Bahá'í Faith in Nigeria
Encyclopedia
After an isolated presence in the late 1920s, the Bahá'í Faith in Nigeria begins with pioneering
Bahá'ís coming to Sub-Saharan West Africa
in the 1950s especially following the efforts of Enoch Olinga
who directly and indirectly affected the growth of the religion in Nigeria
. Following growth across West Africa a regional National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1956. As the community multiplied across cities and became diverse in its engagements it elected its own National Spiritual Assembly by 1979. Estimates of membership vary widely - a 2001 estimate by Operation World
showed 1000 Bahá'ís in 2001 while the Association of Religion Data Archives
(relying on World Christian Encyclopedia
) estimated some 34,000 Bahá'ís in 2005.
lived and worked in some of the southern provinces of Nigeria in 1927-9 extending his Men of the Trees
project of environmental conservation and as a Bahá'í since 1925.
Wide scale growth in the religion across Sub-Saharan Africa was observed to begin in 1950s and accelerated in the 1960s. In 1953, Shoghi Effendi
, the head of the religion, planned an international teaching plan termed the Ten Year Crusade
. During the teaching plan Mr. and Mrs. Ali Nakhjavani
drove by car with two African pioneers
from Uganda
to open new countries to the religion. The first pioneer settled in what was then French Equatorial Africa
, and then Enoch Olinga
went on to British Cameroon. By 1954, growth in the Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon
resulted in five young Bahá'ís who pioneered surrounding areas, each becoming a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh including Ghana
, and Togo
. Meanwhile a Bahá'í book belonging to Olinga, Paris Talks
, became the basis of a Baha'i Church in Nigeria in Calabar
which operated in 1955-56. Concurrently in 1956 there were over 1000 Bahá'ís across North-West Africa resulting in a regional National Spiritual Assembly including Nigeria with Olinga as the chairman with its seat in Tunis
.
The church was disconnected from the Bahá'í community but applied the Bahá'í teachings
with virtually all of the Cameroonian men on one large palm plantation. The church was established, flourished, and then collapsed utterly unrecognized and unknown to the Bahá'í pioneers and to the international Baha'i community until one of the founders tried to return the book. Both leaders of the church later officially joined the religion and helped form the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Calabar in 1957 and served in other positions.
, Afikpo
, Akpabuyo
, Aningeje, Asata Enugu
(?), Calabar, Ibadan
, Lagos
, Nyaje, Owom, and Sapele
, and smaller groups of Bahá'ís in Ebute Metta
, Ikot Okriba, Ojok, Old Ndebeji, Onitcha, and Oron
, and isolated Bahá'ís in Abakaliki
, Abeokuta
, Kontagura, Kwa Falls, Mbeban Village, and Umuahia
. Following the death of Shoghi Effendi, the elected Universal House of Justice
was head of the religion and began to re-organized the Bahá'í communities of Africa by splitting off national communities to form their own National Assemblies from 1967 though the 1990s. From January to March 1970 Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khanum
crossed Africa from east to west visiting many of these country's communities including Nigeria meeting with individuals and institutions both Bahá'í and civic. After a Nigerian Civil War
in 1967-70, the Bahá'ís of Nigeria elected its own National Spiritual Assembly by 1979.
In 1982 the Bahá'ís of Nigeria hosted one of five continental Conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice
held in honor of the anniversary of the death of Bahíyyih Khánum
.
In 1983 a National Bahá'í Children's committee developed several materials for Bahá'í school
s in Nigeria including lessons for children on "Bahá'í History", "Living the Bahá'í Life", and "Bahá'í Teachings".
In 1984 a West African Center for Bahá'í Studies presented papers at University of Ife, in Ile Ife.
Founded in 1986, by 2004 the Bahá'í Justice Society had members in several countries including Nigeria.
In 1996 Nigeria assisted in the election of the São Tomé
National Spiritual Assembly.
, nursery schools and development projects in six communities in the fields of literacy, child education and farming.
The National Spiritual Assembly has appointed a National Baha'i Office For The Advancement Of Women in Lagos. The Bahá'ís of Ibadan
and Idi-Ose held interfaith conferences with Christian, Hindu, and Moslem women, on "Women, Equality and Religion".
showed 1000 Bahá'ís in 2001 while the Association of Religion Data Archives
(relying on World Christian Encyclopedia
) estimated some 34,000 Bahá'ís.
