Nigerian families. Nigeria: how the elite, hipsters and the “middle class” live in Nigeria, people’s lives today now
The countries of the African continent are both frightening and alluring. Many stories and legends are told about them. But, be that as it may, some Russians go to Nigeria to make money. Life in Nigeria seems much more tempting to them. And to check this, it is necessary to study this issue in detail.
Panoramic view of the most Big city in Nigeria - Lagos
Nigeria is a country that is superior in its development to many countries on the African continent. But, nevertheless, it is inferior to . Many compatriots go to Nigeria in the hope of earning fabulous money. Even an ordinary tourist needs to visit this African country.
Of course, according to those who were there, in a day in Nigeria it is possible to get as much as in our country they sometimes pay for a month. But the coin has two sides. Therefore, in addition to financial enrichment, it is worth turning your attention to the other side.
Those who came to this country at least once could not help but notice its originality. And the point here is not a difference in mentality. Nigeria is a country with strong national traditions. Because what seems “out of the ordinary” in Russia will find approval in Nigeria.
Road traffic in Nigeria
It is worth noting a few details that will say much more about Nigeria than a scientific work written in ornate language.
As you can see, Nigeria is a country of atypical features. Therefore, when coming here, you need to respect traditions. Otherwise, there is a high risk of incurring the wrath of local residents.
How to obtain Nigerian citizenship
For those who permanently decided to move here for permanent residence in 2019, the question of obtaining citizenship is extremely relevant. After all, with a residence permit, it is quite difficult for a foreigner in this country to find a prestigious job and receive high-quality medical care in the most emergency case. But, one way or another, the procedure for recognizing a foreigner as a citizen of the country is complex. And not everyone who comes to work can do it.
This is what a Nigerian passport looks like
- A citizen of Nigeria can be someone who has at least one parent who is a citizen of this country. IN in this case The “soil principle” is not even that important - when a child was born here and became a citizen. In this case, belonging to the country through parents is simply necessary.
- You can become a citizen of Nigeria after marrying a native resident of the country. Only here it is important to take into account the fact that in Nigeria there is no concept of “ Double citizenship" In other words, if a Russian woman marries a Nigerian citizen, she will need to renounce Russian citizenship. This is a prerequisite for obtaining Nigerian citizenship.
- Another important point is that in order to obtain Nigerian citizenship, you need to live in this country for 15 years and have a good knowledge of traditions, language, and culture. And only after this there is a real opportunity to become a full citizen.
Example of a Nigerian Digital ID
Taxes in Nigeria: how they are paid here
The taxation system in the country was formed during the times of British imperialism. Since then, the taxation system in Nigeria has undergone some changes. But the essence remains the same. Therefore, based on this, there are 2 types of taxes in Nigeria.
- Real tax. This group of fees includes the payment to the state of funds from what is owned by a citizen. For example, tax on land, transport, real estate;
- Private. This includes payments from what a citizen received as a gift or inheritance.
As you can see, the taxation system in Nigeria has its own characteristics. And those who decided to come here to get a job should take this circumstance into account. After all, he will be in the same demand as others.
The African state of Nigeria is located in the western part of the continent. Due to its large population, Nigeria is called "giant of Africa", despite the fact that this state occupies only 14th place in terms of area. Another interesting fact is that about 16% of all indigenous Africans live in Nigeria.
Islam, Protestantism and Catholicism are common in the country.
Nigeria ranks second in the world in the number of feature films produced, second only to India (see also: Beautiful Actresses of Bollywood) and ahead of the United States (see also: Beautiful Actresses of Hollywood). The Nigerian film industry is called Nollywood, similar to Hollywood. Football is rightfully recognized as the national sport in Nigeria.
Nigerian women They are usually distinguished by their dark skin color, in contrast to Ethiopians or Angolese women.
IN Top 18 most beautiful Nigerian women included famous singers, actresses, models, winners of beauty contests who have Nigerian roots and reside in Nigeria or outside the country.
18.Eva Alordiah / Eva Alordiah(born August 13, 1988, Abuja, Nigeria) is a Nigerian rapper, singer, dancer and model.
17. Chidinma / Chidinma- Nigerian singer and songwriter.
16. Adeola Ariyo / Adeola Ariyo- Canadian model of Nigerian origin.
15. Toke Makinwa- Nigerian media personality, radio host, vlogger.
14.Damilola Adegbite / Damilola Adegbite(born May 18, 1985 Lagos, Nigeria) is a Nigerian actress, model and TV personality.
