. During the 400 years that the population was being depleted and controlled by Britain, Europe had gone through its agricultural, industrial and intellectual revolutions.

Not only were Europeans interested in the cash value of Africans, but they also wanted their souls. Missionaries, unlike traders, did not just stick to port towns, rail and river lines or commercial centers. They went out of their way to penetrate the most remote parts of Nigeria's interior. Catholic Missionaries arrived in Benin, a bordering country of Nigeria, in 1516 and were there until 1688 but their initial efforts failed to make a lasting impression. In 1841 missionaries tried again and eventually became successful with many Yoruba people and especially with the Ibo and peoples in the middle belt.

It is somewhat of a miracle they were even slightly successful, as conditions of conversion went against so many aspects of traditional life. People had to abandon dance, marriage dowry, polygamy, secret societies, ancestor worship, shamanism, semi-nudity, African names and traditional funeral ceremonies. By the end of World War I, there were fifteen European and American evangelical groups, consisting of about 600 missionaries, assisted by about 5000 Nigerians, operating in southern Nigeria and in the middle belt, establishing about 3000 churches. Apparently missionaries found Africans to be more appealing than people with globally recognized religions. They felt "the exceptional stubbornness of Islam and the strong resistance of Hinduism in India, of Confucianism in China, and Buddhism in Burma, Ceylon, and Japan, made pagan Africa appear especially inviting as a mission field". It wasn't the dense forest that kept the missionaries out of the north like it did with the slave merchants.

It was Islam. The missionaries did help the people to some extent. The schools they set up created an increasing number of educated people who would make up a class of Nigerian elite. These elites had an advantage when dealing with Europeans because they were able to read contracts and understand what the British were saying. Many political leaders that led the resistance against Britain and worked towards independence were graduates of missionary schools.

Graduates of missionary schools also made up the first "middle class" of Nigeria. As Britain was trying to gain more control over the people and the economy of the country, they ran into some resistance. In the south they had fought many wars, especially with the Ij ebu (a Yoruba group), the Aro of eastern Igboland and the Ani ocha of western Igboland. The British used forceful tactics and heavy armament against the resistance, destroying homes, roads and farms. A lot of Nigerians resorted to migration when fighting didn't work.

It is ironic how when one country tries to take over another in a forceful manner, it is met by some form of resistance but if the country introduces itself through trade it is accepted with open arms. The Muslims did not intend to rule over anyone. They were there to make deals and trade goods. Muslim conversion was gradual and voluntary and spanned over six centuries. There is little evidence about wars between Muslims and Nigerians. Also, many Nigerians are proud to be part of the Muslim culture in the north, even if they are from the south, because of its historical tradition, distinctive architecture, useful language, Islamic faith and because it is an alternative to white European culture.

The British were the ones that forcefully took people's land and family members. They were accepted at first, but they betrayed the trust of the people and exploited them for Britain's gain for over 400 years. Many educated Nigerians today feel that if it weren't for the slave trade and colonialism, they would be living in a much more modern and progressive country at this time. It is no wonder that they resent the British.