Nigeria, a country in Africa, is known for its food,clothes,and diverse culture.

Before the British

arrived in Lagos, Nigeria was made up of several ancient civilizations that were all very
important to the development of Nigeria. From the Nok civilization to the powerful empires of
Benin, Yoruba, Igbo, and the Hausa, ancient Nigeria had incredible advancements in art,
government, trade, and communication.
The Nok civilization was one of the earliest civilizations in Nigeria. The Nok people were skilled
in sculpture and iron making.The Nok civilization was well known for its human and animal
sculptures. Nok culture is very different from all the other villages, due to the fact that they had
specialized treatment of the mouth, eyes, head, body, feet, and other human facial features.
Another important part of the Nok culture was their iron technology. Archaeologists also
discovered other iron artifacts, for example farming tools and weapons in the Nok village. The
Nok village was one of the few civilizations on Earth that could transition from stone tools to iron
tools. Iron in the Nok culture was always a rare item. Nok houses were usually made of wattle
daub, which wasn’t a very strong object, which causes their houses to decay after a
while.
The Igbo tribe is one of the oldest and most culturally rich groups in Nigeria. The Igbo people
have played a big role in shaping the traditions, customs, and beliefs of their region. Religion
held a significant place in Igbo society, with a belief in the worship of ancestral spirits. The Igbo
people had a strong connection to their ancestors, and practiced rituals and ceremonies to
honor them. The Igbo tribe had a rich culture, which includes music, dance, art, and storytelling.
The Igbo people also made sculptures, masks, and pottery, which had symbolic meanings.
The Yoruba kingdom had many city-states, for example Ife, Oyo, and Benin, and each with its
own ruler, which are called oba. These city-states thrived through trade, agriculture, and
craftsmanship. The Yoruba people also made bronze sculptures, which represented ancestral
figures, everyday life scenes, and their artistic skills.The Yoruba tribe also had an organized
living structure. Yoruba men would build huts and would have his families live together in
compounds.. The Yoruba people valued education and tradition, passing down history, myths,
and legends through storytelling.
The Benin Empire was known for their materials, which includes brass, wood, and ivory.The
Benin culture did not want to be ruled by a king, so they decided to ask a prince from Ife if he
wanted to rule over Benin. The Benin village had many rituals and traditions, which expressed
how loyal and admiration they were to their village, which included human and animal
sacrifices.The Benin Empire thrived on a trade economy, they would trade ivory, brass, and
wood products, which brought lots of wealth to the Benin civilization. The Benin Empire was
famous for its bronze sculptures, royal art, and carved ivory statues. The Benin tribe were also
very good at crafting, but a lot of their art, palm oil, and other artifacts were taken from them by
the British.
The British traders gained access to such places as Lagos,but the plan was aborted because
the mortality rate among European officials was very high due to all of the diseases, like
malaria, smallpox, and pneumonia. But the main reason why the British went to Lagos was
because they needed the palm oil for their industrial lubricant, which was used for machinery.
When the merchants decided to raise the price of the palm oil, the British decided not to buy at
the price the merchants said, so the British decided to take the palm oil and also killed their
king. The
The British also traded Yoruba slaves for goods, like guns and gunpowder, but when the
Lagosians started to sell palm oil to the British, the British stopped using slaves.
The Hausa kingdom, which is present-day northern Nigeria, The Hausa kingdom was a small
independent city in northern Africa between the Niger river and Lake Chad. The Hausa kingdom
also prospered in trade, for example salts, metals, leather goods, and slaves. Hausa agriculture
was dependent on slaves to harvest and pick crops on farms and the slaves sometimes died
from the harsh environment. Trade also played a big role in the success of the Hausa
kingdom.Textiles, leather, and agricultural products were very high in demand, which fueled
economic growth and cultural changes.
In conclusion,The ancient civilizations of Nigeria, such as the Nok, Benin, Yoruba,Igbo and the
Hausa, contributed to Nigeria's rich culture and played a big role in shaping Nigeria’s history.
These civilizations made big advancements in art, government, trade, and religion, which lead
to the development of Nigeria.