13. Enuka Okuma(born September 20, 1976 Vancouver, Canada) is a Canadian actress of Nigerian origin. Known for the TV series: “Grey’s Anatomy”, “Security Guard”, “Lawyer Practice”, “NCIS: Los Angeles”, “Rookie Cops”, etc.
12.Omowunmi Akinnifesi is a Nigerian businesswoman and environmental ambassador. Winner of the national competition "The most beautiful girl Nigeria 2005".
11. Aminat Ayinde- Nigerian model, participant of the 12th cycle of the show "America's Next Top Model".
9. Chinenye Akinlade- winner of the competition "Miss Nigeria 2002".
8. Tiwa Savage(born February 5, 1980 Lagos, Nigeria) is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and actress.
6. Megalyn Echikunwoke(born May 28, 1983, USA) - American television actress, has Nigerian roots on her father's side. She is known for her roles in the TV series “The 4400” and “CSI: Miami.” In 2012, she starred in the series Made in Jersey, which was canceled after two episodes.
4. Adaora Akubilo / Adaora Akubilo(born 1993) - American model of Nigerian origin.
3. Oluchi Onweagba(born August 1, 1980) - Nigerian model.
2. Genevieve Nnaji / Genevieve Nnaji(born May 3, 1979, Mbaise, Nigeria) is a Nigerian model, actress and singer. They call it behind the scenes "African Julia Roberts".
1. Agbani Darego(born September 22, 1982 Abonnema, Nigeria) - Nigerian model, became the first black African to be crowned Miss World. Agbani is the winner of several competitions: "Miss Nigeria 2001", "Miss World 2001", where she also won the title "Miss World Africa 2001". At the competition "Miss Universe 2001" entered Top 10 finalists.
The people of Nigeria are probably the most incomprehensible people, since a huge number of changes have occurred in the country, huge number different cultures have influenced the lives of people, so that at present, the original, cultural and traditional way of life of real Nigerians has hardly been preserved.
Nigeria is one of the countries that was originally a place where slaves were driven to work from the most different countries, and also used the country's indigenous people as labor.
Different cultures and traditions mixed, new cultures and religions were introduced. No matter what changes occurred in the life of the people of Nigeria, Nigerians were able to maintain their national traditions and carry them through all the difficulties of life, preserve and honor them to this day.
It was believed that African culture had already lost its original appearance and was on the verge of complete extinction, but it turned out that this was not so. In some places it has even been preserved appearance fishing nets and fishing techniques, African traditions in cooking are also noticeable.
Some woodwork, metal and ceramic objects resemble in style the works of individual tribes. All this suggests that not some individual elements tribes, their cultures, and the common African heritage is preserved.
In Nigeria, elements of religious beliefs have been preserved, this was greatly influenced by immigrants, of whom there were more than enough throughout the history of the country, who came to Nigeria from all over the world.
Due to the fact that religious traditions have been preserved in Nigeria, many Nigerians have now turned to Islam, because at a certain period of time it was Islam that became practically the only world religion.
Islam spread over a large area and many came under the influence of this powerful religion. Many Nigerian Muslims adhere to the moral code of Islam more strictly than actual true Muslims, although this is not clear because Nigerians used to embrace Islam only in order to be free.
When it comes to family, Nigerians are characterized by family solidarity. It is a characteristic of Nigerians that they believe that a person’s security depends on family, and not on material well-being.
If the whole family is always together, and family ties are always preserved, then each person in the family can count on the support of relatives, and also, if the family is supported by each of its members, it will always be prosperous, and love will always reign in the family. In most countries, if a family has a very difficult financial situation, this often leads, on the contrary, to quarrels in the family.
It turns out that for Nigerians who did not have any material possessions and who, in principle, did not have to worry about feelings of attachment to the family, even then the family remained a source of strength and unity for them.
Even when the slave trade was prevalent in the country and parents were separated from their children, this system only separated the biological family, but the attachment to the family never ceased.
Nigerians today, for the most part, do not really want to be individualists and strive to imitate Western cultures and trends in everything. Traditions and real views on the life of the Nigerian people are beginning to lose their meaning; Nigerians want to be like all other civilized people.
By accepting this or that religion, they try to imitate other Western countries that preach these religions. Those who embrace Christianity become ardent Catholics, while Nigerians who embrace Islam become true and demanding Muslims.
Even family relationships in Nigeria have undergone significant changes and persist today only in very remote rural areas. Nigerian families are not large, but more or less close relatives always remain in touch with each other, and the family often gets together.
