NIGERIA BACKGROUND INFORMATION

Standard 6

Geography, Perception, and Experience

Culture, Experience, and Geographic Perception

This opening quote makes the guiding point of this essay, namely that perceptions of places and regions are variable and dynamic. Because people vary in their cultural and social experiences, their understanding and perception of geography at various scales is influenced by these factors. This variation is true for any society in the world; it is not unique to any particular place or region. As foreigners looking in on a country like Nigeria, it is sometimes easy to think of Nigerians as a homogenous group. As we shall see in this essay, it is important that we go beyond such simple conceptions. Beyond the obvious differences that all countries have, like age and gender, there are many other differences of culture and experience among Nigerians. Some are Muslims, some are Christians. Some are Hausa, some are Kanuri, or Igbo, or another group. A few are rich, the vast majority are poor. Some are well educated, others receive very little formal education over the course of their lives. These are only a few examples of the diversity of culture and experience within one of Africa’s most diverse countries. The goal of this essay is to illustrate how these variations between people lead to different perceptions of places and regions. This is important because it gives insight into why people behave in the ways that they do. From a geographic perspective, understanding people’s perceptions of geography allows us to better understand why people use their environments in certain ways, and why they support or resist specific activities from others in society. In the discussion that follows, several different aspects of culture and social experience are examined. The focus will be on the ways in which they influence people’s perceptions of places and regions both near and far. Included with each factor are examples from Nigeria.

Ethnicity and Place of Origin

The title of this section is important. It illustrates another major point of this essay. That is that people have different, often competing identities. Ethnicity and place of origin are only two of these identities that Nigerians. While the two are almost identical in some cases, most people have a strong attachment to their place of origin and to a wider ethnic group that may or may not have its own well defined region. In the discussion that follows, ethnicity is viewed from the perspective of broader geographic scale. In this sense, smaller minority groups with a small territorial base are given secondary consideration.

Before concrete examples are discussed, it is important to gain a basic understanding of ethnicity in Nigeria, since the practical consequences of ethnic identification differ from one country to another. In Nigeria, many people think of themselves as members of an ethnic group first, and as Nigerians second. There are exceptions to this statement and it is also true that identities are context sensitive. This said, however, ethnic affiliation continues to play an important role in Nigerian social life. In many ways, ethnicity and ethno-nationalism have played very troubling roles in Nigerian society. Unfortunately, inter-ethnic mistrust and ethnic violence have been all too common in the post-independence period. These ethnic tensions are also expressed in the country’s geography. Large urban areas provide some of the best examples of these tensions. Cities with large non-indigenous populations are often divided into well-defined ethnic quarters or sections. Within these "strangers’ quarters," permanent residents of minority groups make their homes. In many respects, this is similar to the patterns seen in many American cities. African Americans and Hispanics are often residentially segregated from urban whites. This same pattern is found in Nigeria. In Nigeria, however, these strangers’ quarters tend to be populated with members of one of the three largest ethnic groups, the Hausas, the Yorubas, or the Igbos. In the cities of Ibadan and Lagos, for example, a sizable portion of the city is occupied almost exclusively by northerners, more often referred to as "Hausa." Thus, even when Nigerians move outside of their own ethnic region, they often live in highly homogenous enclaves with their own people.

As you might intuitively recognize, urban ethnic quarters are a great case study of the role of ethnicity in geographic perception. Because urban space is often divided on the basis of ethnicity, people from different ethnicities perceive different parts of the city based on their own ethnicity. Members of the dominant, indigenous ethnic group may perceive the non-indigenous enclaves to be unsafe, or an undesirable place to go. Members of a minority urban group may perceive their territory to be much smaller than it actually is. Thus, their mental maps may be influenced by actual or imagined discrimination from other groups. Similar kinds of "safety / danger" perceptions have operated at a regional geographic scale. Beginning with the Biafran conflict, many non-indigenes have fled to their own ethnic region in times of ethnic violence. In situations like these, people decide that their property or lives will be endangered if they continue to stay in their host region.

