NIGERIAN PEOPLES AND

GLOBAL CULTURE
GES 122
N
 THE CONCEPT OF CULTURE
CULTURE: According to E.B Tylor “ Culture is that complex
whole which includes knowledge, belief, art ,law, morals ,
custom and any other capabilities and habits acquired by a
man as a member of society
-it is the way of life of its members, the collection of ideas and
habits which they learn, share and transmit from one
generation to generation---Ralph Linton
-It is the pattern of behaviour and thinking that people living in
social group learn create and share.
-It distinguishes one group from another, and also humans
from animals because humans are able to construct pattern of
behaviour for themselves and able to transmit it from
generation to generation.
 CONCEPT OF CULTURE CONT……..
u It is also the characteristic of a particular people defined by everything
from language, religion, social habits, music, dance , beliefs ,values and
attitudes.
u People’s culture includes their belief, rule of behaviour , language,
rituals, arts , technology, styles of dress, ways of producing and cooking
food, religion, politics and economic systems.
u Culture is everything that gives a society its identity .e.g. Yoruba , Igbo,
Hausa
 CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTURE
u It is learnt: culture is not inherited but learnt, people are not born
with culture they learn it through socialization, for instance people
learn to speak and understand a language and able to abide by
the rules of the society, people learn how to cook, construct
shelter and also learn a skill to earn money.
u It is transmitted from one generation to another
u It is shared by members: Culture is social construct as it
involves interacting with people, people living together in a
society share culture e.g. people from different culture share their
food , dress, style and even celebrate same holidays , festival.
u It is idealistic
u It is adoptive
u It varies from society to society
u It is dynamic
u it is independent
 TYPES OF CULTURE

u Material Culture: man made objects that are visible and concrete
e.g. arts , dresses , tools, houses, devices and instruments
u
It represents the whole apparatus of life or civilization
u NON-MATERIAL CULTURE; It includes the concepts, ideas, values,
morals , attitude etc.
u They are non-concrete, intangible
 COMPONENTS OF CULTURE

u Ideas : this includes all our values, superstitions, myth,

beliefs of a particular society
u Norms : According to Donald Light Jr & S. Keller are rules
that guide behaviour in everyday situations and are derived
from values
u are standards of behaviour that are widely accepted or
which people are expected by others to follow.
u They are based on the way of behaving that are common
to all members of the society e.g respecting elders, washing
our hands before eating, paying your tax. Norms like ideas
differs from one society to another. It is also the formal rules
and regulations of a particular society
u FOLKWAYS :literally means the way of the people,
According to Gillin and Gillin ,it is the behaviour patterns of
everyday life, which unconsciously arises within a group
u A.W. Green def. it as the ways of acting that are common to
a society or a group that are handed down from one
generation to the next
u Lundberg sees it as the typical or habitual beliefs , attitudes,
styles of conduct observed within a group or community
u They are customary traits and ways of behaviour of people
that are binding.
u Conformity to folkways is expected but is not absolute i.e.
violation of which do not call for stringent actions e.g.
greetings , washing of hand before and after eating if you
do not do any of the above no policeman can arrest you
u MORES : are social norms that provide the moral standard
of the society . Rules of mores are taken seriously and
anyone who violates them are severely punished.
u According to Edward Sapir, mores connotes fairly strong
feeling of the rightness or wrongness of mode of behaviour,
it also determines what is moral or immoral, they spell out
to the members of a society what they must or not do .e.g.
you must not kill, steal, assault
u Mores can be positive or negative; the positive provides
instruction and guidance for the people to behave in a
particular way e.g. giving respect to elder while the negative
one prescribes which they should not exhibit through
behaviour
u Beliefs : it is a conviction, that a particular thing is true. It
influences human actions and vital for human relation
E.g. .the belief in the existence of unseen power
u Belief in reincarnation
u Belief in the existence of hell and heaven
u Belief in the theory of nemesis(goddess of vengeance).
u All these beliefs help in shaping human behaviour in that
any wrong doing will be punished appropriately and this has
helped in social control
u Customs: these are the long established habits use by the
people to regulate social life
u The uniform socially approved ways of acting which are
passed from one generation to next------- Anderson
u Practices that have been repeated by a multitude of
generations and people tend to follow it because it was
followed from the past….Kinsley David