However, even if we take into account the fact that Nigerians forget their traditions, they still appear at such moments as, for example, wedding ceremonies and birthdays.
Nowadays in Nigeria, in some more civilized areas, one can observe ordinary families that combine the traditions of the Nigerian people along with some signs of modernity. Parents and their children live in the same house, and often their parents’ parents also live with them.
The older generation in Nigeria is treated with great respect, so parents can often live with their children for quite a long time. Sometimes younger children simply stay at their parents' house in order to provide them with all possible support.
In those families where they try by any means to preserve the traditions of the people, children are passed on all the knowledge and skills that parents also adopted from their ancestors. Children are raised quite strictly; they try to instill in them such character traits as respect for their parents and love for their ancestors and relatives.
In Nigeria, in families where they adhere to modern views on life, children enjoy greater freedom, although they are not particularly pampered. Stronger family relationships between parents and children in Muslim Nigerian families.
Here children are completely subordinate to the will of their parents and must honor and respect their fathers. Particular attention is paid to boys here, as you would expect from a real Muslim family. Boys were supposed to later become the successors of the family and the head of the family, so only men were involved in their upbringing.
As for girls, their responsibilities include keeping the house in order, they must look after the household, help their mother raise younger children, and simply obey the will of their parents. The girl in the family did not matter much, because in due time she would leave home, get married, and begin to belong to another family.
Moving
If four years ago you would have told me that I would soon find myself in Africa, I would have just laughed. Frankly, I wanted to work in some exotic place, but this thought quickly evaporated without acquiring clear outlines. And when in December 2013 I was invited to an interview with a construction company recruiting employees to work in Nigeria, I agreed. Three days later they called me back and informed me that I had been accepted.
All I knew about Nigeria was that it was one of the most dangerous countries Africa, and that expats are being kidnapped for ransom here. In fact, everything turned out to be not so scary.All procedures, including medical checks and registration work visa, took about three weeks, and in January 2014, with the help of Ethiopian Airlines, I was transported to Abuja, the capital of Nigeria.
Abuja Employees are always met at the airport by a local company representative. His duties include meeting the employee, observing passport control and intervening if problems arise. At all airports in Nigeria, the company hires people to meet and see off expatriates, no matter where he is flying, home or for work in another city in Nigeria.
On the first day after arriving in Abuja, I was accommodated in the company's guesthouse. Abuja is the capital of Nigeria and houses the parliament and the residence of the president. There are many offices of foreign companies and embassies in the city.This modern city With good roads and infrastructure. It is considered relatively safe, and expats are even allowed to drive without police escort. This is also possible in Calabar and surrounding areas. In other places, attacks or harassment by road services are possible. For tourists, I would recommend renting a car with a local driver, as driving in Nigeria is dangerous. The cost of daily rental starts from $120, you can book either online, for example with Sixt or Avis, or on the spot.
Job
The company I work for deals with infrastructure projects, mainly road construction. The situation with them in the country is very bad, so the reconstruction of the main highways is a national priority.
My responsibilities include managing logistics and materials procurement for the facility. The work is quite stressful, you have to perform several positions at the same time. The highway project is run by the federal government, so we must not lose face.
Reconstruction of the federal highway Bureaucracy takes up a lot of time, but automation in Africa is unthinkable. I have about 50 local workers under my command, I need to control them and give instructions. The main problem with the locals is theft. They steal everything that can be sold and made a profit: fuel, wood, spare parts, food. Whites are forced to be the overseers and controllers, trying to prevent damage.
Considering the working conditions, an expat should not accept a job in Nigeria with a salary of less than RUB 500,000 after taxes.. Usually companies take on the issue of housing and food, but this amount is more than enough for independent living. Food in Nigeria is expensive, but finding accommodation acceptable for a foreigner is not as ruinous as, for example, in Luanda. On average, lunch at a restaurant will cost $50, and food prices in supermarkets are comparable to Moscow prices.
Safety
The company is very concerned about the safety of expats: everyone is entitled to a car with a driver under their contract. Expats travel to and from work accompanied by police jeeps. If a white person needs to go on the road for work or just into the city for personal matters, he is always accompanied by an armed policeman.
At first it's a little annoying, but then you get used to it. Police escort even becomes an advantage: on the highway no one stops for checks, in traffic jams the police help regulate traffic, and by virtue of their power they resolve conflicts that arise on the road. Thanks to the presence of the police, expats have a privileged position on the highway: the white escort does not have to stop to avoid attack, kidnapping and other unforeseen situations.
