Nigerian Cultures

Nigerian

Cultures

A Closer Look at Nigerian Independence Day
by Omolola Yusuf-Aliyu
     Nigeria gained her independence on October 1st 1960 from the British. That day was definitely a day of celebration for the Nigerians who witnessed colonialism. Nigerians home and abroad celebrated this day, as it was the first celebration of an important date in Nigeria’s history. Fast forward to recent years; Nigeria’s Independence is still a very important day to Nigerians. For the older generation, it is important because of they freedom they gained from Independence. For the younger generation, this day is also very important because aside from the celebration of freedom, Nigerian youths have imbibed a culture of celebration passed down from the older generation. There is a common adage in Nigeria that says “party flows in our veins”. This type of Independence Day celebration is just the same for any other country, except in Nigeria, there is an abundance of festivity in every city and an overflow of zest among the people.
     In Nigeria, October 1st is an annual holiday because it is a day of celebration. The streets are filled with joy and merriment of the people. That day is treated a lot like Christmas where there is an abundance of meals and drinks in virtually every home in every city. Like every holiday, everyone celebrates at their homes, homes of family friends or various parts of the cities. There are a lot of Nigerian flags raised high, jubilations and performances on the streets. Even the government makes sure to celebrate in a special way. There are various performances, parades, and activities that go on all over the country, which involve people showing off their different cultures. Nigeria comes alive on its Independence day and the excitement lasts the whole day. Even the Electrical company respect the day and make unusual exceptions such that they provide electricity for the full day which is usually almost never the case in Nigeria. Television stations air documentaries, movies and songs about Nigeria.
     The Nigerian anthem is sung repeatedly on radios and televisions. Kids are always excited because on celebrations like this, every parent is willing to give their child or children anything they ask for if they can afford it, just like Christmas. Nigerians have a culture of celebrating and jubilating no matter where they find themselves and so a day as important as this will not go by unnoticed with the right amount of Nigerians gathered outside of Nigeria even. Nigerians in and out of Nigeria wear traditional clothing on this beautiful day and even though some may not be fortunate enough to attend this event in Nigeria every year, there is still an activity or gesture done to show respect and to connect back to their roots. It can be as little as wearing traditional clothing, or wearing the colors green-white-green, which are the colors of the Nigerian flag, to as big as hosting a party to celebrate the glorious day, Nigeria gained her Independence.
     It is no secret that Edmonton, Alberta includes so many diverse cultures. It plays a host to several large festivals, which is why the city is also referred to as “Canada’s Festival City”. However, different cultural elements found in Nigeria are showcased in Canada from time to time in little bits and pieces. This year, there was a huge Nigeria's Independence celebration in the city of Edmonton. The Nigerian Community in Edmonton truly stepped it up by celebrating Nigeria’s 56th anniversary in grand style. This celebration consisted of various traditional acts that just set up a very Afrocentric day, which ended up with a melanin-style party. Members from the Nigerian Canadian Association of Edmonton (NCAE) and the Nigerian Students Association (NSA) from the University of Alberta were present to witness at the celebration. The executive team members of the NSA carefully put the event together. The President of NSA, Onyeka Ndubuaku promised that, “the celebration was going to be an evening of history and high culture”, and it certainly was.
     The celebration took place at one of the biggest venues in Edmonton, Portuguese hall. The program started with a cocktail/red carpet session, where people got to interact and take photos. The Nigerian National Anthem followed by the Canadian National Anthem was observed to pay respect to both countries. The performances that followed were superb. Kemi and I were very impressed because the event showcased not just the Nigerian culture but also the African culture, which gave many people the ability to connect with our roots.. The very successful and much applauded event featured various activities; a live fashion show, a wide variety of traditional Nigerian cuisine, Nigerian dance performances and a motivational call-to-action speech. The dance groups with Ashley, Omono and Kachi were spectacular because they really raised the energy of the audience. Also, the fashion show organised by Merlin Uwalaka, a young fashion designer at the University of Alberta was a major highlight of the event. She showcased her elegant handmade clothing line designs; Akwete. It is essential to note that the celebration was not just to wine and dine. It was also very informative. A professor at the University of Alberta, Professor Temitope Oriola was also present as the keynote speaker. He gave a speech about the political history of Nigeria enlightening the audience.  As the President of NSA said, “beyond just celebrating independence, we need to look at the symbolism, the reason why we are celebration”. This means that for the Nigerian Community in Edmonton Independence Day celebration is an avenue to reflect and promote unity not just within the Nigerian community but also with other Canadian communities. It was an event attended and enjoyed.