Suheil Bushrui, who has done work on Perennial philosophy
and is a noted scholar on Khalil Gibran
and inaugurator of the University of Maryland, College Park
Bahá'í Chair for World Peace, first taught in Nigeria at University of Ibadan
before leaving for Lebanon
in 1968.
Helen Elsie Austin
lived in Africa as a US Foreign Service Officer
from 1960 to 1970, serving as a Cultural attaché
with the United States Information Agency
in Lagos, Nigeria.
Kiser Barnes was first elected as a member the Universal House of Justice
in 2000. Barnes was a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Obafemi Awolowo University
in Nigeria from 1980 to 1993, where he taught the Law of Business Associations, Law of Contracts, and International Economic Law and earned a Masters in the Philosophy of Law in 1984 and was a member of the Auxiliary Board for the Propagation of the Baha'i Faith in Nigeria from 1981 to 1990, and the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Protection and Propagation of the Baha'i Faith in Africa from 1990 to 1993.
Pioneering (Bahá'í)
A pioneer is a volunteer Bahá'í who leaves his or her home to journey to another place for the purpose of teaching the Bahá'í Faith. The act of so moving is termed pioneering. Bahá'ís refrain from using the term "missionary"...
Bahá'ís coming to Sub-Saharan West Africa
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
in the 1950s especially following the efforts of Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga was born to an Anglican family of the Iteso ethnic group in Uganda. He became a Bahá'í, earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh and was appointed as the youngest Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the religion. He served the interests of the religion widely and...
who directly and indirectly affected the growth of the religion in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
. Following growth across West Africa a regional National Spiritual Assembly was elected in 1956. As the community multiplied across cities and became diverse in its engagements it elected its own National Spiritual Assembly by 1979. Estimates of membership vary widely - a 2001 estimate by Operation World
Operation World
Operation World is a reference book and prayer guide, begun by Patrick Johnstone and continued by Jason Mandryk, both from WEC International. Operation World is published by , and produced by...
showed 1000 Bahá'ís in 2001 while the Association of Religion Data Archives
Association of religion data archives
The Association of Religion Data Archives is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997, and online since 1998, the archive was initially targeted at researchers interested in American religion...
(relying on World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia is a reference work published by Oxford University Press, known for providing membership statistics for major and minor world religions in every country of the world, including historical data and projections of future populations.The first edition, by David B. Barrett,...
) estimated some 34,000 Bahá'ís in 2005.
Early years
Richard St. Barbe BakerRichard St. Barbe Baker
Richard St. Barbe Baker was an English forester, environmental activist and author, who contributed greatly to worldwide reforestation efforts. As a leader, he founded an organization, still active today, whose many chapters carry out reforestation internationally.-Early years:He was born in...
lived and worked in some of the southern provinces of Nigeria in 1927-9 extending his Men of the Trees
Men of the Trees
Men of the Trees is an international, non-profit, non-political, conservation organisation. It is involved in planting, maintenance and protection of trees. It was founded by Richard St. Barbe Baker. Also known as the International Tree Foundation....
project of environmental conservation and as a Bahá'í since 1925.
Wide scale growth in the religion across Sub-Saharan Africa was observed to begin in 1950s and accelerated in the 1960s. In 1953, Shoghi Effendi
Shoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
, the head of the religion, planned an international teaching plan termed the Ten Year Crusade
Ten Year Crusade
The Ten Year World Crusade was launched by Shoghi Effendi in an effort to facilitate an organized expansion of the Bahá'í Faith....
. During the teaching plan Mr. and Mrs. Ali Nakhjavani
Ali Nakhjavani
Alí-Yulláh Nakhjavání served as a member of the Universal House of Justice, the supreme governing body of the Bahá'í Faith, between 1963 and 2003....
drove by car with two African pioneers
Pioneering (Bahá'í)
A pioneer is a volunteer Bahá'í who leaves his or her home to journey to another place for the purpose of teaching the Bahá'í Faith. The act of so moving is termed pioneering. Bahá'ís refrain from using the term "missionary"...
from Uganda
Bahá'í Faith in Uganda
The Bahá'í Faith in Uganda started to grow in 1951 and in four years time there were 500 Bahá'ís in 80 localities, including 13 Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assemblies, representing 30 tribes, and had dispatched 9 pioneers to other African locations...
to open new countries to the religion. The first pioneer settled in what was then French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa
French Equatorial Africa or the AEF was the federation of French colonial possessions in Middle Africa, extending northwards from the Congo River to the Sahara Desert.-History:...