Living conditions and leisure
Despite the fact that Nigeria is Africa's fastest growing economy, the majority of the population in villages lives without electricity or running water. Even in big cities Electricity is supplied intermittently, so diesel generators are in demand here.
Expats are provided with everything they need. We have two powerful generators in our guesthouse, so there are no problems with electricity. Water supply depends on the soil. Somewhere there is enough water from a dug well, then water purified by filters is supplied through pumps to the rooms. Where it is impossible to obtain water from the soil, it is purchased. For example, a 33 thousand liter tank costs $35. The guesthouse is surrounded by local settlements where there is no water. Residents come to us for water, we never refuse.
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At the guesthouse, cooks from Benin prepare our food. They are considered to be the best experts in cooking. The company allocates approximately $20 thousand monthly to purchase food. This amount is constant, and the guesthouse accommodates from 10 to 23 people. The best products are chosen: for example, meats and cheeses are bought in Lebanese supermarkets, where fresh products are of good quality. We buy vegetables and fruits at the market, they are good and cheap here. During the working day we have lunch at the site, there is a kitchen and a dining room, lunch is brought from the guesthouse.
Our work is quite intense: a six-day work week from 7.00 to 18.00; during busy periods we also work on Sundays. However, there are 3-4 days off at the end of each month. Despite this routine, there is still time for leisure. The guesthouse has a gym, swimming pool, billiard table, cable TV, bar with unlimited alcohol. Anyone can find something to do or simply retire to a room.
Sometimes during local holidays you can go into the city, wander around shopping center or go to a restaurant. Many people used to visit nightclubs, but then they cooled down. Clubs in Nigeria are not much different from clubs in other places, of course there are clubs at a higher or lower level. There are no separate establishments for expats. We go to the club accompanied by the police, they wait outside, so we need to order a police escort in advance. In Lagos, the choice of restaurants and clubs is two orders of magnitude greater, but we only go there on holidays. Security measures depend not only on the city but also on the company, some allow expats to move freely without security in Lagos, Abuja and some other cities.
Takwa Bay Beach, Lagos Communication with locals
Nigeria is a former British colony that gained independence in 1960. The official language here is English, it allows hundreds of nationalities living in this huge country to communicate with each other. Despite the fact that I speak English quite well, at first I did not understand the locals and could not get used to their intonations. The fact is that ordinary people communicate with each other in “pidgin,” broken English. It sounds like English, but with very strange sentence construction. For example, the usual “How are you doing?” in pidgin it sounds like “How far nah?” But after 3-4 months you get used to it and begin to recognize the language and intonations.
Locals don’t even know where Russia or Ukraine is, but once I even met a Nigerian who spoke Russian. In general, locals often perceive foreigners as moneybags. Regardless of the status of the interlocutor, at the beginning of the conversation a local resident will definitely ask for something: money or to top up the balance of a SIM card.
For example, one day a woman from a commission that came to our site to inspect, after all the discussions about the quality of work, when asked: “What should we do to improve the situation?”, asked to top up the balance of the SIM card. The irony is that this lady arrived in an expensive car and wearing expensive clothes. Not everyone is so modest in their requests; another member of the commission, in a conversation with the head of the company, asked to buy him a house. Such strange requests cause laughter and surprise, but this is the local mentality - it is in the order of things to make requests to a stranger, especially a white one.
Despite these oddities, it is very easy to communicate with the locals. They know how to be flexible and adapt to any circumstances. The conversation begins quickly and naturally, and after a while it seems as if you have known this person all your life. Despite all the difficulties, the locals are very cheerful, value family and love children.
At work, I realized that when communicating with locals, an element of play is important: the more eccentric you behave, the better the relationship develops. There is a very developed hierarchy by age, status, and family ties. For example, when young people meet an older worker or one who is higher in status than them, they bow, kneeling a little. Women curtsy, lowering themselves almost to the floor, for example, my secretary when she brings me tea.
Administrative divisions and ethnic heterogeneity
Administratively, the country is divided into 36 states. Nigeria is home to approximately 200 million people, divided into approximately 500 tribes and ethnic groups. The largest and most influential are three groups: Hausa in the north, Yoruba in Lagos and the South East and Igbo on South. At the same time, the Hausa are predominantly Muslim, the Igbo are Christian, and the Yoruba are approximately half. Relations between them are strained due to economic divisions, religious differences, as well as historical problems.
For example, there is tension between the Muslim North and the Christian South. The south is traditionally the most developed part of the country: oil production is carried out here and foreign companies are concentrated. The north, with the exception of the large cities of Kano and Kaduna, is devoted to agriculture, and 60% of the population lives in villages.