Geographic Perception and Place of Origin

Most Nigerians trace their place of origin back to the home place of their father’s family. Thus, being born in a certain place does not mean that one considers that place his or her hometown. This is important because Nigerians maintain a great deal of affection and attachment to their hometown. This is evident in the hometown associations that link urban migrants to their hometowns. These associations are often involved in providing assistance to those that remain in the hometown. This perception of the hometown as a place of reverence is also indicated by the trend for many retired persons to return to their place of origin. For many residents of cities, this means that they often maintain two houses. One house is for the city and one is for their eventual retirement in their hometown. Both of these examples illustrate the attachment and fondness that many Nigerians have for their place of origin. People’s perceptions of their hometowns are influenced by cultural norms that favor commitment to the local community.

While strong commitment to the community is important for local "insiders," those who are strangers may be excluded from full acceptance. An important way that this is done in rural areas is by excluding outsiders from gaining permanent use-rights to agricultural land. While non-locals may be given temporary access to farm lands, this access is often insecure. In addition, outsiders may only be offered poor quality land.

Religion and Geographic Perception

Because religious affiliation tends to overlap with ethnicity (e.g. most Hausa and Fulanis are Muslims), the role of religion in geographic perception is similar to that of ethnicity. Yet, there are other ways in which religious beliefs and backgrounds influence geographic perception. Many important examples can be found in the study of Nigerian indigenous religions. While most statistics list only 10 percent of Nigerians as adherents of "traditional religions," such a figure is very difficult to compile. This is because many indigenous practices and beliefs are combined with elements of Christianity or Islam. Strictly traditional forms of indigenous religion, however, have many important influences on geographic perception. For example, most indigenous religions have particular sites that are designated as sacred spaces. These sites are often designated as religious shrines for gods or goddesses. Other groups have particular areas like forests that are designated as sacred. To adherents of these religions, these sites are sacred. To others, however, these sites and places have no religious or symbolic importance.

While indigenous religions still exist in Nigeria, it is the two world religions of Christianity and Islam that exercise the most influence in Nigerian society. And, while some societies’ are known for their less intense adherence to Christianity or Islam, Nigerian society is notable for its intense spirituality. This is evident in many of the common or vernacular landscapes of everyday life. The written landscape is filled with religious references and sayings. Freight trucks often have short Biblical or Koranic sayings on them. Business names often include indications of the propreitor’s religious beliefs. Nigerians are constantly reminded of their own religious faith, or the faith of others. For religious minorities, these reminders often re-emphasize their own minority status. And, unfortunately, religious animosities (often encouraged by elites) sometimes lead to tensions and violence.

Educational Background

Another element of social experience that influences geographic perception is educational background. In many ways, all socialization, whether it is ethnic socialization, religious socialization, or political socialization, is a form of education. This section, however, examines the role of formal schooling in geographic perception. Focusing on education allows us to closely look at the differences between "real geographies" and people’s imagined geographies. This discussion does not simplistically assume that there is always "correct" geographical understanding, only that people often distort geographic understanding and knowledge for their own purposes. A simple example of this distortion is the controversy over the Nigerian federal census. Because ethnic and regional political power is dependent on population, much controversy has surrounded the simple counting of Nigerians. In the past, different regions and ethnic groups have accused each other of inflating the numbers for their own group or region. In a similar way, different parts of the country have different agendas for educational content.

At a more basic level, however, educational access and quality varies based on socioeconomic level, gender, and geography. In poor families, children may be forced to work to help support their households. Because of this fact, many children leave school early and scarcely receive more than a primary school education. Gender is another important variable in access to education. This is particularly true in northern Nigeria where education levels of women are much lower than those in the South. Thus, while it seems like an obvious point to make in a geography class, Nigerians, like Americans, differ in their access to education generally and geographic education in particular. Thus, without balanced and critical geography education, individuals are forced to rely on information sources that are sometimes highly distorted and misleading. Examples of these sources might be fringe political parties or radical religious organizations.

Education levels and quality also influences people’s geographic perception of foreign countries and regions. What do Nigerians know about life in America, or Japan, or China? The answer depends on the person. For some Nigerians, for example, their main understanding of western societies comes through American media products like music and videos. As Nigeria attempts to transform itself into a democratic country, it is increasingly important that the average Nigerian have a basic understanding of world geography. This understanding is also important if Nigeria is to further integrate itself into the world economy.