, and then Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga
Enoch Olinga was born to an Anglican family of the Iteso ethnic group in Uganda. He became a Bahá'í, earned the title Knight of Bahá'u'lláh and was appointed as the youngest Hand of the Cause, the highest appointed position in the religion. He served the interests of the religion widely and...
went on to British Cameroon. By 1954, growth in the Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon
Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon
The Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon was established when the country was separated into two colonies - British and French Cameroon. The first Bahá'í in Cameroon was Enoch Olinga, who had left his homeland of Uganda to bring the religion to British Cameroon in 1953...
resulted in five young Bahá'ís who pioneered surrounding areas, each becoming a Knight of Bahá'u'lláh including Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, and Togo
Togo
Togo, officially the Togolese Republic , is a country in West Africa bordered by Ghana to the west, Benin to the east and Burkina Faso to the north. It extends south to the Gulf of Guinea, on which the capital Lomé is located. Togo covers an area of approximately with a population of approximately...
. Meanwhile a Bahá'í book belonging to Olinga, Paris Talks
Paris Talks
Paris Talks is a book transcribed from talks given by `Abdu'l-Bahá while in Paris. It was originally published as Talks by `Abdu'l-Bahá Given in Paris in 1912. `Abdu'l-Bahá did not read and authenticate the transcripts of his talks in Paris, and thus the authenticity of the talks is not known...
, became the basis of a Baha'i Church in Nigeria in Calabar
Calabar
Calabar is a city in Cross River State, southeastern Nigeria. The original name for Calabar was Atakpa, from the Jukun language....
which operated in 1955-56. Concurrently in 1956 there were over 1000 Bahá'ís across North-West Africa resulting in a regional National Spiritual Assembly including Nigeria with Olinga as the chairman with its seat in Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
.
The church was disconnected from the Bahá'í community but applied the Bahá'í teachings
Bahá'í teachings
The Bahá'í teachings represent a considerable number of theological, social, and spiritual ideas that were established in the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion, and clarified by successive leaders including `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son, and Shoghi Effendi, `Abdu'l-Bahá's...
with virtually all of the Cameroonian men on one large palm plantation. The church was established, flourished, and then collapsed utterly unrecognized and unknown to the Bahá'í pioneers and to the international Baha'i community until one of the founders tried to return the book. Both leaders of the church later officially joined the religion and helped form the first Local Spiritual Assembly of Calabar in 1957 and served in other positions.
Development of the community
By 1964, while associated with the regional National Spiritual Assembly of North West Africa, Nigeria had a Local Spiritual Assembly in AbaAba, Nigeria
Aba is a city and a big trading center in Abia State, southern Nigeria, located on the Aba River. Aba was established by the Igbo People of Nigeria as a market town and then later a military post was placed there by the British colonial administration in 1901...
, Afikpo
Afikpo
Afikpo is the second largest city in Ebonyi State of Nigeria. Until recently it was the home Local Government Area of the late Eze Akanu Ibiam, who hailed from the village of Unwana. Dr...
, Akpabuyo
Akpabuyo
Akpabuyo is a Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Ikot Nakanda.It has an area of 1,241 km² and a population of 271,395 at the 2006 census.The postal code of the area is 541....
, Aningeje, Asata Enugu
Enugu
Enugu is the capital of Enugu State in Nigeria. It is located in the southeastern area of Nigeria and is largely populated by members of the Igbo ethnic group. The city has a population of 722,664 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. The name Enugu is derived from the two Igbo words Enu Ugwu...
(?), Calabar, Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
, Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, Nyaje, Owom, and Sapele
Sapele, Nigeria
Sapele is a city in Delta State, Nigeria, on the Benin River just below the confluence of the Ethiope River and Jamieson River. It was originally a small village of the Urhobo or "Okpe" people....
, and smaller groups of Bahá'ís in Ebute Metta
Ebute Metta
Ebute Metta is a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria.Ebute Metta is a Yoruba word for a place known as three shores. Ebute means shore and Meta means three. This part of Lagos is mainly residential, and crowdy...
, Ikot Okriba, Ojok, Old Ndebeji, Onitcha, and Oron
Oron
Oron may refer to:*Oron , one of the major states in the old Calabar Kingdom*Oron , Switzerland*Oron-la-Ville, Switzerland*Oron-le-Châtel, Switzerland*Oron, Moselle, France*Oron, Nigeria, a city and local government area in Akwa Ibom State...