In addition, in the late 1960s, the Igbo living in the oil-rich south declared the independent state of Biafra. The Hausa did not agree with this, which led to civil war and great casualties among the Igbo. The echoes of this conflict are still felt in the country. For example, Igbos may resist recruiting other ethnic groups to work on their lands.
The situation worsened in 2015 after the election of Hausa leader Muhammadu Buhari as president and the deterioration of the economic situation due to falling oil prices. Against this background, separatist sentiments intensified among the Igbo. Expats are not particularly affected by domestic political tensions, but precautions are taken. For example, during elections or unrest, everyone is sent home. Only the management and technical workers who monitor the equipment remain; in a critical situation, they lock themselves in the guesthouse with a supply of provisions for several weeks in case of emergency.
Nigeria's problems
Human life is worthless in Nigeria. Our escort travels 80 kilometers in both directions every day from the place of residence to the facility. Several times we saw corpses of people along the sides of the road: apparently they were hit by cars passing along the highway, the corpses were there for several days until they were taken away. A lot of people die in road accidents. Nigerian drivers are absolutely inadequate behind the wheel: everyone drives high speed, including trucks, overtaking each other. As a result, many fatal accidents occur, especially terrible accidents occur when fuel tankers and passenger minibuses collide.
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The Islamist terrorist organization Boko Haram operates in the north of the country. Terrorist attacks in mosques and churches have already become commonplace here, and many people are dying. The peak of activity occurred in 2014-15, when Boko Haram militants abducted more than 270 schoolgirls in the town of Chibok. They forced the girls to convert to Islam and married them to militants. Only in 2017 did army units manage to push the militants into Cameroon and free most of the hostages, including kidnapped schoolgirls.
In Nigeria, like other African countries, the main problems are sewage, infection and disease. Malaria poses a threat to life and health. It is carried by a certain species of mosquito and there is no vaccine for it. At the first symptoms (chills, joint pain, runny nose), you should immediately consult a doctor. For treatment, tablets or injections are used in advanced cases. An untreated disease can return; for some locals, malaria has turned into a chronic disease with relapses a couple of times a year.
Stomach upsets are like a runny nose here. All expats, without exception, suffer from indigestion during the adaptation period. In addition to stomach infections, it is possible to contract other diseases here if you do not follow the rules of hygiene. The most unpleasant thing is that many diseases are transmitted by airborne droplets and it is often unclear what you are sick with.
In Nigeria, I have strict hygiene rules that I never deviate from: do not drink tap water, use only bottled water for drinking and rinsing your mouth, cover your mouth when bathing and try not to swallow water. Also use only liquid soap and wash your hands at least four times a day. And also buy drinks that are hermetically sealed at the factory and only in trusted stores. These simple rules can prevent serious infectious disease.
Food and diet of Nigerians
Local food is completely different from what we are used to eating. For example, I have never heard of a vegetable called yam. This is a tuber that looks like a potato and is rich in starch. Usually it is pureed (pounded yam) and dipped into some kind of soup. The plantain, a huge, almost tasteless banana, is very popular in the local diet. Cassava (cassava) flour is also used in local cuisine. The popular dish fufu is made from yams, planten or cassava; these are balls that are dipped into soup. In Nigeria, round rice is widely used, for example in the dish jollof rice. This is rice with tomatoes, nutmeg spice and onions.
It is impossible to imagine Nigerian cuisine without the famous pepper soup. It is cooked from a mix of lamb and beef with the addition of the famous red hot Nigerian pepper. It's not just spicy, it's like a nuclear bomb, after two spoons I had to give up and ask for water. But some expats loved it.
In general, Nigerian food is characterized by strong odors. This is because of the spices in the form of leaves of various plants that we would rather call weeds. During the cooking process, a smell spreads that makes you want to run away and take a breath of fresh air. In addition, most eat with their hands, without cutlery, and do not wash their hands after eating.
Education and technology development
Despite all the horror stories, Nigeria is a modern country with all the trappings of a Western lifestyle. They drive on the roads expensive cars, wealthy Nigerians live in expensive villas and eat quality food. The minimum wage in Nigeria is about 300-400 dollars, the local middle class receives from 1,000 dollars. In large cities life is in full swing, restaurants are full of people, music is booming in discos and nightclubs.In Nigeria, young people love to study and universities and colleges are overcrowded. Many people often go to study in the neighboring Republic of Benin; studying there is much cheaper and the level of training is decent.
