Trips to Nigeria, Africa’s cultural giant
Nigeria is a country little known by tourism and in the West carries a certain “bad reputation” or negative stereotypes. However, we can affirm that Nigeria is in our opinion one of the cultural powers of Africa, perhaps the most, in addition, it is full of hospitable people, it is a great country with many resources and has so many attractions that always “hooked”.
That is why we are very determined to propose trips to Nigeria that will help travelers who want to join us discover this exciting country. Here are some of the highlights.
Nigeria’s cultural richness
Our trips to Nigeria have a strong cultural component, because in a country with more than 200 million people and hundreds of ethnic groups, this is the aspect that most attracts our attention.
Today’s Nigeria contains ancient kingdoms that developed artistic techniques such as lost wax and pieces that are now world-renowned, such as the famous Benin Bronzes: a collection of refined sculptures and engravings made in the Middle Ages. Their forms and style inspired great artists such as Picasso.
On the other hand, and in coexistence with Islam and Christianity, the traditional religions are still alive and are related to more or less daily celebrations. Births, funerals and many other events are celebrated with masks and encounters that can never be discarded to be found by chance.
In addition, at certain times of the year there are great festivals that, knowing the right dates, offer visitors unique experiences.
Northern Sahel: Hausa emirates
In the north, lands that are part of the Sahel strip, the city of Kano is the commercial and cultural center of the Hausa people. A historic city where, for more than 600 years, dyed fabrics of an intense blue or indigo have been produced in an artisanal way, in the dyers’ pits. In its golden past, the caravans of the Tuareg came to Kano to obtain these fabrics with which they made their mythical turbans and costumes.
The Hausa region is divided into different emirates that preserve their traditions around their traditional rulers. This is the case of the Durbar festival, a great cultural, political and religious celebration in which the tribes go to pay tribute and obeisance to the Emir. It is celebrated in several cities, always around the great dates of Islam, and it is a party full of color, adorned characters and a lot of ostentation.
Another striking tradition we learned about on one of our first trips to Nigeria was the Dambe, a type of boxing that you can read more about in the article we dedicated to it.
The tropical south: ancestral kingdoms and great cities
The southern fringe of Nigeria, with its tropical climate and landscapes, is home to some of Nigeria’s most important cities. The Niger River crosses the important city of Onitsha on its way to the sea, and Benin City is the center of the Edo kingdom, where the Oba or King, an institution that sets the pace of the region, is still at the helm. In the old Royal Palace on which the present one is built, the collection of Benin Bronzes was found. A part of it can be seen in the National Museum of Benin City. Benin City is also a great traditional religious center where animist temples and local chiefs are all over the city and are impressive.
In the villages of the Edo kingdom, it is also possible to see breathtaking mask ceremonies. It is ancestral Africa and reserved for those who are interested in its rich culture.
Further west, north of Lagos, is the sacred forest of Osogbo, a very special World Heritage Site and one of the most important places for the Yoruba.
Yorubaland, southwestern Nigeria
The Yoruba are the largest and most important ethnic group in Nigeria, a group of 49 million people. Touring the Yoruba territory is fascinating, places and cities worth visiting and of course a multitude of traditional festivals. Some popular festivals are ogun, odun ijesu (new yam), egungun, osun, eyo, sango, sanpona, yemoja and ifa. These festivals are celebrated to honor different deities, gods and goddesses.
Osun-Osogbo sacred grove
The Osun-Osogbo sacred grove is one of the last remaining remnants of primary forest in southern Nigeria. Considered the abode of Ochun, goddess of fertility, this site houses sculptures and shrines dedicated to this and other Yoruba divinities. It is probably the last of the sacred forests of this ethnic group and, for this reason, it has become a symbol of their identity.
The Osun festival, also known as Osun-Osogbo festival, is held here in August every year. It is a traditional festival of the Yoruba people, held in honor of the river goddess Oshun. Thousands of people come to witness the ceremonies, in which the priests ask for protection for the villagers during the coming year by offering gifts and sacrifices.
Egungun, masquerades of Yorubaland
The Yoruba social world is divided between the living and the dead (“egungun”), as well as the unborn. The dead have departed, but are not deceased. Their descendants may contact them for support and guidance, and they may return to the world; either for short stays in the form of masqueraders called “egungun”, members of an ancestral society of masqueraders of the same name, or as part of new people of their lineages, who are in part reincarnations of them. The “egungun” festival is celebrated once or twice a year and lasts a few weeks.
Lagos, una ciudad impresionante en tamaño y contenido
Lagos is a megalopolis and is considered the largest city on the African continent. Although it is not the administrative capital, its economic power is beyond doubt.
Beyond its size, Lagos is a very interesting stop for trips to Nigeria. Vibrant, with many faces and contradictions, its artistic activity is already famous all over the world. Art galleries, concerts, underground culture, the Kalakuta Museum where the creator of “Afrobeat” lived, museums, markets?
The city has many more attractions to visit, including good museums, the Alaba or Balogun markets, and Makoko, a large slum of stilt houses built more than 100 years ago on the Lagos Lagoon. A canoe ride is sure to leave no one indifferent.
