RECEPTIONBooklet

-01.

Dear intern,

Congratulations on choosing Nigeria as your internship destination!!!

You are about to embark on an adventure in t he most populous country in Africa with more than 250 ethnic groups. We are also home to Nollywood which is currently ranked as the second largest film industry in the world. The longest bridge in Africa among many other things are found here.

We look forward to learning from you as we hopefully help you learn more about yourself.

In order to make your experience better please read this booklet which has been created exclusively to cater to your needs.

We hope it helps you have an amazing time in your new cultural experience. The information provided might not be complete so we recommend that you read up more about Nigeria from guidebooks, website or the embassy website before coming.

Best of luck in your preparation. We look forward to having you here!

Regards,AIESEC in Nigerianigeria@aiesec.net

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Contents01. Welcome Note.

02. Brief facts about Nigeria.

00. Contents.

00.

03. Detailed History.04. Map of NIGERIA.

05. Cultural Highlights.

07. Tourist Destinations.

08. Foods/Delicacies.

09. List of Local Committees.

10. Prices & Exchange rates.

11. Souvenirs.

12. Reception.

-01. Introduction.

Welcome to Nigeria - the pride of Africa.

A nation rich in culture and beautiful diversity:

Our wonderful hospitality, cuisine, tourist destinations and most especially our peculiarly beautiful and happy people, will leave you already planning for a second experience.

www.aiesecnigeria.org 01.

NIGERIA

Some

FACTSAbout

02.

Date of independence: Oct. 1st 1960

36 States

Capital: AbujaPopulation: over 160,000,000President: Ebele Goodluck Jonathan

Area(/km): 923,768Currency: Naira N( (Official Language: English

Religion: Christianity & Islam

Land of seamless UNITY in boundless DIVERSITY

Culturally diverse(with over 250 Ethnic Groups)

Largest Producers of Crude Oil

Largest Diversity of Butterflies

One of the oldest locations of human existence

Major Tribes: Hausa, Igbo, Yoruba

The Land, the People, the Culture. NIGERIA

Nigeria, is a country located on the western coast of Africa. Nigeria has a diverse geography, with climates ranging from arid to humid equatorial.

Hundreds of languages are spoken in the country, including Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani,Hausa, Edo, Ibibio, Tiv, and English.

The country has abundant natural resources, notably large deposits of petroleum and natural gas.

The national capital is Abuja, in the Federal Capital Territory, which was created by decree in 1976. Lagos, the former capital, retains its standing as the country's leading commercial and industrial city.

Modern Nigeria dates from 1914, when the British Protectorates of Nor thern and Southern Nigeria were joined. The country became independent on Oct. 1, 1960, and in 1963 adopted a republican constitution but elected to stay a member of the Commonwealth.

Nigeria is bordered to the nor th by Niger, to the east by Chad and Cameroon, to the south by the Gulf of Guinea of the Atlantic Ocean, and to the west by Benin.

The major drainage areas in Nigeria are the Niger-Benue basin, the Lake Chad basin, and the Gulf of Guinea basin. The Niger River, for which the country is named, and the Benue, its largest tributary, are the principal rivers.

The Niger has many rapids and water falls, but the Benue is not interrupted by either and is navigable throughout its length, except during the dry season. Rivers draining the area nor th of the Niger-Benue trough include the Sokoto, the Kaduna, the Gongola, and the rivers draining into Lake Chad. The coastal areas are drained by shor t rivers that f low into the Gulf of Guinea. River basin development projects have created many large man-made lakes, including Lake Kainji on the Niger and Lake Bakolori on the Rima River.

The Niger delta is a vast low-lying region through which the waters of the Niger River drain into the Gulf of Guinea. Characteristic landforms in this region include oxbow lakes, river meander belts, and prominent levees. Large freshwater swamps give way to brackish mangrove thickets near the seacoast.

Nigeria has a tropical climate with variable rainy and dry seasons, depending on location. It is hot and wet most of the year in the southeast but dry in the southwest and far ther inland. A savanna climate, with marked wet and dry seasons, prevails in the nor th and west, while a steppe climate with lit tle precipitation is found in the far nor th.In general, the length of the rainy season decreases from south to nor th.