, and isolated Bahá'ís in Abakaliki
Abakaliki
Abakaliki is the capital city of the present-day Ebonyi State in southeastern Nigeria. The inhabitants are primarily members of the Igbo nation. It used to be the headquarters of the old Abakaliki zone in the Old Anambra and Enugu state before the creation of Ebonyi State in 1996. Abakaliki is made...
, Abeokuta
Abeokuta
Abeokuta is the largest city and capital of Ogun State in southwest Nigeria and is situated at , on the Ogun River; 64 miles north of Lagos by railway, or 81 miles by water. As of 2005, Abeokuta and the surrounding area had a population of 593,140....
, Kontagura, Kwa Falls, Mbeban Village, and Umuahia
Umuahia
Umuahia is the capital of Abia State in southeastern Nigeria. Umuahia is located along the rail road that lies between Port Harcourt to Umuahia's south and Enugu city to its north. Umuahia has a population of 359,230 according to the 2006 Nigerian census. Umuahia's indigenous ethnic group are the...
. Following the death of Shoghi Effendi, the elected Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
was head of the religion and began to re-organized the Bahá'í communities of Africa by splitting off national communities to form their own National Assemblies from 1967 though the 1990s. From January to March 1970 Hand of the Cause Rúhíyyih Khanum
Rúhíyyih Khanum
Amatu'l-Bahá Rúhíyyih Khánum , born Mary Sutherland Maxwell was the wife of Shoghi Effendi, the head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921–1957. She was appointed by him as a Hand of the Cause, and served an important role in the transfer of authority from 1957–1963...
crossed Africa from east to west visiting many of these country's communities including Nigeria meeting with individuals and institutions both Bahá'í and civic. After a Nigerian Civil War
Nigerian Civil War
The Nigerian Civil War, also known as the Nigerian-Biafran War, 6 July 1967–15 January 1970, was a political conflict caused by the attempted secession of the southeastern provinces of Nigeria as the self-proclaimed Republic of Biafra...
in 1967-70, the Bahá'ís of Nigeria elected its own National Spiritual Assembly by 1979.
In 1982 the Bahá'ís of Nigeria hosted one of five continental Conferences called for by the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
held in honor of the anniversary of the death of Bahíyyih Khánum
Bahiyyih Khánum
Bahíyyih Khánum the only daughter of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and Ásíyih Khánum. She was born in 1846 with the given name Fatimih Sultan, and was entitled "Varaqiy-i-'Ulyá" or "Greatest Holy Leaf"...
.
In 1983 a National Bahá'í Children's committee developed several materials for Bahá'í school
Bahá'í school
A Bahá'í school at its simplest would be a school run officially by the Bahá'í institutions in its jurisdiction and may be a local class or set of classes, normally run weekly where children get together to study about Bahá'í teachings, Bahá'í central figures, or Bahá'í administration...
s in Nigeria including lessons for children on "Bahá'í History", "Living the Bahá'í Life", and "Bahá'í Teachings".
In 1984 a West African Center for Bahá'í Studies presented papers at University of Ife, in Ile Ife.
Founded in 1986, by 2004 the Bahá'í Justice Society had members in several countries including Nigeria.
In 1996 Nigeria assisted in the election of the São Tomé
São Tomé
-Transport:São Tomé is served by São Tomé International Airport with regular flights to Europe and other African Countries.-Climate:São Tomé features a tropical wet and dry climate with a relatively lengthy wet season and a short dry season. The wet season runs from October through May while the...
National Spiritual Assembly.
Modern community
The Bahá'ís of Nigeria maintain a diversity of schools like the Harmatan Bahá'í school in UyoUyo
Uyo is a city in south-eastern Nigeria and is the capital of Akwa Ibom State, a major oil producing state of Nigeria. The city became a capital of Akwa Ibom State on September 23, 1987 following the creation of the state from Cross River State....
, nursery schools and development projects in six communities in the fields of literacy, child education and farming.
The National Spiritual Assembly has appointed a National Baha'i Office For The Advancement Of Women in Lagos. The Bahá'ís of Ibadan
Ibadan
Ibadan is the capital city of Oyo State and the third largest metropolitan area in Nigeria, after Lagos and Kano, with a population of 1,338,659 according to the 2006 census. Ibadan is also the largest metropolitan geographical area...
and Idi-Ose held interfaith conferences with Christian, Hindu, and Moslem women, on "Women, Equality and Religion".