u They are accepted by the society because they have been

passed from one generation to the other
u LAWS: According to Roscue Pound law is an authoritative
canon of values laid down by forces of politically organized
society
u Ian Robertson def. law as rule formally enacted by political
authority and is backed by the power of the state
u Significance of laws
Eliminates the homicidal activities of individuals
Helps individual to respect the rights of others
Protects the individuals and the society
Promotes social welfare
u VALUE : it is a belief that something is good and desirable
u It defines what is important, worthwhile and worth striving for…Michael
H
u It is a cultural standard which are desirable for organized social life. It is
also provides general guidelines for the behaviour of the people, it is
the part of culture that explains the way, social processes that operates
in a given society. e.g. individual achievement and materialism is a
major value in the western industrial society hence the belief of
individuals to desire to be at the top in the class , profession and in
their various callings.
u Values vary from society to society. E.g. respect for elders, democracy,
respect for fundamental human rights, religious, patriotism
u Values maintains stability and uniformity in group interaction
u SUPERSTITION :A widely held but irrational belief
in supernatural influences.
u TABOOS: anything – place ,food, activity that is
forbidden
u A social or religious custom prohibiting or
restricting a particular practice or forbidding
association with a particular person ,place or thing.
e.g. incest
 ORIGIN AND THE SOCIO-POLITICAL
ORGANISATION OF THE KANURI
u The kingdom of kanuri (Kanem-Bornu) was one of the earliest
kingdoms in the Nigeria area(10th century). According to tradition,
Kanem-Bornu was founded by Saif, it is from the name of this
dynasty ancestor that the term Saifawa was used for the
members of the kanuri ruling family.
u The kanuri kingdom was a centralized state ruled by a king called
Mai.
u The kanuri kingdom was first was first to record Islamic presence
in Nigeria.
u Kanem-Bornu reached the peak of its power under the rulership
of Mai Idris Aloma in the 16th century and that kingdom was
crumbled by the European imperialism.
ORIGIN AND THE SOCIO-POLITICAL
ORGANISATION OF THE HAUSA
u The Hausa states were founded by the descendants of a legendary
leader called Bayajida. According to tradition, Bayajida was a warrior
who fled from Baghdad (Iraq) his homeland and travelled to Kanem-
Bornuand then to Daura in Hausa land. He killed a snake in Daura
which had often deprived the inhabitants of the use of the town well.
u The queen of Daura married Bayajida in gratitude for his valiant effort.
The union produced a son called Bawo whose 6 sons established the
original Hausa state of Daura, Kastina, kano, Rano ,Zazzau and
Gobir and the 7th state of Biram was established by another son of
Bayajida through an earlier marriage to the daughter of the Mai of
Kanam-Bornu. These states were known as the Hausa Bakwai
u Advancing his sexual prowess, Bayajida gave birth to
additional 7 children through concubines. The 7 children
established the 7 Hausa-Banza state (Bastard) states of
Zamfara, Nupe ,and Oyo-Yoruba
u The Hausa kingdom is a centralised state . The earliest
Hausa ruler was called HABE. However , the 1804 jihad
and its attendant Fulani imperialism in Hausa land led to
establishment of the Caliphate system government headed
by an Emir.
 ORIGIN AND THE SOCIO-POLITICAL
ORGANISATION OF THE FULANI
u The Fulani people are transnational ethnic group spread across the
entire West-African Savanna region.
u In Nigerian, the Fulani people lives across the Northern region. The
original home of the Fulani is Senegal River valley area where they
were derived from the hybridization of indigenous Negroid race and
Berber immigrants
u The 12th century witnessed the earliest exodus of the from their
original home to other parts of West –Africa.
u The Fulani can be divided into 2 , the sedentary (town) Fulani who are
usually Islamic Scholars and Pastoral nomadic Fulani (Cattle Fulani ).
u The word Fulani is a Hausa designation. The people refer to
themselves as FULO in the singular and FULBE in plural while the term
Fulfulde or fula is used to refer to their language
u The Fulani society is based on centralised system of govt centred
religious aristocracy.
 TRADITIONAL-POLITICAL HIERACHY IN
NORTHERN NIGERIA
u Traditional leader--Emir
u Council Members-Magajin-Gari, Galadima ,Sardauna, Waziri,
Madawaki
u District Head –Hakimi
u Village Head –Ubankasa
u Ward Head – Mai –Anguwa
u Family Household-Gida is the basic social unit headed by a male
u Settlement –Gari
u Communities-garuruwa
u City –Birni
u Caliphate system- is the structure of govt that reinforces the rural-urban
talakawa-Sarauta relation of exploitation
 MARRIAGE IN HAUSA CULTURE

