Niger Disney Travel Agents Near Me

Overview

Introduction

Niger straddles the Sahel, the unforgiving boundary zone in north-central Africa where the greener climes of the south give way to sandy soil and stunted vegetation and then to the dry silence of the Sahara. At just about any time of the year, it can be a blazing furnace. But Niger is also a hotbed of fascinating traditional cultures—which seem to have little in common with each other.

The people of Niger are as colorful and diverse as the landscape is bleak. To the south, in the more verdant area along the Niger River, are the Hausa, who are farmers and merchants, and the Djerma and Songhai, who retain some of the royal traditions of ancient empire. To the north are the nomadic herders—primarily the Fulani and Tuaregs, some of whom are known as the Blue People because of their use of indigo dye. For the hardiest travelers, who don't mind the heat and inconveniences, Niger is one of the best places in Africa to encounter a variety of contrasting cultures.

Geography

Niger is one of the 14 landlocked nations in Africa. The country shares borders with Libya and Algeria to the north, Nigeria and Benin to the south, Mali and Chad to the east, and Burkina Faso to the west. The Niger River snakes for 300 mi/500 km, passing through the southern region and capital. The northern area is characterized by mountains. The country is mostly covered by desert, but there are grasslands in the more populous southwestern region (90% of the population lives within 100 mi/160 km of the southern border).

History

Now virtually ignored by the outside world, Niger was once an important crossroads of the salt, slave and ivory trades. For centuries, various states, empires and bands of nomads tried to control it. In the late 19th century, the French began colonizing the area and retained control until Niger gained independence in 1960. Though it was severely hurt by drought and famine in the early 1970s, it made slow but steady progress economically, thanks in part to the exploitation of uranium deposits near Arlit. However, the collapse of uranium prices on the world market and a drought in 1984 once again set the country back. The French government continues to buy the bulk of Niger's uranium at prices well above market value, and the discovery of gold in the region of Goetheye and near the border with Burkina Faso has brought a measure of hope for Niger's economy. Encroaching desertification, however, is changing many traditional ways.

The Tuaregs mounted a full-scale rebellion in 1992, and although the revolt ended with a peace agreement, separatists still launch attacks against the military and the occasional foreign visitor. In 1996, a coup d'etat by Gen. Ibrahim Bare Mainassara ended the country's up-and-down five-year experiment with democracy. Elections held in that year were condemned by some observers as fraudulent, but Gen. Mainassara was elected president nonetheless. Mainassara was not popular, and in April of 1999, he was gunned down by members of his own security force. Members of the military quickly took control of the country, and the ruling junta promised to cede control to the winners of the scheduled elections. As good as its word, the junta stood aside when a civilian government led by President Mamadou Tandja was elected, creating a new, if fragile, political stability.

Trouble soon began to brew again in 2002, as government soldiers, unhappy with pay and working conditions, staged a series of mutinies. The following year, Niger found itself at the center of controversy as both Britain and the U.S. claimed that Niger had sold uranium to Iraq. Though the claim was subsequently denounced as false, it drew unwanted attention to the country and its dependence on the exportation of uranium ore.

That same year, in 2003, Niger criminalized slavery under increasing international pressure. In 2005, however, in an amazing about-face, the government cancelled a public ceremony that was to free some 7,000 slaves, claiming that slavery had never existed in the country. (United Nations statistics suggest that there are still about 43,000 people being held as slaves in Niger.)

Snapshot

Among the attractions of Niger are tribal culture, game parks, desert scenery, architecture and museums.

Niger will appeal only to flexible, tolerant travelers who are experienced in touring developing countries and who are interested in Saharan and West African culture. It is not for anyone who is greatly concerned about comfort and strict sanitation standards, who cannot tolerate high temperatures or whose trip will be ruined by unexpected schedule delays or sudden changes in plans.

Potpourri

If you are in Niger during early September, don't miss the famous Cure Salee of the Wodaabe. The Wodaabe are a sect of the Fulani tribe known for their fine features and great beauty. The Cure Salee is an annual festival where (among other things) Wodaabe men attempt to woo themselves a bride. The stage for their courtship is the gerewol, which is essentially a beauty contest. Eligible men decorate themselves with elaborate make-up and jewelry and dance for hours on end. Eventually, eligible women may choose a man (or not), but the entire festival is terrific, unforgettable theater.

Banking has a bad name in Niger, but that may be changing. Traditionally, most banks have been owned by the state, which may explain why 90% of savings institutions in Niger have failed in the last decade. In contrast, more than 80 "village" or "coop" banks, some with inscrutable names such as "The Suffering Has Come to an End," have opened up across Niger in the last decade. The new banks are locally owned and managed but are backed by a German development firm rather than the impoverished Nigerien government.

M. Ali Seybou, the former dictator of Niger, resides in Ouallam, 60 mi/100 km to the north of Niamey. He is known as an affable host.

