GST 112: Nigerian People and Culture – Introductory Concepts

15 Question-and-Answer flashcards summarizing core definitions, cultural types, and the Nigerian cultural landscape from Pages 1–3 of the lecture notes.

How do Tylor (1871) and Hofstede (2001) broadly define culture?

As the total way of life of a people—their beliefs, values, norms, customs, traditions, language, arts, laws, religion, and material traits passed from generation to generation.

What is the difference between culture and identity?

Culture is the shared way of life of a group, while identity refers to the qualities, beliefs, appearance, and expressions that define an individual or group.

What is meant by cultural identity?

A sense of belonging to a particular culture or group, expressed through language, religion, dress, food, traditions, and collective memory.

What is material culture?

The physical or tangible objects created and used by a society, such as buildings, clothing, tools, and artworks.

What is non-material culture?

The intangible elements of culture, including values, norms, beliefs, customs, language, and traditions.

How does popular culture differ from folk culture?

Popular culture is mainstream, mass-consumed, and often shaped by media and globalization, whereas folk culture is traditional, localized, and transmitted orally across generations.

Give three examples of popular culture in contemporary Nigeria.

Nollywood films, Afrobeats music, and urban fashion.

What is high culture? Provide examples.

Cultural products and activities associated with societal elites, e.g., classical music, fine arts, and literature.

What is low (popular) culture? Provide examples.

More accessible, mass-consumed cultural forms such as dance music, street art, and local crafts.

Define a subculture.

A cultural group within a larger culture that maintains distinct values, norms, or practices, e.g., youth groups or occupational communities.

Define a counterculture.

A group that actively rejects dominant cultural norms and promotes alternative lifestyles or ideologies.

Roughly how many ethnic groups and languages exist in Nigeria?

Over 250 ethnic groups and more than 500 languages.

Name Nigeria’s three dominant ethnic groups and their primary regions.

Hausa-Fulani (North), Yoruba (South-west), and Igbo (South-east).

List key cultural features of the Hausa-Fulani people.

Islamic heritage, respect for hierarchy, traditional architecture, strong oral history, and social norms rooted in Sharia and communal values.

List key cultural features of the Yoruba people.

Rich spiritual practices such as Ifá divination, festivals like Osun-Osogbo, and notable contributions to literature, theatre, and sculpture.