u Marriage is a socio-cultural and religious obligation in Hausa society

u There 2 types of marriage pattern in Hausa society:
u 1. Auren Budurwa (Virgin-girl marriage)
u 2. Auren Bazawara (Any marriage after the first marriage)
u The Father has the right to choose partner for their daughters without
their consent.
u Acceptance of the bride price by the brides family is very important.
u There is a short courtship
u If there are 2 or more suitors, there will be competition that is guided
strictly by cultural prescription (usually Islamic)
u MARRIAGE TYPES
u Traditional/Bethrotal Marriage
u Modern Marriage (Fathia) Sadaaki-monetary gift for the girl is essential.
u HouseHold Pattern :Neo/Viri local and men are permitted to be
polygyny
u Descent- Patrilineal
u Authority- Patriarchy
MARRIAGE IN FULANI CULTURE

u Marriage is endogamous in nomadic Fulani, it is a marriage btw first

cousins. This they belief to enhance group integration. Sadaaki – young
cow.(Betrothal marriage ). In the past Sharo( Public flogging ) is
necessary ,to ensure that the male suitor is able to endure and take care of
his wife
u There four types of marriage in Fulani society:
u 1. Koggai- Pibol-Child marriage or Child bethrotal- an under-aged girl is
given out in marriage to an eually young boy . The boy’s father a bull
referred to as Ngari-Koggal.
u 2. koggai Yilde: this an ideal marriage of 2 consented adults
u 3. koggai Siiri: this is elopement/Secret/Kidnap Marriage though done with
the lady’s consent.
u 4. Escape Marriage: this is when a woman is tired of her new husband ,
she may decide to return to her former husband or take a third husband as
a way of escape and once the new husband provides a cow for , then the
marriage is sealed.
 ORIGIN AND THE SOCIO-POLITICAL
ORGANISATION OF THE YORUBA
u The history of the Yoruba people is divided into 2 versions namely:
u 1. Autochthonous version
u 2. Migratory Version
u According to the autochthonous version, the Almighty God decided to
send some of His messengers to create the world and they included
Obatala and 16 oye. They were given 5 pieces of iron, a lump of earth
tied to a white piece of cloth , and a cockerel. Somewhere on their way
to the world , the leader, Obatala, got drunk with palm wine . Oduduwa
seized the symbol of authority from him and eventually known as Oke
Oramfe in ile –Ife.
u On arrival at the site , Oduduwa set down the five pieces of ironand
placed the lump of earth on them. The cockerel then spread its toes on
the earth . As a result, the earth was formed and Oduduwa became the
first ruler , it was from this location in ife that he established other
Yoruba settlements.(Akinjogbin and Ayandele,1980 ).
CONT…..

u MIGRATORY VERSION: Traced the origin of group the outside the

present Yoruba culture area. According to Johnson (1921), the Yoruba
originally came from Mecca in the Middle-East. They said to have
sprung from lamurudu, one of the kings of Mecca whose off-spring as
Oduduwa , the ancestor of the ancestor of the Yoruba people.
According to this tradition , the crown prince of Oduduwa relapsed into
idolatry during his father’s reign nd as he wielded great power and
influence. In desperate attempt to transform the state religion of Islam
to paganism, he was vanquished, his fther Lamurudu was killed and his
son Okanbi died in the saga leaving behind s 7 princes and
Princesses. Thus Oduduwa was expelled from Mecca where, where
he traveled to ile –ife to established the Yoruba nation (Johnson,1921:4-
7).
u Okanbi the first born was a princess who was married to a priest, and
became the mother of the Olowu, the ancestor of the Owu people.
CONT……….
u The 2nd child was also princess who became the mother of the Alaketu,
the progenitor of the ketu people .
u The 3rd child a prince became the king of Benin people.
u The 4th child Orangun became the king of Ila.
u 5th the Onisabe king of Sabe
u 6th the Olupopo king of the Popos
u The 7th and the last born, Oranyan was the king of
Oyo(Johnson,1921:7-8)
u The Yoruba practices a centralized system of govt presided by an Oba
(king) and advisory council of chiefs.