The Tuaregs are descended from the light-skinned Berbers of the North African coast. They claim that they are oppressed by the governments of Niger and Mali. Several hundred people have died during the Tuareg uprising in both nations during the past several years. The severe drought in the early 1970s led many Tuareg tribesmen, whose ancestors had roamed the desert for centuries, to settle in towns.

In the southwest, the plantations grow mostly peanuts and cotton.

For the trip of a lifetime, experienced travelers should consider taking the local bus from Niamey to Gao, Mali.

Yes, those are open sewers along the streets of Niamey.

The average life expectancy is only 42 years. Per capita income is around US$250 per year.

Overview

Introduction

Although Nigeria has substantial oil and mineral deposits, prosperity is far out of the reach of most of its people, and poverty is widespread. Inflation and corruption in Nigeria are rampant, riots and strikes are frequent, and the country's infrastructure is in tatters from plunder by past governments. Travel in Nigeria can be a stressful ordeal, stalled by inconvenience, inefficiency and shakedowns—by police and militia as well as freelance operators. Although Things Fall Apart, the classic novel by Nigeria's Chinua Achebe, was written about a crisis in the country during the early 20th century when the missionaries arrived, the title could be applied to current conditions.

Since 1999, Nigeria's civilian government, led for two terms by President Olusegun Obasanjo followed by President Umaru Yar'Adua, has had some success reducing the country's endemic corruption and improving working conditions. But Nigeria still has an awfully long road ahead of it.

Nigeria has never been the most pleasant West African country to visit. It's dirty and hectic, and the Nigerians are known among other African peoples for their aggressiveness—it is said that the whole country has a Type A personality. Unlike some other developing nations, where you might risk your life for stunning natural beauty or unusual cultural artifacts, the only superlative you'll hear about Nigeria is that Lagos is the world's ugliest and most chaotic city. Nigeria's one true bright spot is its wonderfully ebullient music—which you'll probably enjoy more in the comfort of your home than in Lagos' dangerous nightclubs.

On a more positive note, Nigeria now has two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which should improve its reputation as a tourist destination. Although very difficult to get to, the ancient village of Sukur on the border with Cameroon has earned recognition for its cultural landscape and a way of life that hasn't changed for hundreds of years (the British didn't even know of its existence until 1927). The other site is the Oshogbo Sacred Forest (also known as the Osun Sacred Groves) in the southeast, which is home to statues and shrines dedicated to the Yoruba religion.

Geography

Nigeria is divided into four regions, forming bands running east to west: the hot, humid, swampy coastal belt; subtropical rain forest; relatively dry woodland and savanna (which make up most of the country); and arid semidesert known as the Sahel (in the extreme north). The country's only mountains are in the east, along the border with Cameroon. The country is divided into three regions by its two great rivers; the Niger and the Benue that meet and form a Y in the south of the country, effectively dividing the three dominant ethnic groups. The Yoruba in the southwest, the Igbo in the southeast, and the Hausa-Fulani in the north.

History

Modern Nigeria, like much of Africa, is the product of misguided colonial geography. The country's borders enclose many ethnic groups and several separate kingdoms. Some of its older cultures can be traced back 2,000 years. Today the dominant ethnic groups are the Yoruba in the southwest, the Igbo in the southeast and the Hausa-Fulani in the north.

The Portuguese were the first to arrive in the region in the 15th century, when they instigated the trans-Atlantic slave trade from West Africa. Millions of slaves left the coast during a period of some 400 years, until slavery was finally abolished at the end of the 19th century. Missionaries arrived on the southern coast in the middle of the 19th century and spread Christianity. The north had been Muslim for a millennium, a legacy from the Arabs that had crossed the Sahara to trade in West Africa.

In 1885, Britain claimed Nigeria as a sphere of influence. It became a formal colony in 1914, but by the end of World War II, Nigerian nationalism began to build momentum. Full independence came in 1960.

Cultural differences and economic inequality led to the Biafran civil war (1967-1970), which pitted the Igbo separatists of the southeast against the rest of the country. It also led to one of the worst famines ever seen in West Africa: the Nigerian government simply starved the Igbos into submission. Some 3 million lost their lives from famine and fighting. The legacy of that war was a terrible cycle of military rule that only ended in 1999.

Retired Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo was the only Nigerian military leader to cede power—willingly—to civilians (he first did so in 1979). He was elected president in 1999, and again in 2003, and now most Nigerians feel there is no longer a threat of the military taking over again. His greatest accomplishments have been controlling corruption, establishing confidence in a civilian government, maintaining peace among Nigeria's various ethnic groups and delivering a modicum of prosperity to its people.

As he was constitutionally not permitted to stand for more than two terms, Obasanjo hand-picked his successor, Umaru Yar'Adua, for the 2007 elections. Yar'Adua won with more than 70% of the vote (though elections were deeply flawed). Following Yar'Adua's death in 2010, Goodluck Jonathan was sworn in as president, and in 2015 he was succeeded by Muhammadu Buhari.

