The history of Niger can be traced back to prehistoric settlers living in the area as early as 11,000B:C. Numerous ancient African civilization settled in the region that is today Nigeria. An example of one of the civilizations that settled in Nigeria where the Nri Kingdom. Islam reached Nigeria through the Hausa states in the 11^th century A: D. the Songhai Empire also occupied part of the region.

  The origin of the name Niger, which originally applied only to the middle reaches. The word likely an alteration of the Tuareg name Egerew, N-igerewen used by inhabitants along the middle reaches of the river around Timbuktu prior to 19^th century European colonization.

Now let’s look at the kingdoms that existed before the British took over with colonial rule:

THE NOK CIVILISATION

The Nok civilization flourished between 500B: C and 200A:D. In the northern part of the country, KANO and KATSINA have a recorded history dating back to around 999A:D. Hausa kingdoms’ and the Kanem-Bornue Empire prospered as trade posts between north and West Africa.

At the beginning of the 19^th century, Usman Dan Fodio directed as a successive jihad and led the centralized Fulani Empire (Also Known As the Sokoto Caliphate). The territories controlled by the resultant state included much of modern day northern and central Nigeria; this lasted the 1903 breakup of the empires into various European colonies.

THE YORUBA KINGDOM OF IFE

The oyo in south western nigeria bacame prominent in the 12^th and 14^th centuries respectively. Yoruba mythology states that ILE-IFE is the source of the human race and pre-dates any other civilization. The oldest signs of human settlement at IFES current site date back to the 19^th century and its material culture includes terracotta and bronze figures.

THE KINGDOM OF NRI OF THE IGBO   

This is one of the oldest kingdoms in Nigeria, consolidated in the 10^th century and continue until it lost its sovereignty to the British 1911. Nri was then ruled by someone called the Eze Nri, and the city of Nri is considered to be the foundation of the Igbo culture. Nri and Aguleri, where the igbo creation myth originates, are in the territory of the Umueri Clan. Members of the clan trace their lineages back to the patriarchal king like figure Eri, a city under the influence of Nri, was also known as Igbo Ukwu, a city known for using wax process to make bronze.

There are quite some few kingdoms and empires that where in existence then apart from this three major kingdoms. Such as:

*THE BENIN KINGDOM                    *THE IBIBIO KINGDOM

*THE BORGU KINGDOM                  *THE NUPE KINGDOM

*THE FULANI EMPIRE                       *THE SANGHAI KINDOM

*THE KANEM-BORNU EMPIRE        *THE WARRI KINGDOM

*THE KWARAFA KINGDOM              *THE HAUSA KINGDOM

The three major kingdoms where the most dominant when Nigeria was still being founded, but one by one the British took over every kingdom in Nigeria and made them one, just in case someone tells you that the British founded Nigeria spit on their face (joking) and say a big capital NO, the British only found the name and not the spirit, Nigeria has existed before the British even dreamt of taking over.

Lord lugard was assigned in Nigeria in 1912 to achieve the merger of the northern and southern protectorates, the task of unification was achieved two years later on the eve of    WORLD WAR I. From January 1914 onward the newly united colony and protectorates was presided over by a proconsul, who was entitled the governor general of Nigeria. The principle of indirect rule administered by traditional rulers was applied throughout Nigeria, and colonial officers were instructed to interfere as little as possible with the existing order. In 1916 lord lugard formed the Nigeria council, a consultative body that brought together six traditional leaders, including sultan of sokoto, the emir of kano and the king of oyo, to represent all part of the colony. This group of six men were not just there to talk of add to whatever they would be saying, they were just there to look and listen as the colonialist speak.

The federation of Nigeria was granted its independence on 1^st of October 1960 and became a republic on October 1963 with its first president being DR Nnamdi Azikiwe. A country with an area of923.768.64 square kilometer, with a population of about 110 million people, with River Niger and River Benue running through it, with the largest economy city being Lagos, with its capital being Abuja, its official language is English, and its major languages are Igbo, Yoruba and Hausa.

OTHERS                                                                                  

Other languages consist of:

*Edo       * Kanuri    *Nupe     *Margi                                                     

*Efik       *Itsekiri     *Ibibio    *Jukun

*Fulani   *Gwari      *Katab    *Idoma                                                                       PRESIDENT

*Igala     *Tiv            *Ijaw       *Igbira                                                           GOODLUCK EBELE JONATHAN

*Urhobo-Isoko        *Birom.                                                                                   VICE PRESIDENT

                                                                                                                                    NAMADI SAMBO

ETHNIC GROUP (2013)

*21% YORUBA      *21% HAUSA      *18% IGBO

*11% FULANI        *7% EFIK-IBIBIO *4% KANURI

*3% TIV                  *3% EDO

LEGISLATURE                                  UPPER HOUSE                          LOWER HOUSE

NATIONAL ASSEMBLY                         SENATE                                  HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WATER%                                              POPULATION                                            GDP                  

14                                                        2013 ESTIMATE                                                     2013 ESTIMATE

                                                             (174,507,539)                                             $1.018 TRILLION

                                                             2006 CENSUS

                                                              (140,431,790)

CURRENCY                                                               TIME ZONE

NAIRA (#) (NGN)                                                        WAT (UTC+1)