Steemit Engagement Challenge S2W2 | Steem4Nigeria Contest | No place like home: Tell us why you prefer your country to any other country

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There is a popular saying that "home is where the heart is" and this is nothing but the truth. I am Ukpono Silas (pronounced as ú-kpó-nó), a native of the Etinan local government area which makes up the Ibibio tribe in Akwa Ibom state. It so happened that I became a Nigerian by chance and not by choice. By this, I mean that I am a naturalized citizen of the above-mentioned country. For the past two decades of my life, I have lived and visited different states in Nigeria, got acquitted with the knowledge of the diverse cultures inherent, eaten some of their foods and also tried cladding myself in their traditional attires. There are so many things I know about this country of mine which I'll share with you in a jiffy.

A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO NIGERIA

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Nigeria is a country state located in the Western part of Africa. It is bordered to the North by Chad, to the West by Benin, to the south by the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean and the east by Chad and Cameroon. Research confirms that its landmass covers about 923,770 km² and the total populace is said to be about 216.7 million billion people thus, earning it the title "Giant of Africa". Among other countries in Africa, Nigeria stands out for having 525 native languages and 371 tribes. The landscape comprises rivers, mountains, Greenland etc. Another aspect that enriches its aesthetics is its rich culture and heritage.

Delicacy

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Food is recognized as a primary aspect of culture as it serves as a major form of identity for people living in a specific geographical area. The Efiks can easily be distinguished from the Tiv, Fulani from Hausa and Ijaw from the Ibibio based on the different types of delicacies popular amongst them. One can easily identify a person from the food they eat or the manner they prepare their meals, for instance, Ekpang Nkukwo is attributed to Efiks and Ibibio, Tuwo Shinkafa and Miyan Taushe soup for the Hausas, Amala for Yorubas and Foofoo for Ibibios and Igbos. Since Nigeria has diverse cultures, there are also numerous meals and dishes too. There is even a common joke which uses pepper to signify the Yorubas, Leafy soups to represent the Ibibios and Efik and orbono for Ibos.

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Apart from traditional dishes, there are popular foods people snack on and these are usually found in public places, eateries or joints. They are not likened to a particular people or culture. Examples include bole with roasted fish or chicken, roasted corn, Agege bread, Ogi and Akara, Tigernuts, Soybeans, and the king of them all is Garri. These stable foods that are largely consumed are very healthy.

Language

This is an intriguing part that no visitor will fail to notice. Apart from the various local natural languages in different tribes, it can be noted that people in Nigeria have a unique way of speaking. In research I partook in with a few of my coursemates during the first semester of my third year in school on the different Englishes that exist, we discovered that Nigerians have a peculiar way of speaking the English language. This language goes beyond what is known in popular parlance as "Pidgin English" but is referred to as "Nigerian English". It's the reason why a typical Nigerian will say "I stepped down for my secretary to take over", rather than "I stood down for my secretary to take over".

Also, Nigerian English has four varieties. Phonologically it has its own set of sounds that are realized differently from other Englishes. For example, the Received Pronunciation (RP) of Violence is /ˈvaɪəˌlen(t)s/, however, a typical Nigerian pronounces the word as /ˈvɑːwˌlen(t)s/ as in vawulence. They have also enriched their English vocabulary by coining new words such as okada, Keke, etc. Neologism makes the Nigerian language, especially its English so unique.

Religion

The three dominant religions in Nigeria are Christianity, Islam and Traditional African Religion (TAR) — please, note that these are listed in no particular order. Nigerians are mostly religious and it's uncommon to find a person who does not have a system of worship even among notable figures in the society.

Manner of Dressing

Although religion and colonization have influenced the way people clad themselves in a lot of ways, it is an undisputed truth that each tribe have its style of dressing. The Yoruba's Buba and Ashoke, Ibibio's Isin iba, Edo's George and Hausa's Agbada etc add to the rich culture and heritage. Apart from wearing clothes to distinguish themselves, clothes are usually worn for several occasions, gender and social class. You can know if a person is from an affluent home by the piece of cloth they wear, their style and even the accessories they don themselves.

Drama and Performances

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Before the advent of the colonists, each tribe had its ritual performance which is where drama originated from. Unlike the Greeks who performed rituals to reference Dionysus, most Nigerians, for example, the Ibibios had their pattern of worship such as Ekpè, Ekong, Asian Iban or Mme Asian Uboikpa etc. The Ekpe masquerade cult and others performed at communal occasions and events. Even to this day, these performances grace ceremonies like traditional marriage, funerals, fattening and coming-of-age ceremonies, coronations, political celebrations and so forth.

Marriage Ceremony

An average Nigerian performs the traditional marriage and white wedding or holy matrimony. Marriage is considered void at the court or in the church if the traditional marriage is not conducted because that's where the most important thing is done i.e. the paying of bride price which indicates that both family are in agreement of the union. This shows how pivotal it is in the African setting, especially in Nigeria. Have you ever seen a Hausa wedding with beautiful tattoos on the brides, how about the Ibo bride with her colourful dresses or the Efik Queen?

There are so many unique things about Nigeria and I have just mentioned the few ones I find more intriguing because they cannot be found anywhere else except my fatherland — Nigeria.

CONCLUSION

An Akan proverb says that “It's only a fool that points to his ancestry with his left hand”. If I ever have to travel out of this country in search of greener pastures, I'll surely return to have my traditional marriage ceremony conducted here. I have always imagined myself dancing Ekombi with my husband-to-be. Covering the palm wine gourd (ikọ ukọd) while I take my fiancé to my parent for their blessing. This might sound weird but a day has not passed since this year began without me eating foofoo with any soup. I cannot imagine myself staying away from this dish, especially my favourite bitter-leaf soup.

Dear @emyekanem, @mfonchelle and @ahbaz kindly visit this post

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