In recent years, Nigeria has witnessed violence between Christians and Muslims. Since 2000, nine of the northern Islamic states have adopted Sharia Law as their criminal code. Sharia punishments, such as amputation for theft and death by stoning for adultery, only apply to Muslims but it has antagonized many Christians living in the north. It has also caused a predicament for the government, as Sharia opposes federal law.

Since 2000, more than 10,000 people have been killed in religious clashes, mostly by mob violence and hand-to-hand fighting. It remains to be seen how this conflict will be resolved. Despite this instability, very few Sharia punishments have actually taken place.

The other pressing issue for Nigeria is violence in the Niger Delta. Local communities are demonstrating about the oil wealth that is generated on their lands but goes to the government and oil companies. Few people who live next to the oil installations pumping the "black gold" benefit. Additionally, oil has greatly damaged the environment and polluted the water and land, and local people are demanding compensation because they cannot fish or farm.

Since the mid-1990s, there have been violent clashes between local groups and security forces, and oil instillations have been attacked. The problem has escalated to an international level since 2006, as heavily armed groups have resorted to kidnapping both Nigerian and foreign oil workers in the region. Yar'Adua has announced the crisis in the Niger Delta as the dominate priority under his governance.

Snapshot

Among Nigeria's attractions are the conglomeration of diverse peoples, cultures, languages and religions, a rich artistic heritage, wonderful music, ancient walled cities, desert settlements and shopping.

Even though Nigeria has begun to stabilize, we are not terribly enthusiastic about it as a tourist destination, and it is a challenging country to travel in. There is little to see in the way of conventional sightseeing. Nigerians themselves have little interest in preserving their historical or natural legacies, and Nigeria has never had any tourist industry to support them. We enjoyed parts of Nigeria, but we think other West African countries have more interesting sights in less stressful environments.

If you do go, be prepared for delays, inconveniences, poor sanitation, bribery and corruption. Many areas are noisy, dirty, polluted, crowded and relatively expensive (if you want to remain healthy). The cities of Lagos, Abuja and Ibadan have very high crime rates, particularly for armed robbery.

On a more positive note, however, Nigerians are warm and friendly to visitors.

Potpourri

Walk down the street anywhere in Nigeria and you'll likely see people selling everything from peanuts to car parts. Many of these vendors have no shop and sell their wares on the side of the road or amongst the heaving traffic. More than half of all working Nigerians make a living as traders in this informal economy.

One of the most distinctive features of Nigeria is how many people live there. The country's population is estimated at more than 140 million. About 25% of all Africans who reside south of the Sahara live in Nigeria, and about one in six of all Africans are Nigerian. There also many millions of Nigerians living overseas in the U.S., Europe and South Africa. Lagos and Kano are two of the largest cities in the world with official populations of roughly 9 million in each. In reality, these figures could be much higher, and the U.N. estimates that Lagos alone could be home to 13 million-17 million people.

Nigeria was once rated the third most corrupt nation in the world by Transparency International. The late dictator Sani Abacha alone squirreled away more than US$1 billion of oil money during his term as president in the 1990s. However, things improved following the creation of the Economic Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in 2003, which has had some success in arresting and prosecuting corrupt persons, including those in government.

In theory, Nigeria's electricity is supplied by the Nigerian Electric Power Agency (NEPA). Nigerians themselves call it Never Expect Power Again and for good reason: The electricity supply is precariously erratic and there are frequent power cuts. NEPA tried to reinvent itself by changing its name to the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN)—Problem Has Changed Name.

Hotels often describe a room with one double bed as a single room. In the same way, a double room has two double beds, and a family room has beds so vast they are wider than they are long.

If you're Caucasian and you hear someone call out, "Hey, batour'ay" or "Oyibo," they may be addressing you. Both these terms mean "white person" in the north and south of Nigeria respectively.

People with carefully scarred faces may belong to either the Hausa or Yoruba ethnic groups.

Pidgin or broken English is spoken and understood by most people in the south. It is a language of slang using a mixture of English and indigenous Nigerian words. When a person speaks of his brudda (brother), he may be speaking of any man with whom he has close ties. He will call any woman sistah (sister). It is so widely spoken that the U.N. has translated the Declaration of Human Rights into Nigerian Pidgin English.

Chop means meal. A small chop is a snack, and a chop house is a restaurant. Food-is-ready is food that has already been cooked. Food-isn't-ready is something that has to be ordered off a menu, and you have to wait for it to be cooked.

On Islamic holidays, the northern cities of Kano, Katsina and Zaria hold colorful parades and festivals known as Durbars, when fabulously attired lines of horsemen pay tribute to the local emirs. Another interesting festival is the Argungu Fishing and Cultural Festival south of Sokoto (February) when hundreds of men and boys jump into the river at an allotted time in a competition to catch the biggest fish.

Wole Soyinka is one of Nigeria's most prolific writers and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1986. For many decades he used his voice, through books and poetry, against the various authoritarian governments, which resulted in a spell in jail when he spoke out against the Biafran War and in being thrown out of the country by Sani Abacha in the 1990s.