The Federal Republic of Nigeria, officially known as Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic with 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
It covers 356,668 sq. miles (923,7770 sq. kilometers), a country comparable in size to California, Nevada, and Utah combined, boasts a vast and diverse population and culture.
The country shares land borders with the Republic of Benin, Chad, Cameroon, and Niger, with its southern coast on the Gulf of Guinea.
Nigeria has over 500 ethnic groups, with the largest being Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba.
The name Nigeria was taken from the Niger River, coined by Flora Shaw who later married Baron Lugard in the late 19th century.
The Nigeria national flag, designed by Micheal Taiwo Akinkunmi, was adopted on October 1, 1960, and is divided vertically into three equal parts. The central part which is white symbolizes peace and unity, while the two outer parts which are green symbolize the nation’s vast agricultural wealth.
The coat of arms features a black shield with two white stripes representing the Niger River and the country’s good earth. The motto, Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress, is written at the base of the coat of arms, symbolizing authority and power.
Before independence, Nigeria’s COLONIAL GOVERNOR GENERALS included Sir Fredrick Lord Lugard, Hurge Clifford, and Creamer Thompson. They served under various governments, including Donald Cameroon, Bernard Boundillion, Anthony Richard, John Macphaerson, and James Robertson.
Nigerians are becoming the standard for others worldwide, with 60% of them in the US having college degrees and earning 25% more than the median US income. They have also been recognized as the smartest family in the UK by the Imafidon family. Nigerians have also been instrumental in ending apartheid and achieving Black rule in South Africa.
Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki were two of the three Presidents who ruled South Africa after apartheid, living in Nigeria under asylum. Nigeria provided financial, human, and political support to end wars in Liberia and Sierra Leone, which the world ignored due to their lack of oil.
In 2003, Nigeria restored the elected President back to power in São Tomé and Príncipe.
Nigeria has a rich history of giving monetary gifts to Ireland during their oil boom and building statues for France free of charge. The first television station in Africa was NTA Ibadan (1960), long before Ireland had RTE station.
Nigerians are not a nation of scammers, drugs, and corruption, but a people with a verifiable track record of greatness.
On May 7, 2016, at Howard University in Washington D.C., 43 out of 96 graduating Doctor of Pharmacy candidates were Nigerians, and out of 27 awards given, 16 went to Nigerians. Nigerians are trailblazers, setting a positive example for other nations to follow.
NIGERIA, GREAT NATION GOOD PEOPLE!!!