PORTRAIT 1 - EVOLVING A NIGERIAN CULTURE?

                                  THE ARGUMENT

Nigeria is often referred to as “an artificial creation of the British,” a mere geographical expression with no basis in history or cultural identity. Many foreigners and Nigerians alike still seem to share this view that Nigeria is no more than a conglomeration of antagonistic ethnic groups living in separate cultural compartments.

The British obviously believed it: Lugard is styled “Maker of Nigeria,” and the Native Authorities he created were meant to perpetuate the divisions. The export oriented economic base that Colonialism created also de-emphasised intergroup relations among Nigerian peoples.

The competition for power in Post-colonial Nigeria has highlighted the ethnic rivalries and diversities. This was the basis of the demand for and the creation of more and more states. This competition has reached the tragic extreme of Civil War and has colored our perception of ourselves both in popular literature and even in some academic writings. Each time, our political crisis reaches fever point the debate is resumed or re- echoed as to whether in fact we have a basis for existence as a nation state.

We need to go beyond political controversy and deeper than the surface to observe how the ordinary Nigerian lives. At that level it is not difficult to demonstrate that this notion of Nigeria as a conglomeration of hostile groups living in separate cultural compartments is a myth that is overdue for demolition.

For the first time, a Television Series target to both the Nigerian and International audience makes a serious effort to examine from the inside the history and cultures of the peoples of Nigeria with a view to deepening our knowledge of those cultures, exploring those inter-group linkages that had existed long before the colonial period, which continue to exist and make compartmentalization of cultures in Nigeria a difficult exercise.

The series takes its cue from surviving evidence of our co-existence in various spheres such as history, art, religion, world view, rural life, rural economy, music and dance. In thirteen one hour episodes on different themes, the series presents vignettes of a composite picture which, with our historical linkages and continuing interaction, reflects the Portrait of what is fast evolving into A NIGERIAN CULTURE.