Recently, there has been a rapid development of the Internet, technology is penetrating all layers of society. I haven’t seen good internet in four years, but 4G mobile internet works well in big cities. Also, for example, there is an online platform here, like Amazon, called Jumia. On this site you can buy everything from mobile phone to the car. Orders are delivered very quickly thanks to messengers on a moped. Facebook recently organized a workshop in Lagos, and Zuckerberg is set to open a computer science training center.
Nigeria as a tourist destination
Nigeria is rich not only in oil reserves and minerals, but also in beautiful nature. The country is not on the list of popular ones tourist destinations, but could offer a lot. Lagos has wonderful beaches and surfing; in Calabar, in the Cross River State, there are boarding houses located in a green oasis, Agbokim Falls. In the north of the country there is the Yankari Nature Reserve.
In Nigeria tropical climate with two seasons. The rainy season is from late May to late November and the dry season is from December to April. The amount of precipitation during the rainy season depends on the location. For example, in the south, at the mouth of the Delta, in the River State, it can rain for three days without stopping. The temperature, however, does not drop below 18-25 degrees. For locals it's cold. It’s touching how they dress in warm jackets and hats.
Due to the fact that we are in Nigeria for work and not for leisure, we have almost no free time to travel. Acquaintance with the country and people is limited to work trips to company facilities located throughout Nigeria, except the north. In addition, due to security measures, we are limited in movement around the country. Sometimes during local holidays, which usually last 11 days (Easter and Idel Kabir), we travel a little. Once a year, the company organizes corporate events in various cities, this way we get to know the country. Of all the places I would like to return to, this is the city of Calabar in the south. The city is very modern and clean, not at all like the typical African gray city.
Calabar To summarize, I can definitely say that despite all the difficulties, differences in mentality and difficult security situation, the country has enormous development potential; all that is needed is competent management and investment in infrastructure. Once you visit Nigeria, you will never forget it.
As in Russia, in the “energy superpower” of Nigeria, about 10% of the population can easily be compared in terms of living standards with the Western middle and upper class. They use iPhones, go to nightclubs, drive expensive foreign cars, attend fashion shows, and occupy apartments in “business class” buildings. Looking at them, it’s hard to believe that a few steps from this world of glamor reigns obscurantism, dirt and poverty.
“The Interpreter” decided to give sketches of Nigerian life in the form of an “assortment”, mixing bravura-glamorous photographs and reports and the “truth of life” (it was entirely devoted to the underside of the Nigerian lower classes). Basically, if you take a large Russian media, then the description of our life in it will also consist of such a mixture, where the story about the mental anguish of Philip Kirkorov is adjacent to the story about the lawlessness of another cop, and hidden advertising with a description of the new Porsche Cayenne model - with information about the rescue of more slaves from captivity.
Nigeria's national motto is: “Peace and Unity, Strength and Progress.” The Constitution of Nigeria, like the constitution of the Russian Federation, allows one person to be president of the country no more than two times in a row. The reign of Olusegun Obasanjo, elected at the end of 1999, was characterized by Western media as unsuccessful, but stable. However, the overwhelming love of Nigerians allowed the president to be easily re-elected in 2003, after which the term “Problem 2007” appeared in the Nigerian press. Obasanjo has often repeated that it will take time to complete the reforms he has begun, and his term of office expires in May 2007. At the same time, the Nigerian leader emphasized his commitment to democracy and stated that he was not going to change the political system.
Talk about a successor began after lawmakers from the ruling People's Democratic Party proposed a constitutional amendment giving Obasanjo the right to a third term. However, the president himself rejected this amendment. At the party congress on December 24, 2006, Olusegun Obasanjo said: “I want to congratulate my brother, who will be my best successor.”
Presented as a brother, the governor of the northern province of Katsina, Umaru Yar'Adua, was not related to the president in any way and was at that time little known to the country's political elite. All that was known to the Nigerian media about the successor was that he was a former chemistry teacher suffering from chronic kidney disease.
Nevertheless, Umaru Yar’Adua was nominated as a presidential candidate by a majority of votes and on the same day assured the deputies that he would definitely continue the work of the “father of Nigerian democracy.” Simultaneously with the election of a successor, the party in power guaranteed that Obasanjo would retain control over the country after leaving the presidency. An amendment was made to the party charter to appoint him as the “conscience of the party” with broad financial and personnel powers. In the elections of April 21, 2007, Umaru Yar'Adua, having received 70% of the votes, became President of Nigeria.
