Essay Example on Nigeria: 2500 Years of History and the Birth of a Name

Introduction

Archaeological evidence shows that Nigeria is a diverse home of societies and communication media for several years exceeding 2500 years, and the borders in the modern time were never created until the consolidation of the colonial power by the British in the year 1914. The name ''Nigeria'' was proposed by a journalist from British (Flora Shaw) in the 1890s (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018). The term Nigeria was given after river Niger, which dominates a large area of the landscape of the country. Niger is a Latin word for black (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018).

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Ideally, more than two hundred and fifty ethnic tribes live in present-day Nigeria. The most dominant and largest three groups are the Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa (Anyasor & Umeadi, 2017). There are also other groups, including the Ijaw, Fulani, Ibibio, Kanuri, Edo, and Tiv. The ethnic groups in Nigeria had independent and separate histories before the European conquest (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018). The single identity is known as Nigeria as a group, as a function of the British colonizers.

Additionally, the different ethnic groups never looked at themselves as belonging to a single uniform culture (Anyasor & Umeadi, 2017). The absence of nationalism in Nigeria, together with frequent change in ethnic-based leadership of the nation, has caused numerous ethnic conflicts and civil war within Nigeria as a nation. Currently, there are still bloody confrontations among ethnic groups.

The Communication Pattern of Culture in Nigeria

Based on the differences in ethnicity in the county, the communication patterns vary. For example, the population of the Yoruba in the southwest, the communication employs sayings, proverbs, and also songs to pass the meaning of the item being said (Anyasor & Umeadi, 2017). This is commonly portrayed when speaking the native language, although the majority of similar characteristics are used in the English language. The Yoruba mostly employ humor to avoid boredom at the time of in-depth discussions or long meetings, arguing that embedding humor in the communication confirms that the said item is not easily forgotten.

Values

Age is highly valued in Nigeria. Areas where there is no very high average age expectancy, those living their senior years are considered to have earned an exclusive right of admiration and respect in both women and men (Muhammad, 2016). Greetings are socially valuable. Long well wishes and handshakes for counterpart families and proper health are valued when meeting with others. That happens even when there is an abrupt meeting with that person. It is, therefore, rude when one does not have proper greetings with others, even if in business situations like banks. Eating, shaking hands, passing items with the left sides are unacceptable.

Language

The official language in Nigeria is English employed in government interactions and schools of the state (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018). The unofficial country's second language is Hausa. The non-ethnic Hausas in northern Nigeria do speak both their tribal language and the Hausa. The dominating indigenous language to southern Nigeria is the Igbo and Yoruba. Before colonization, the Igbo and Yoruba were the unifying languages (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018). Due to expansion by the British and the missionary schools in the southern part of Nigeria, English has emerged the most common word to people in the nation (Anyasor & Umeadi, 2017). The pidgin, which is a mixture of English and African languages, is also typical in southern Nigeria. It involves the use of words in English mixed into Igbo and Yoruba grammar structures.

Architecture

Architecture in Nigeria is also diverse as the people of Nigeria (Uchenna, 2019). Rural areas have designed houses to suit the living environment of the people. The Ijo was living in the Niger Delta region with scarce drylands. As a result, most of the Ijo homes are made on stilts over swamps and creeks accompanied with travel in between them done by boat (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018). Woods and bamboo construct them while the roof made using fronds from raffia palms. The structures are very airy to facilitate the escape of heat and smoke from cooking fires.

Furthermore, the Igbo houses are constructed using bamboo flame attached with vines, muds, and covered using the leaves of the banana tree (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018). They usually blend well with the forest of the surrounding. Traditionally, women and men used to live in separate houses. Various architectures to the north are heavily influenced by the culture of the Muslim, accompanied by geometric homes, mud-walled structures, decorations, and Muslim markings (Chiekezie, 2017). The Hausa are building several small huts and large walled housings with abundant compounds. The point of entry is through a large shelter constructed into the compound wall, usually considered to be the father's hut or the head of the mixture.

Nigerian Art

Traditionally, Nigerian art served as a religious and social role. For example, dance was employed to facilitate teaching and to meet ritualistic goals (Chiekezie, 2017). Sculptures were used rituals of healings, blessings, and in warding off bad luck. Modernization has led to the work of art in Nigeria being less oriented to a specific role. In some cases, Nigerian has ignored forms of art since they no longer serve a purpose. For instance, the tombstones produced by the Ibibio are becoming rare as they are replaced by the cemeteries of the western people instead of the traditional burring grounds.

