Nigeria's 62nd Independence Day: 7 Fun Facts About The Most Populous Black Nation On Earth

• On October 1, 2022, it would be 62 years since Nigeria gained its independence from the British empire, and it became a self-sovereign nation
• Nigeria, across the globe, is quite famous for many unique features that are only pertinent to the world's most populous Black nation on earth
• Legit.ng in this article highlights some of these unique features and facts about the West Africa giant as it celebrates its independence day

Nigeria turned a year older on October 1, 2022, making it sixty-two years since it gained its sovereignty from its former colonial masters, the British empire.

In the last sixty-two years, the country has grown quite a reputation carving a place for itself amongst the comity of nations.

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Legit.ng joins other Nigerians to celebrate the country's independence as it compiles a shortlist of unique features about the country worthy of bragging about.

1. Most popular black nation in the world:

With a population of over 218m, Nigeria is the most populous black nation in the world. The country is the sixth most populous nation, ranking higher than Russia and Mexico. It is estimated that the country's population will reach nearly 400m by 2050.

2. Nigeria is the world's capital of twins:

Igbo-Ora, a town in Oyo state, Nigeria, has been called the world's capital for twins. It is on record in this town that there are about 50 sets of twins for every 1000 birth. This makes it one of the world's highest rates of twin births.

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Nigeria also has the world's highest fertility rates. According to the world bank, in 2020, there was an average of 5.4 children born per woman.

3. Its famous movie industry is called Nollywood:

The Nigerian movie is one of the most famous worldwide and fastest-growing industries. Nollywood, as it is popularly called, is the second largest producer of movies behind Indian Bollywood, with an average of 50 films released every week.

Nollywood was recently valued to be worth a whopping $5.1bn and generates close to $600m yearly, according to a report by Businessday. The industry is also one of the largest employers of labour in the country, with over 1m persons directly and indirectly employed by the industry.

4. Oldest record of civilization in West Africa was recorded in Nigeria:

The oldest form of society in the West African region with verifiable details was first seen in Nigeria. They are the Nok artworks or also called the Nok heads.

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It said that the Nok people existed between 1500BC and 500 AD. These artworks were excavated in 1944, led by Bernard Fagg, in the southern region of Kaduna, where the Ham people still live.

5. Nigeria is home to the world's 3rd oldest boat, Dufana Canoe:

The world's 3rd oldest boat on record can be found in Nigeria. The boat is known as Dufana Canoe; it is estimated to be 6,500 years old.

6. Birthplace of the music genre 'Afrobeat':

The internationally renowned and fast-growing music genre, Afrobeat, originated in Nigeria. It is currently the world's most popular music genre, with artists like Burna Boy, Wizkid, and Davido being some of its leading exponents across the globe.

The Fela Anikulapo-Kuti is credited as the pioneer of Afrobeat and remains a highly revered figure in the country to date.

7. Largest economy in Africa:

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According to reports by the World Bank, Nigeria is the largest economy in Africa, and this is not just because of its population but because it focuses a lot of its commercial energy on the exportation of its local commodities.

Currently, the agricultural sector of the economy is the highest employer of labour. It employs at least seventy per cent of the total population. Notwithstanding, Petroleum is still the country's most exported commodity.

Nigerian Independence day history: top facts

When the Independence Day of Nigeria comes, the whole country celebrates it. 58 years ago, Nigeria gained independence from the colonial government and finally became a free state.

However, the journey towards this freedom was long; every Nigerian should know about it.

Colonization on the continent brought many cultural effects. Local religions, traditions and cultures were oppressed and replaced by European ones.

Source: Legit.ng