Some 800,000 people were forcibly evicted from their homes in Nigeria's capital Abuja over four years (2003 to 2007) to make way for new development projects in the city. Many people did not receive an eviction notice and were not given the appropriate rights. Moreover, some were gassed and beaten from their homes, according to a report by the Swiss Center for Homeowners' Rights.
The organization sent an official demand to the Nigerian authorities to stop evictions and stop driving the country's residents deeper into poverty.
These massive and still ongoing evictions result in mass migration of people into slums, having a disastrous effect on their health, educational attainment, and careers, the report says.
Third place in the world in terms of money earned after Hollywood and Bollywood in last years Nollywood, an industry that unites several film studios in Nigeria, has reached $120-150 million per year. In terms of the number of films, Nigerians have already taken first place in the world - 1200 per year. Among the favorite themes of the Nigerian audience are love and prostitution, witchcraft and bribery.
Lagos, the economic center of Nigeria - a country with a population of 155 million people - is the largest metropolis in black Africa. Due to the collapse of the public service system, its residents live as best they can. Ostensibly planned, but essentially anarchic, privatization covered transport, education, health care, communications, electricity, and the city continues to grow in an atmosphere of violence. Hooligans harass passengers of old, broken down taxis. Only occasionally do the police or military appear to use batons to clear the roadway of the vendors who have filled it with newspapers and other small items.
Indigenous in Nigeria is maintaining ethnic balance when dividing the power pie. More than 300 peoples live in the country. They were united into one state only when the British colonized them in the last century. With the acquisition of independence and in view of the prospects for “oil” enrichment, they have less and less desire to coexist, albeit within the framework of a federal state. Moreover, oil, the basis of national wealth, is extracted in the south of Nigeria, and power is traditionally held by northerners who have occupied commanding heights in the military hierarchy.
Lagos and its suburbs are literally filled with cars and motorcycles of all sizes, with heavy traffic starting at 4.30 am. It is noteworthy that, despite the fact that the country is an “oil” country, and the income of the local population is very small, the price of gasoline is quite high - about 15 rubles in terms of Russian money.
There is no public urban transport in Nigeria as such; it is all private. Accordingly, the price of travel in any form public transport depends only on the conductor’s mood, mutual sympathy or antipathy, as well as on the ability to bargain well! A city bus is a yellow car with no glass in the windows or doors as such. To prevent people from falling out of the bus when turning, the doorway is blocked at approximately waist level with an iron rod.
Local minibuses are also noteworthy - they are dented and broken minibuses, they either have no doors or they do not close. Passengers in minibuses are insured by conductors - they stand in the doorway, finding themselves outside the car, cling to the roof and spread their legs wide, while constantly shouting in hoarse voices about the destination.
In Nigeria, local authorities announced the arrest of 12 suspects in the case of mass poisoning of children with the painkiller medicine My Pikin, as a result of which 84 children died and 11 children from 2 months to 7 years were injured.
My Pikin, manufactured by local pharmaceutical firm Barewa Pharmaceuticals Ltd., was a paracetamol mixture designed to relieve teething pain in infants.
During the investigation, samples of the drug contained a high content of diethylene glycol, which is toxic in large doses. chemical compound, which is usually used in the production of antifreeze.
“The people of Nigeria are victims of increased factional conflicts within the ruling elite. The poverty in which the majority of the people live in this resource-rich country creates an environment in which one community can be pitted against another. According to World Bank estimates, only 1% of the population benefits from oil revenues. About 92% of the population lives on less than $2 a day, and more than 70% live on less than $1. The UN estimates that Nigeria's poverty rate rose from 46% in 1996 to 76% in 2009. Nigeria has the second highest maternal mortality rate in the world. The country is home to about 2% of the world's population, but the maternal deaths occurring there are 10% of the world's. One in five children die before the age of 5.”
Socialist commentator Trevor Johnson says: “It is massive and growing levels of social inequality that lie at the heart of what is called a “failed state” here in Nigeria. This is the result of centuries of plundering of the country by banks, large corporations and their local representatives. The response of the United States, Britain and other major powers to the social and political crisis engulfing Nigeria will lead to increased repression, but not to a reduction in inequality.”
One of the leaders of the syndicalist Awareness Union, Comrade Samuel Mbah, bitterly notes: “Decades of military rule have given rise to the monstrous specter of unfreedom, denial of basic human rights, violence, oppression and brutal suppression of the psyche and spirit of the vast majority of the population. Nigeria’s tragedy is underscored by the fact that the country continues to live well below its potential.”
