The great peoples of the Hausa, Yoruba and Ibo with their strong rivalry, as well as the Islamization of the north and the Christianization of the south, have had a strong influence on the cultural life of today’s Nigeria. Traditional roots emerge in various customs, songs and orally transmitted stories. The terracotta figures of the Nok, the bronze sculptures of the Benin Empire and elaborate wood carvings such as those presented to the public in the national museums in Lagos, Benin City and Kaduna have been preserved from the old handicrafts ( Nigerian art ). As a testimony to traditional Yoruba culture and contemporary art, the Sacred grove in Oshogbo was included in the UNESCO World Heritage List, as was the cultural landscape of Sukur with the terraced fields and the ruins of the chief’s palace.

According to smber, Nigeria’s contemporary literature enjoys international recognition. In 1986 W. Soyinka was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature. Like C. Achebe , who received the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade in 2002 and the Man Booker Prize in 2007, he is one of the politically committed writers. F. Nwapa is considered to be the founder of women’s literature in Nigeria. CN Adichie also attracted international attention(* 1977) with her story “Half of a Yellow Sun” about the Biafra War. Since the 1990s, the film industry in Nigeria has gained a prominent position. Over 1200 film productions a year have earned it the nickname »Nollywood«. In addition to folk music with its traditional roots, modern pop music with an African character has developed, especially in the cities. Hip-hop and reggae are extremely popular. The musician F. A. Kuti is considered to be the founder of Afrobeat.

In sport, football enjoys the greatest attention. His national team promotes the development of national awareness in a country where people identify more often through their tribal affiliation. The women’s national team is one of the most successful on the African continent and has already reached the final of the Women’s World Cup several times. Other popular sports are boxing, rugby and basketball.

World Heritage Sites in Nigeria

World Heritage Sites

• Sukur Cultural Landscape (1999)
• Sacred grove of the goddess Oshun near Oshogbo (2005)

Sukur Cultural Landscape (World Heritage)

The cultural landscape of Sukur, which has remained unchanged for centuries, documents the long cultural tradition of the Sukur people, a Hausa ethnic group that has survived to the present day. This is exemplified by the terraced fields, which are towered over by the ruins of the chief’s palace. The area was previously known for its iron industry.

Sukur Cultural Landscape: Facts

Sacred Grove in Oshogbo (World Heritage)

The sacred grove is not only of religious, but also of great cultural importance for the development of an independent African art. It is a central place of cult of the Yoruba religion and the fertility goddess Oshun. While all other sacred groves in Nigeria were desecrated or cut down, the area was saved thanks to the work of the Austrian sculptor and Yoruba priestess Susanne Wenger (1915 – 2009) and expanded into a total work of art for the archaic-modern art school “New Sacred Art”.

Sacred Grove in Oshogbo: Facts