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Niger
(18 December: National Day)
By: Dr Sajid Khakwani
drsajidkhakwani@gmail.com
Niger, republic in western Africa, bounded on the north by Algeria
and Libya, on the east by Chad, on the south by Nigeria and Benin,
and on the west by Burkina Faso and Mali. It has a total area of
489,200 sq miles. Niamey is the capital, and largest city, on the
Niger River. A river port and road and trade center, Niamey is the
southern terminus of a short railroad northwest to Tillabéri. The
city manufactures pottery and bricks, leather goods, textiles,
charcoal, metal products, soft drinks, and milled grain. Livestock,
hides and skins, grain, vegetables, and locally made mats and
textiles are exported. Founded at an unknown time as Niamma, it was
later called Niame until the arrival of the French.
During the Middle Ages the Niger region was on
the central caravan route from North Africa to the Hausa states and
the empires of Mali and Songhai. The area was therefore penetrated
early by Muslim missionaries. The Hausa states were dominant in
southern Niger from before the 10th century until the early 19th
century. Around 1450, the rulers of the Hausa states adopted Islam
as their official religion. The first Europeans to enter the area
were Scottish explorer in 1795 and 1805 and German explorers in
1850. The French occupied the area about 1890. It was made a
military territory in 1900, an autonomous territory in 1922, and an
overseas territory in 1946. Proclaimed an autonomous republic of
the French Community in 1958, Niger became fully independent on
August 3, 1960. The Niger has served as a focal point for the
development of African civilizations, particularly the ancient
kingdoms of Ghana and Mali. It continues to play a key role in the
region, serving as a source of livelihood for many West African
farmers, fishers, and herders, as a transportation route in areas
that are otherwise poorly connected, and as a source of energy.
The northern desert of Niger has little
vegetation. In the south are extensive savanna grasslands and, in
the lowlands, a variety of trees, including baobab, tamarind, kepok,
and a species of mahogany. Animal life includes elephant, buffalo,
antelope, giraffe, and lion. Niger has diverse mineral resources,
most of which remain to be exploited. Large deposits of high-grade
uranium ore are found in the north. Other minerals present include
coal, tin, gold, phosphate, iron ore, and copper. Niger has tin,
gold, and uranium mining operations. Large deposits of uranium are
located in northern Niger. Uranium accounts for more than
three-fourths of the country’s annual mineral exports. Salt is also
mined in Niger in small quantities. Industry is limited mainly to
food processing and construction.
Livestock raising is the principal agricultural
activity. Cowpeas and cotton are cultivated for export. Millet,
sorghum, cassava, pulses, and rice are grown for local consumption.
Fishing is conducted in Lake Chad and the Niger River, and the
catch is consumed locally. About about 3000 miles of the Niger and
its tributaries are navigable. Commercial navigation begins at the
town of Kouroussa, in Guinea. Several rapids—such as at Koulikoro
in Mali, Atakora on the Niger-Benin border, and Jebba in
Nigeria—interrupt through traffic. Locks permit boats to bypass the
Kainji Dam. Agricultural products and refined petroleum are
transported on the river. Passenger travel is important along the
upper-middle Niger, where road and rail connections are poorly
developed. Nigeria’s major river ports, including Onitsha, Idah,
Ajaokuta, Lokoja, Jebba, and Yelwa, were upgraded in the late 1980s
to encourage greater use of inland waterways.
The majority of the population of Niger is
composed of black peoples, primarily Hausa and Djerma, who are
subsistence farmers in the south. Of the remaining quarter, most
are Tuareg and Fulani, peoples who follow a nomadic life. The
population of Niger is 13,272,679 (2008 estimate) and but
approximately 90 percent of the population lives near the southern
border. Muslims, make up about 90 percent of Niger’s population.
Most of the remainder adheres to traditional beliefs; less than 1
percent is Christian. French is the official language, but Hausa is
the language of local trade. Other African languages, such as
Fulfulde, Tamachek, and Djerma, are also used extensively.
Schooling in Niger is free and compulsory between the ages of 7 and
12. Because of a shortage of teachers and the wide dispersion of
the population, however, only 44 percent of primary school-age
children receive an education. Secondary schools enrolled only 7
percent of the relevant age group. Municipalities in Niger have
state-run libraries, and several private organizations maintain
libraries. The National Museum of Niger, in Niamey, includes both a
library and a museum. Islamic influences from North Africa have had
a powerful effect on the culture of Niger.
Marriages are typically arranged by the family,
and a bride-price is paid by the groom’s parents to the bride’s
parents. Village women often marry at about age 15, and men between
18 and 25. People in urban areas tend to marry later. The
traditional marriage ceremony lasts three days, with a big feast
for friends. In some parts of Niger, it is a traditional custom for
the bride to identify one of two hooded men as her husband—she is
given hints if necessary. In a Nigerien family, children must
respect their parents. Older people are highly honored and must be
obeyed by younger people. It is common for the elderly to live with
their adult children. Children are seen as belonging to the entire
community, and may be disciplined by neighbors or friends.
Wealthier members of the family are expected to share with and help
the extended family. Gender roles are rigidly defined. Women do all
the house work, such as making flour, collecting firewood, going to
the market, drawing each day’s water from the well, and caring for
the children. Both men and women work in the fields.
Homes may be thatched or made of mud bricks. Common family
activities often take place under a thatched roof in one corner of
the compound. The husband is the head of the family. Muslim men may
have up to four wives, and animists more than that. Each wife has
her own section within a walled family compound, and the wives take
turns cooking for all. The husband has his own section and spends
time with each wife in rotation. The more wives a man has, the more
important he is considered to be. Young men are moving away from
this tradition because of the financial responsibility and other
burdens involved. However, it is not considered proper for a woman
to remain unmarried. Polygamy is less common among educated urban
people. Independence Day is 3 August; it is celebrated by planting
trees to help counter desertification. The Proclamation of the
Republic (before actual independence) is celebrated on 18 December.
The Islamic calendar is based on the lunar month, so dates for
religious holidays vary from year to year. They include Mouloud
(Muhammad’s birthday), which is the only day married women
celebrate outside their family compounds.
After a military coup in 1974, the Supreme
Military Council, headed by a president, became Niger’s main
governing body. A new constitution approved by referendum in
September 1989 nominally returned the country to civilian rule. In
1991 this constitution was suspended and a transitional government
established. Another constitution was ratified in 1992. After
another military coup in January 1996, the National Assembly was
dissolved, and a new constitution, designed to consolidate
executive power in order to avoid deadlock between the president
and the legislature, was approved by public referendum. Following a
1999 coup, this constitution was amended to balance the powers of
the executive and legislative branches of government once again.
The president, elected for a maximum of two five-year terms, is the
head of state. The prime minister, appointed by the president, is
the head of government. The legislative body is the National
Assembly, composed of directly elected representatives who serve
five-year terms.
District magistrates’ courts, labor courts, and
justices of the peace are located throughout Niger. The Court of
State Security and an appeals court sit in Niamey. The High Court
of Justice, empowered to try government officials, was authorized
in 1991. Niger is divided into one capital district and seven
departments, which are subdivided into districts and communes.
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