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A Closer Look at Nigerian Independence Day
by Omolola Yusuf-Aliyu
     Nigeria gained her independence on October 1St 1960 from the British. That day was definitely a day of celebration for the Nigerians who witnessed colonialism. Nigerians home and abroad celebrated this day, as it was the first celebration of an important date in Nigeria’s history. Fast forward to recent years; Nigeria’s Independence is still a very important day to Nigerians. For the older generation, it is important because of they freedom they gained from Independence. For the younger generation, this day is also very important because aside from the celebration of freedom, Nigerian youths have imbibed a culture of celebration passed down from the older generation. There is a common adage in Nigeria that says “party flows in our veins”. This type of Independence Day celebration is just the same for any other country, except in Nigeria, there is an abundance of festivity in every city and an overflow of zest among the people.
     In Nigeria, October 1st is an annual holiday because it is a day of celebration. The streets are filled with joy and merriment of the people. That day is treated a lot like Christmas where there is an abundance of meals and drinks in virtually every home in every city. Like every holiday, everyone celebrates at their homes, homes of family friends or various parts of the cities. There are a lot of Nigerian flags raised high, jubilations and performances on the streets. Even the government makes sure to celebrate in a special way. There are various performances, parades, and activities that go on all over the country, which involve people showing off their different cultures. Nigeria comes alive on its Independence day and the excitement lasts the whole day. Even the Electrical company respect the day and make unusual exceptions such that they provide electricity for the full day which is usually almost never the case in Nigeria. Television stations air documentaries, movies and songs about Nigeria.
     The Nigerian anthem is sung repeatedly on radios and televisions. Kids are always excited because on celebrations like this, every parent is willing to give their child or children anything they ask for if they can afford it, just like Christmas. Nigerians have a culture of celebrating and jubilating no matter where they find themselves and so a day as important as this will not go by unnoticed with the right amount of Nigerians gathered outside of Nigeria even. Nigerians in and out of Nigeria wear traditional clothing on this beautiful day and even though some may not be fortunate enough to attend this event in Nigeria every year, there is still an activity or gesture done to show respect and to connect back to their roots. It can be as little as wearing traditional clothing, or wearing the colors green-white-green, which are the colors of the Nigerian flag, to as big as hosting a party to celebrate the glorious day, Nigeria gained her Independence.
     It is no secret that Edmonton, Alberta includes so many diverse cultures. It plays a host to several large festivals, which is why the city is also referred to as “Canada’s Festival City”. However, different cultural elements found in Nigeria are showcased in Canada from time to time in little bits and pieces. This year, there was a huge Nigeria's Independence celebration in the city of Edmonton. The Nigerian Community in Edmonton truly stepped it up by celebrating Nigeria’s 56th anniversary in grand style. This celebration consisted of various traditional acts that just set up a very Afrocentric day, which ended up with a melanin-style party. Members from the Nigerian Canadian Association of Edmonton (NCAE) and the Nigerian Students Association (NSA) from the University of Alberta were present to witness at the celebration. The executive team members of the NSA carefully put the event together. The President of NSA, Onyeka Ndubuaku promised that, “the celebration was going to be an evening of history and high culture”, and it certainly was.
     The celebration took place at one of the biggest venues in Edmonton, Portuguese hall. The program started with a cocktail/red carpet session, where people got to interact and take photos. The Nigerian National Anthem followed by the Canadian National Anthem was observed to pay respect to both countries. The performances that followed were superb. Kemi and I were very impressed because the event showcased not just the Nigerian culture but also the African culture, which gave many people the ability to connect with our roots.. The very successful and much applauded event featured various activities; a live fashion show, a wide variety of traditional Nigerian cuisine, Nigerian dance performances and a motivational call-to-action speech. The dance groups with Ashley, Omono and Kachi were spectacular because they really raised the energy of the audience. Also, the fashion show organised by Merlin Uwalaka, a young fashion designer at the University of Alberta was a major highlight of the event. She showcased her elegant handmade clothing line designs; Akwete. It is essential to note that the celebration was not just to wine and dine. It was also very informative. A professor at the University of Alberta, Professor Temitope Oriola was also present as the keynote speaker. He gave a speech about the political history of Nigeria enlightening the audience.  As the President of NSA said, “beyond just celebrating independence, we need to look at the symbolism, the reason why we are celebration”. This means that for the Nigerian Community in Edmonton Independence Day celebration is an avenue to reflect and promote unity not just within the Nigerian community but also with other Canadian communities. It was an event attended and enjoyed.