Socioeconomic Level

This section focuses on the connections between socioeconomic level and geographic perception. Relative wealth and poverty are major factors in the way that people perceive places. The most obvious general difference is that the poor often perceive their environments to be much more harsh and difficult than do rich people. For example, a rich person and a poor person may perceive a polluted river in very different ways. While the poor person might see the river as a source of daily water, the rich person may regard the river only as an unpleasant sight or smell in the local landscape. As this example illustrates, socioeconomic levels influence the way that people perceive and use environmental resources. Another example is fuel wood. Many poor rural and urban people depend on fuel wood for their daily energy needs. The rich are much more likely to rely on fossil fuel energy for their daily needs. Thus, wealthy Nigerians are less likely to perceive wood resources in the same way as poor people.

Another important example is geographic mobility. Poor people tend to have much less access to efficient transportation, and they therefore tend to be much less geographically mobile. This variation in mobility strongly influences the way that individuals perceive different places and regions. To a poor person with no car and limited bus or taxi money, a distance of two or three kilometers is a substantial distance. To a rich Nigerian with a car or easy access to a taxi, this is a relatively small distance. This difference in distance experience affects the economic and social opportunities that a person has. Because of the relative costs of transportation, Nigeria’s poor, and particularly the rural poor, are often confined to a relatively small local area for much of their lives.

Socioeconomic level also impacts people’s ability to resist oppression. This certainly shapes their perception of place. The Niger Delta oil-producing region provides a great example of this, especially when one considers the perceptions of foreign oil companies. To the large multi-national oil companies, the Niger Delta is a region of vast oil wealth waiting to be exploited. To many of the indigenous residents of the Niger Delta, however, their homeland is a place of social exploitation and environmental degradation. They feel that the Nigerian government and foreign oil companies have both failed to prevent environmental damage and failed to adequately compensate them for their economic and environmental losses. The Niger Delta is one Nigerian region where perceptions of a place are closely related to socioeconomic level and differing economic roles. Finally, this essay closes with a look at another environmental issue that involves many different actors, the desertification of the West African Sahel.

An Environmental Problem: the Nigerian Sahel

In the extreme northern part of Nigeria lies part of the West African Sahel. This is a region of sparse vegetation and limited rainfall. The Sahel is also known as a transition zone between the Sahara Desert to the north and the savanna grasslands to the south. As early as 1935, and particularly after the early 1970s droughts, world attention has been focused on this part of West Africa. The concern is over desertification in this region. In this situation, geographic perceptions differ over the extent and nature of desertification and the causes of environmental change. From the 1970s onward, many international scientists and observers have pinned much of the blame on the herding systems of Sahelian pastoralists. In particular, some scientists have pointed out the harmful consequences of communal pastures. Scientists like Garrett Hardin have claimed that open access leads to what he refers to as the "tragedy of the commons." In this scenario, no one has direct ownership over pasture lands. Since it is in the interest of individuals to graze their cattle without regulation, no one bothers to restrict their usage of the commons. In the end, however, self-interested action by all leads to the degradation of the common grazing lands. This scenario is how some have interpreted desertification in the Sahel. Others, however, view the problem as mainly climatic, and therefore out of the control of humans. This latter position is how pastoralists themselves are more likely to view the problem. In many cases, however, changes in pastoral land tenure have occurred because of the influence of external actors and institutions. In most cases, this has meant the decline of communal grazing systems and the introduction of private land tenure.

Conclusion

This section has focused on the importance of culture and experience in Nigerians’ perception of geographic realities. While Nigerians are not unique in their differing perceptions of geographic realities, there are unique sets of factors that pertain to Nigeria. The sheer cultural and ethnic diversity within the country makes it different from countries with more homogenous populations. It is also important to be aware of differences such as religion and socioeconomic level when examining an individual or a group’s perception of geographic reality. As stated in the introduction, the importance of this awareness is that it helps us understand others’ motives for acting the way that they do. While we all live in the same world, the way that we perceive and experience the world varies a great deal.