Comparing the Nigerian Group Via Media Channels, U.S. Media

In Nigerian culture, the social function of the media is connected to the ideological thoughts of a political dimension to facilitate consensus to favor the ideology of the nation (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018). There is, therefore, a subsequent role the U.S. media plays besides their role as legislative power instruments. Additionally, other development aspects as assigned by society to other national media concerning socio-economic development priorities such as literacy of the adults increase in levels of productivity in agriculture, social welfare promotion, and health of the population (Adegoke & Steyn, 2018).

As a political sovereignty symbol and tools for the cohesion of the nation, radio, newspaper, tv have been purveyors of development and education (Muhammad, 2016). However, problems like shedding the pro-government image of media, assumption of the more people-centered roles, and articulating the views of the people to the government, fortunately, despite the severe problems, the media have played a role in fashioning out African's new consciousness. People are so proud of their heritage (Muhammad, 2016).

Impacts of Media on Intercultural Interaction

There has been a significant impact depending on different aspects of intercultural interaction in the global context, such as cross-cultural adaptations, intercultural conflicts, and cross-cultural relationships.

Intercultural Relationships

Social media such as blogs, MySpace, YouTube, and Face book, among others, have facilitated the particular presentation of people from all corners of the world. They ensure connection in cyberspace (Uchenna, 2019). The level of flexibility of information presented and the sharing of information in the media either impact positively or negatively on the intellectual relationship of development in the society by the creation of personal connection networks. The use of blogging affects both undoubtedly the rational relationship development and also increase the participation level of intellectual competition in communication (Uchenna, 2019). Also, on a personal level, the media helps the establishment of internal relationships in business

Nevertheless, media harms intercultural communication. Revealing more than enough information in blogs, more so negative information of an employer or friend, causes problems building constructive cross-cultural and intercultural relationships (Chiekezie, 2017). Intercultural Adaptation

Media facilitates the exchange of messages globally between individuals to understand people from different cultures, and it has become a big issue for immigrants to use media to pass information to friends, classmates, and family members in both host and native countries in the process of leaning (Chiekezie, 2017). Additionally, the interaction in social media between immigrants shows critical approval in the determination of the successful adjustment to the host country.

Intercultural Conflict

The social media provide both the government and people with an analytical instrument to construct their image to redefine and define messages, media agenda setting, and to flame the messages or news (Muhammad, 2016). Whereas, dissimilarities in culture lead to different media representation on the government and individual level, the perspective, underlying order, and practical media limitations in every society are based on the value orientation of the cultures. There is a reflection of the asymmetry of intercultural communication (Muhammad, 2016). This would result in the problem of conflict or intercultural confrontation among the groups, the national level, or an individual.

Conclusion

Cultural development is made possible by communication that also ensures the transmission of culture from one generation to another. Difficulties occur in the communication process due to differences in beliefs, values, and languages, among others involved. Nigeria is estimated to have above 350 diverse styles and around 250 different ethnic groups living within the geographical extent.

References

Adegoke, C., & Steyn, M. (2018). Yoruba culture and the resilience of HIV-positive adolescent girls in Nigeria. Culture, Health & Sexuality, 20(11), 1287-1298. doi: 10.1080/13691058.2017.1422806

Anyasor, O., & Umeadi, N. (2017). Consumer Perception of Mobile Advertising Values and their Attitude Towards Mobile Advertising in Anambra State, Nigeria. International Journal Of Trend In Scientific Research And Development, Volume-1(Issue-5), 126-140. doi: 10.31142/ijtsrd150

Chikezie, O. (2017). Maintenance Culture And Performance Of Selected Manufacturing Firms In Benue State, Nigeria. Archives Of Business Research, 5(3). doi: 10.14738/abr.53.2803

Kashim, I., Ologunwa, T., & Ogunlade, B. (2014). Sustainable Hausa Design, Culture, and Usability: A Reflection on the Art of Northern Nigeria. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 1(5), 51-64. doi: 10.14738/assrj.15.78

Muhammad, I. (2016). Towards Building a Holistic Perception of Waqf Culture Among the Hausa in North West Zone, Nigeria. SSRN Electronic Journal. doi: 10.2139/ssrn.2817829

Uchenna Agbedo, C. (2019). Dynamics of Language and Culture as a Paradigm for Interrogating Igbo Identity. Macrolinguistics, 7(10), 116-127. doi: 10.26478/ja2019.7.10.8