Nigeria Citizens, Society and State

NigeriaCitizens, Society and StateChristian LanierMajor CleavagesReligionUrban/RuralEthnicityAll influence voting trends

Population DistributionPop-174 million, 7th highestThe South doubts the census42.2% 0-14 years oldOnly 3.1% are 65 or olderAverage life expectancy about 50

Movement ~50/50 urban/rural ~5.3 annual urbanization rate Severe unemployment in cities Brain Drain to 1st world nations Urban pollution and disease rampant

http://realnigeria.org/photos3.aspClass Divisions45% below poverty lineSome ethnic groups operate on caste systemLowest ostracized, lack representationUrban wealthy buy Western homes, better EnglishRural wealthy may buy a local titleWestern chains for growing middle classClass Division Pictured

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12893448Voting Trends Parties and organizations used to coincide more with ethnicity and religion Turnout parabolic since 199953.7% most recent 55 registered parties Socially conservative, neoliberal PDP appeals to Christian South.Opposition parties popular with Muslims, CPC was largest

CPC merged with four other largest to form All Progressive Congress in 2013.7Voting Trends Illustrated

http://www.geocurrents.info/cultural-geography/electoral-politics-and-religious-strife-in-nigeriaReligion50% Muslim (Mostly Sunni)40% Christian (Catholic and Protestant)10% Native beliefsChrislam created for peace

http://americanbedu.com/2008/11/12/a-saudis-comparison-between-mosque-and-church/There are Christians and Muslims who supplement their religion with practices of indigenous faiths.9Ethnic GroupsOver 250 ethnic groupsHausa & Fulani 29%Yoruba 21%Igbo 18%Ijaw 10%Ethnicity and religion not on censusNational culture growing

Ethnic Groups Visualized

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-12893448LanguageEnglish is official languageMost ethnic groups have their own>500 indigenousEconomy$318.54 billion GDP (2nd highest in Africa)Strong example of The Curse of OilCorruption cuts revenue to populationAgriculture behind population, import reliant

Health IssuesAIDSNigeria: 3.6%US: 0.6%UK: 0.2%ObesityNigeria: 7.1%US: 31.8%UK: 24.9%Women Nigeria 153/186 in Gender Inequality Index (GII) Second-rate perception deeply ingrained Behind in education, majority of rural labor Up to 94% illiteracy rate 7% of House of Reps

Calculations for Gender Inequality Index are notoriously complicated15Media Focused on politics Most newspapers Lagos based TV & radio mostly state owned, wider reach Terrorist threatened 126/179 for World Press Freedom IndexJournalist arrest commonCivil SocietyNGOs foster DemocracyOrganize protests after upheavalVoter education, public interest litigation, etc. Help create progressive legislationChild Rights ActBudget LawFreedom of Information Act DrawbacksSouthern concentrationDonor dependentCorruption

A Look AheadPretty pluralistEducation still limitedOccupy Nigeria momentum?

http://arizonamun.org/mundi/2012/01/occupy-nigeria-a-game-changing-victory/