03.

04.

Map of NIGERIA

05.

Our Beautiful, rich, diverse CULTURE...

In Nigerian society, age and tradition are highly respected. A lot of respect is

accorded to an elder and one is expected to greet using a persons title.

These greetings differ with respect to tribes and ethnic groups.

Every ethnic group and region have

their own peculiar traditions and cultures.

It is this diversity that makes the Nigerian life a

beautiful experience, colouring your presence

with awe inspiring dances and rites, beautiful

traditions and heart rending art.

Calabar Carnival

Africa’s biggest and most colourful carnival holds

in the beautiful city of Calabar every December,

during the yuletide season.

Argungu Fishing Festival

New Yam FestivalThis is an annual ceremony of the IGBO people held

at the end of the rainy season in early August.

Traditionally, the role of eating the first yam is

performed by the oldest man in the community, or

the king(Igwe).

It is a common belief in some Nigerian Societies that the origin of the human race

is attributed to some certain gods and deities. Each tribe has their own version of the

creation story. It is believed that these deities play a role in our

lives today and some are attributed to some natural forces and

phenomenons. Some of these deities include - Sango (god

of thunder, Ibeji (twin gods of youth and vitality), Ofara (god

of vengeance and justice).It is also believed that some dead elders who die go on to

become “ancestors” who protect their offsprings, who in turn

make periodic offerings as appreciation and reverence.

gods, deities & fore fathers

06.

This is a culmination of a four day cultural event in

the north-western Nigerian State of Kebbi.

Started in 1934, it is used to mark peace between

the former Sokoto Caliphate and the people of

Argungu in Kebi Kingdom.

Some Tourist Destinations

Obudu Cattle Ranch

Located in Cross River State towardsthe Nigerian-Cameroun border in theSouth-East, the ranch is over 1,524m and has a temperate weather conditionto ensure good vegetation and grazing for cattle round the year.

Igbo-Ukwu is an ancient town popular for itsbronze artifacts. They were firs discovered by British Archaeologist Thurstan Shaw. The bronze date back to the 9th century.

Igbo-Ukwu

Erin Ijesa Waterfalls

Located in Osun State, it is a natural waterfall arena amidst high rocks which has seven levels with different waterfall levels.

Nok Village

Oguta Lake Holiday Park

The holiday complex is a lake of fresh water and is the second largest of its kind in the country after the Lake Chad. the complex houses a golf course, recreational park, and the Natural confluence of OgutaLake and Urashi River.

Arochukwu Long Juju Shrine

This famous shrine is located in a cave. The cave is believed to hold the long metal pipe with which the gods speak to the people.

07.

The home of the oldest form of civilization found on African soil, the Nok culture still exists today, and possesses in no small measure, the art and beauty of its over 2,500 years past.

Some Nigerian Delicacies

Egusi Soup

Ewedu & Amala

Tuwo

Okra Soup

Oha Soup

Afang Soup

08.

Lc’s in Nigeria

Abeokuta Abuja

BeninBenue

CalabarEnugu

Ibadan

Ile-Ife Illorin

Jos

Kano

Lagos

Zaria 09.

PortHarcourt

Prices, Commodities & Exchange rates.

$1= 160N*As at August 2014

Bottle of water

Bottle of Coke

Movie Tickets

A plate of FoodA Loaf of bread

Transportation

N 50

N 70

N 500N 200N 1000

Varies

*Some of these things vary depending on location. You can always haggle over prices.There are little differences between the exchange rates in banks and in private exchange houses. It is advisable to change in banks as they are more efficient.

10.

Miscallenaeous

11.

Some of the things youl’ll be expected to bring include:

Souvenirs from your CountryYour National Flag.

Health

Due to the humid climate, you may encounter mosquitoes (the chief carriers of Malaria parasite).

Reception

12.

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You’ll be glad you came...www.aiesecnigeria.org