Police often used torture and other forms of ill-treatment against suspects during interrogations. There was no standard mechanism for preventing such crimes in the country. Confessions obtained under torture continued to be used as evidence in court, in violation of international law.
A 68-year-old Owerri prison inmate reported that police shot him in the leg, then whipped him with an electric cable and poured powder into his eyes. He spent 10 years in prison awaiting trial, despite medical report, confirming his claims of torture, which were not investigated.
There were consistent reports that police illegally killed detainees and people who were unable or unwilling to pay bribes, as well as people who were stopped on the roads for identity checks. The non-governmental organization LEDAP (Legal Defense and Assistance Project) reported that it estimated that at least 241 people were extrajudicially executed by state actors in 2007.
On February 25, members of the Mobile Police Unit attacked Ogaminana community in Kogi State, reportedly over the killing of a policeman. According to eyewitnesses, 15 people were killed, including two children; in addition, cars, motorcycles and houses were burned. Following the attack, the Deputy Commissioner of Police, who was said to be in charge of the operation, was transferred to another duty station. As of the end of 2008, there was no investigation into this case.
Conditions in prisons were extremely unsatisfactory. Overcrowded cells, unsanitary conditions, poor food, lack of medicine, and a ban on visits with family and friends had a negative impact on the physical and mental health of prisoners. Many of them were forced to sleep in double beds or on the bare floor. Some prisons had no beds at all; toilets either did not function or were not provided; there was no running water. Diseases were widespread. Children as young as 12 years old were kept in the same cells as adults.
Violence against women was widespread, including domestic violence, rape, and other forms of sexual violence by government officials and private citizens. Authorities failed to diligently prevent and combat sexual violence by both state and non-state actors, further perpetuating impunity.
Human rights defenders and journalists critical of the government continued to face threats and harassment. The authorities' intolerance towards the activities of the media has increased. Civil service Security (GSS) and police detained at least eight journalists. Some were released after a few hours, others were held incommunicado for up to 10 days. In addition, authorities raided media offices and closed Channels TV; police and security forces intimidated and beat journalists. At least two journalists were killed under suspicious circumstances.
A nine-year-old boy lay on a bloody hospital sheet, on which ants were crawling, staring at the wall with unseeing eyes.
The pastor of his family's church accused the child of witchcraft, and his father tried to force his son to drink acid to "exorcise the demon." The boy resisted, and the liquid did not enter his throat, but burned his face and eyes. All he could say was the name of the church that accused him: Mount Zion Lighthouse. A month later the boy died.
Nwanaokwo Edet is one of a growing number of African children accused of witchcraft by pastors and then tortured or killed, often by members of their own families. Half of the 200 “child witch” cases reviewed by the AP involved pastors from 13 churches. Some of these communities belong to international Christian churches.
"It's outrageous what they're doing in the name of Christianity," says Gary Foxcroft, head of the charity Stepping Stones Nigeria.
The families of the "little sorcerers" are usually very poor, and for many of them, the loss of one hungry mouth is only a relief. Poverty, bloody conflicts and poor education are the basis for accusations against children. The reason for them can be the death of a relative, loss of a job, and often the instructions of a pastor, says Martin Dawes, press secretary of the UN Children's Fund. “They are looking for scapegoats for defenseless children,” he explains. According to traditional African beliefs, some person is to blame for all troubles - an evil sorcerer or witch.
The belief in witches is not new, but it has recently experienced a resurgence in Africa, largely due to the rapid growth of evangelical Christian communities. According to activists, in just two of Nigeria's 36 states, 15,000 children have been accused of witchcraft over the past 10 years, of whom approximately 1,000 have been killed. In the past month alone, three Nigerian children have been killed and three more set on fire.
There are more churches in the region than schools, clinics and banks combined. Many communities promise believers to solve not only spiritual, but also material problems - 80% of Nigerians live on less than $2 a day.
“Poverty must burn!” - promises the sign of one church in Uyo. “Prayer will show you the way to wealth,” screams the sign of the Christ Embassy church next door. With such competition, churches find it difficult to attract many parishioners, and some pastors maintain their authority and popularity by accusing children of witchcraft.
Jane has a terrible scar on her smiling face: her mother tried to saw her head off after several exorcism sessions, costing $60, failed to “cure” the girl. 15-year-old Mary thinks about how boys will look at the scars that cover her face - her mother dipped her in a solution of caustic soda. 12-year-old Rachel dreamed of becoming a banker. By order of the pastor