Demographics
Estimates of membership vary widely - a 2001 estimate by Operation WorldOperation World
Operation World is a reference book and prayer guide, begun by Patrick Johnstone and continued by Jason Mandryk, both from WEC International. Operation World is published by , and produced by...
showed 1000 Bahá'ís in 2001 while the Association of Religion Data Archives
Association of religion data archives
The Association of Religion Data Archives is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997, and online since 1998, the archive was initially targeted at researchers interested in American religion...
(relying on World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia is a reference work published by Oxford University Press, known for providing membership statistics for major and minor world religions in every country of the world, including historical data and projections of future populations.The first edition, by David B. Barrett,...
) estimated some 34,000 Bahá'ís.
Notable individuals
Richard St Barge Baker was a well known forest conservationist and in 1927-9 he was the Assistant Conservator of Forests for the southern provinces of Nigeria.Suheil Bushrui, who has done work on Perennial philosophy
Perennial philosophy
Perennial philosophy is the notion of the universal recurrence of philosophical insight independent of epoch or culture, including universal truths on the nature of reality, humanity or consciousness .-History:The idea of a perennial philosophy has great...
and is a noted scholar on Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran
Khalil Gibran Jubrān Khalīl Jubrān,Jibrān Khalīl Jibrān, or Jibrān Xalīl Jibrān; Arabic , January 6, 1883 – April 10, 1931) also known as Kahlil Gibran, was a Lebanese American artist, poet, and writer...
and inaugurator of the University of Maryland, College Park
University of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
Bahá'í Chair for World Peace, first taught in Nigeria at University of Ibadan
University of Ibadan
The University of Ibadan is the oldest Nigerian university, and is located five miles from the centre of the major city of Ibadan in Western Nigeria...
before leaving for Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
in 1968.
Helen Elsie Austin
Helen Elsie Austin
Helen Elsie Austin was an attorney, US Foreign Service Officer, and member of the Bahá'í National Spiritual Assemblies in the United States and North West Africa. She was among the first African Americans admitted to the practice of law in the United States.-Personal life:Austin was born in Alabama...
lived in Africa as a US Foreign Service Officer
Foreign Service Officer
A Foreign Service Officer is a commissioned member of the United States Foreign Service. As diplomats, Foreign Service Officers formulate and implement the foreign policy of the United States. FSOs spend most of their careers overseas as members of U.S. embassies, consulates, and other diplomatic...
from 1960 to 1970, serving as a Cultural attaché
Cultural attaché
A cultural attaché is a diplomat with special responsibility for promoting the culture of his or her homeland. The position has been used as an official cover for intelligence agents. Historically, the post has often been filled by writers and artists, giving them a steady income, allowing them to...
with the United States Information Agency
United States Information Agency
The United States Information Agency , which existed from 1953 to 1999, was a United States agency devoted to "public diplomacy". In 1999, USIA's broadcasting functions were moved to the newly created Broadcasting Board of Governors, and its exchange and non-broadcasting information functions were...
in Lagos, Nigeria.
Kiser Barnes was first elected as a member the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
in 2000. Barnes was a Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Law at Obafemi Awolowo University
Obafemi Awolowo University
Obafemi Awolowo University is a government-owned and -operated Nigerian university. The university is in the ancient city of Ile-Ife, Osun State, Nigeria...
in Nigeria from 1980 to 1993, where he taught the Law of Business Associations, Law of Contracts, and International Economic Law and earned a Masters in the Philosophy of Law in 1984 and was a member of the Auxiliary Board for the Propagation of the Baha'i Faith in Nigeria from 1981 to 1990, and the Continental Board of Counsellors for the Protection and Propagation of the Baha'i Faith in Africa from 1990 to 1993.
See also
- Demographics of NigeriaDemographics of NigeriaThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Nigeria, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population....
- Religion in NigeriaReligion in NigeriaSeveral religions in Nigeria exist, helping to accentuate regional and ethnic distinctions. All religions represented in Nigeria were practiced in every major city in 1990. However, Islam dominated the north and had a number of supporters in the South Western, Yoruba part of the country...
- History of NigeriaHistory of Nigeria-Early history:Archaeological research, pioneered by Thurstan Shaw and Steve Daniels, has shown that people were already living in southwestern Nigeria as early as 9000 BC and perhaps earlier at Ugwuelle-Uturu in southeastern Nigeria, where microliths were used...
- Bahá'í Faith in CameroonBahá'í Faith in CameroonThe Bahá'í Faith in Cameroon was established when the country was separated into two colonies - British and French Cameroon. The first Bahá'í in Cameroon was Enoch Olinga, who had left his homeland of Uganda to bring the religion to British Cameroon in 1953...