African History: Significant Things You Need To Know About Six Countries In Africa.
During the 1890s, Africa was termed the Dark Continent. This happened when the colonists wanted to take over Africa.
Sometimes, the challenges we go through serve as stepping stones, to do more and break out of whatever was hiding our light.
Today, Africa is the second largest continent with fifty-four countries.
The continent is endowed with great cultural heritage, resources, geographical areas and lots of mindblowing features. The continent holds a huge proportion of the world’s natural resources, both renewables and non-renewables.
Each of the fifty-four countries are located in various regions of the continent. These countries are also known for some significant things, which this article will be bringing to the limelight.
NIGERIA:
Nigeria is located in the western region of the continent. It is a member of the Commonwealth of nations, and also one of the next eleven economies. It is very vast in the production and exportation of oil.
The Nok people of Nigeria made the terracotta sculpture of the early days.
According to the worldometer, the country’s population is about 232,679,478million.
The three major tribes in Nigeria are, The Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba. She has over 250 ethnic groupings.
The Nok Culture was one of the earliest known cultures of Western Africa. Nigeria has a diversity of fashionable traditional attires based on their regions or ethnic groups.
The Igbos are known for their Red Caps, just as hats or caps are used by other tribes. The Yoruba’s are known for their Agbada, Buba, Iron, Gele, Shokoto. The Nigerian People are very innovative and industrious.
Aso-oke, Akwete are products of hand-woven fabrics. Nigerian cuisine is special and classic. Her major dishes include; Edikaikon, Afang soup, Amala and Ewedu, Tuwo, Suya, pounded yam, Amara(made from beams), boiled and roasted corn, etc.
The Nigerian Craftsmen are so creative with their arts and crafts. From woodcarving, to calabash carving, sculptural crafts, basket making and lots more.
ETHIOPIA:
The Capital of ETHIOPIA is Addis-Ababa. It is the second country with the highest population of about 132, 059,767. There was a time the European divided the African Continent during the Berlin conference, Ethiopia retained its independence.
Its surface area is about 1,100,000km². It is situated in the eastern part of Africa. It will interest you to know that this was the only country without the interference of the European Colonists.
Over 45-86 languages are spoken in Ethiopia with its official languages as “Amharic.”
When you visit Ethiopia, try some of the dishes there.
Do you know that Arabic Coffee was first discovered in Ethiopia? Yes!
Some dishes include; Tibs, Doro Wot, Sambusas, Firfir.
The first meal here is “Tibs” Tibs is a dish of meat, chopped into strips and fries in butter with onions, pepper, herbs and spices. It is usually served with Injera.
The second meal is “Doro Wot.” It is a stew made with berbere(a spice blend in Ethiopia), onions, chili, and cardamom topped with one boiled egg.
The third meal is “Sambusas” known as Samosa. This is an appetizer and could be served as a snack.
The fourth meal is “Firfir.” Firfir is of different kinds; Dabo Firfir, Enqulal Firfir, and Quanta Firfir.
Dabo Firfir is made of torn-up bread mixed with berbere and served with yogurt.
EGYPT:
Egypt is home to the oldest and only remaining ancient wonder, the Great Pyramid of Giza. It is one of the most populous nations to the extent that most people live near the Nile River Banks.
Egypt takes the lead in the Arabic Speaking world. She also influences music, film and tv production, and literacy with its culture.
Just as there is a mix of diverse cultures across the country, there has been a blend of great cuisines and twists.
Their traditional meals are mostly served with soups, veggies or bread. Their dishes include; Mashed fava beans, bush okra stew, kofta, rice-stuffed vegetables, lentils and pasta, shawarma, etc.
ALGERIA:
Algeria is the largest African country occupying around 7% of the continent’s territory. Its official languages are Arabic and Tamazights. The Country has one of the main tourist attractions which is the Sahara Desert.
It is located in the heart of Northern Africa. It covers an area of 2.381.741km².
The culture of Algeria is known for its richness in literacy, diverse languages, music, and religion.
The garments mostly worn by men and women in Algeria are called “djellaba.” Almost all the Algerians are Islams. Algerian cuisine is so rich. Chakchouka is one of their top meals, mostly eaten during breakfast.
This meal is prepared with sauteed onions, tomatoes, sprinkled with various spices and decorated with eggs. Others include, Couscous, Hariri, Makroudh, etc.
SOUTH AFRICA:
South Africa as the first word states is located in the southern region. It has different cultures with eleven recognized languages in their constitution. It coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans is about 2,798km.
The country has a trio of capitals, The Cape Town, Pretoria, and Bloemfontein. South Africa shares 4,900km long border with Botswana, Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland and Zimbabwe.
The Zulu’s, Xhosa, Sotho, and the Tswana are the main culture in South Africa. If you are a foodie, who loves to explore other continental dishes? Add the South Africa food menu to your list. Meat is the centerpiece of any South African meal.
Chakalaka and Pap is a vegetable African dish made of beans, onions, pepper, carrots and meat and prepared with a blend of spices to arouse a great aroma and taste.
It is served with pap, a meal made from corn. Another mouthwatering dish is the “Durban bunny chow.” This meal is made of mutton. A hole is carved out from the middle of a loaf of bread and filled with meat curry.
For vegetarians, the meat curry filling can be substituted for bean or lentil curry.
RWANDA:
Rwanda is a nation of a thousand hills endowed with rich cultural heritage and history. She is a Presidential Republic with “Kigali” as her capital. It is situated in the heart of the East, with an area of 26,338km².
In Rwanda, the Nyabaringo is the longest river, which meets up with the Kagera and drains into Lake Victoria. Lake Kivo is the largest of many lakes in Rwanda and also one of the 20 deepest World lakes with a depth of 480 meters. The official languages spoken are; French, English, and Kinyarwanda.
Her major mountains are Albertine Rift, Virunga mountains, Mount Nyiragongo.
The three major tribes are; The Hutu, The Tutsi and The Twa or Batwa. The Itore dance troupe performs dynamic traditional music and dance styles. The Arts and Crafts villages such as “Ivuka Arts Center” are filled with artistic skills like clay pots, woven papyrus, jewelry, art pictorials, etc.
The popular dish in Rwanda is the “Isombe.” Isombe is a stew made of cassava leaves, peanuts and egg plants.
The “Ugali” is served with a variety of stews. Ugali is made from flour, water, maize and a pinch of salt. This meal is very delicious and satisfying. Others include, Ibihaza, brochette(a street food in Rwanda), Uji, etc. Most of the meals are prepared from maize.
This is just the tip of an iceberg about Africa. Africa is beautiful and she tells a story, with it rich diversity, communities and histories.
