Nigeria could possibly be considered one of the most culturally diverse

nations on the planet. This could possibly be due to the large number of
biodiverse qualities that the country is involved in. One of the biggest ways
that culture is connected to biodiversity is through all of the festivals that
people partake in (Diversity in Culture). Through these events, they use
different aspects of the physical environment in Nigeria to celebrate the
given time. One specific example can be seen in the Arugungu Fishing
Festival (Diversity in Culture). It is usually celebrated in February or March
and it marks the beginning of the fishing season in the little town of
Arugungu. At this time, men get into the Arugungun River with large nets to
capture fish from the water. They also celebrate with canoe racing,
swimming, wild duck hunting, and diving competitions. It is certainly a fun
time when the Arugungun people can take advantage of their biodiverse
feature of fish. Another event that occurs at the end of the rainy season is
the Benin festival (Diversity in Culture). It signifies the end of the harvest
and allows eligible men and women to become acquainted. Since this event
celebrates all that the soil has reaped in the harvest, it has a strong
connection between biodiversity and cultural diversity. The many festivals
that annually occur in Nigeria assist us in seeing the intertwining of these
two interesting components of a society.

Figure 1. Arugungu Festival

Since oil exports are a huge source of revenue for Nigeria, some of
their different cultural groups are affected by it (Ethnicity in Nigeria). The
Ijaw people, who are centered around the Niger River Delta, are challenged
with occupying such a massive oil-rich area. Ecological hazards have risen
because of high amounts of oil. The oil revenues have also not been
managed well; the profits have not been effectively sent back to the Ijaw
people who deserve them. On the other hand, the Igbo people of
southeastern Nigeria
have played a
critical role in the
exporting of oil from
this nation (Ethnicity
in Nigeria). It has
provided necessary
jobs for them and
the revenues have
been managed well.
Figure 2. Prevalence of oil refinements in southern Nigeria

Oil exports of

Nigeria can have conflicting roles, but it does show how this resource can
affect many cultures.

Nigeria contains many different reptiles, birds, and mammals (Nigerian

Animals). However, two species of animals and 20 species of plants have
become extinct over the past 65 years (Biodiversity in Nigeria). Some might
believe that this is due to the prevalence of ecosystem changes from human
activities. This biodiverse factor of species is being negatively affected by
the diverse ethnic background of the Nigerian people.

References
Biodiversity in Nigeria. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from
http://www.onlinenigeria.com/links/bioticadv.asp?blurb=525
Diversity in Culture. (2011, May 28). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from
https://allthatisgoodaboutnigeria.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/diversityin-culture/
Ethnicity in Nigeria. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/africa-jan-june07-ethnic_04-05/
Nigerian Animals. (n.d.). Retrieved November 18, 2015, from
http://www.total-facts-about- nigeria.com/nigerian-animals.html