REFERENCE
1. Rodney, W. How Europe underdeveloped Africa, Washington D.
C. Howard University Press, (1974, p. 21).
2. Ibid. (P. 29)
3. Ibid. (p. 21)
4. Ibid.
5. Ibid.
6. Offiong, D. A. Imperialism and Dependency, Enugu, Fourth
Dimension Publisher, (1980, P. 73).
7. Ibid. (P. 66)
8. Ibid.
9. Bouzou, A. «la politique du Niger», P. 44.
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
3.1 COUNTRY: NIGER
LOCATION: Western Africa Southeast of Algeria between
Longitude 0° 6'E and 15° 36'E and Latitude 11° 43'N and 23° 32' N
GEOGRAPHIC COORDINATES: 16° 00'N, 8°00'E
MAP REFERNCES: AFRICA (Especially West Africa).
AREA: Total: 1,267 million sq km
Water: 300sq km
Land: 1, 266,700 sq km
POPULATION: 11, 250,000 inhabitants (2002 est. census)
CAPITAL: NIAMEY (400,000 inhabitants)
IMPORTANT CITIES: Zinder, Maradi, Tahoua, Agades
CURRENCY: CFA Francs (UEMOA)
MOTTO: Fraternity - Work-Progress
FLAG: Tricolor composes of three (3) rectangular horizontal
bands and equal, of which the colors are from top to bottom disposed in the
order: Orange, white, green. The white band carrying an orange disc symbolizing
the sun.
NATIONAL ANTHEM: La Nigérienne
INDEPENDENCE DAY: August 3rd, 1960
Constitution: Adopted on November, 1960 and modified on July
12th, 1961, the constitution of Niger which established a
presidential regime with an elected president of Republic by universal suffrage
directly for five (5) years and even the National Assembly (the deputies) was
abrogated on April 15th, 1974 after the coup d'État. A new
constitution is approved by referendum in 1992. Another one was approved in
1999 but there's no change.
Administration: The country is divided into seven (7)
«départements» (Zinder, Maradi, Tahoua, Agades, Dosso,
Tillabéry, and Diffa) and Niamey as political capital of the country.
Maradi is the economical capital of the country. There are thirty-six (36)
Arrondissements».
There is a project of «Decentralization» in the
country (a form of federalism).
3.2 DIFFERENT ETHNIC GROUPS OF
NIGER
The Hausa: the Hausa constitute 56% of the total population,
or about 6 million people. They live predominantly in south-central Niger and
tend to be farmers, petty traders and merchants (commerçants). Hausa is
one of the most important languages in West Africa, largely because Hausa
traders - well known for their entrepreneurial spirit - have established a
commercial network that stretches across the subcontinent. The Hausa population
in Niger represents a northern extension of a larger Hausa population; the
heartland of this ethnic group is located across border in Nigeria, where there
are over 30 million Hausa.
The Zarma-Songhai: the Zarma are an ethnic subgroup of the
Songhai people, whose great kingdom in the 14th and 15th
centuries embraced what is now Mali and western Niger. They represent 2.5
million people or 28% of the total population. They live in the southwestern
part of the country along the river (Niger) and because Niamey, the capital, is
in their homeland, the Zarma constitute the majority of Niamey's 400,000
inhabitants. Traditionally, farmers and fishermen, the Zarma-Songhai was the
first to benefit from the French education system, established in the
ate1940's. As a result of education opportunities, the Zarma have had a strong
influence in the central government with members of its ethnic group tending to
become civil servants (functionaries) as the public sector rapidly expand after
independence.
The Fulani (Peul, Foulbé, Pulaar): the Fulani
constitute 8.5% of the Nigerian total population, (800,000) and like the Hausa,
are part of a broader ethno-linguistic group that extends Niger's boarder. Most
of the Fulani live in the south-central part of the country and combine
agriculture with livestock rising. A second, smaller group of the Fulani, known
as Wodaabe, consists of nomadic cattle herders who live in the pastoral zone
and subsist entirely from livestock raising. Preferring to maintain their
nomadic heritage and lifestyle, the Wodaabe are the sector of the population
least integrated into modern Niger.
The Tuareg: the Tuareg represent another 8% (750,000 people)
of the population and are also largely nomadic. Of North-African origin,
traditional Tuareg society was quite hierarchical and oriented towards war and
raiding. However, the French largely dismantled the old social order after they
crushed a series of Tuareg revolts against colonial rule in the 1910's. The
slaves of the Tuareg, known as Bouzou or Bella, were liberated by the French
and are now sedentary farmers. The devastating drought of the early 1970's that
wiped out one half of the national herd, forced many Tuareg to abandon nomadic
livestock raising and go to urban centers in search of work. Though literate in
their own script (TIFINAR), most Tuareg have not had «modern
education». In Niamey, one can find many example of their skill as
silversmith and leather craftsmen.
The Kanuri (Beri Beri): the Kanuri or beri beri, represent
about 4.3% of the population, or about 400,000 people. They live in the
southeastern part of the country between Zinder and Lake Chad. Of diverse
ethnic origin, the Kanuri's main economic activities include farming, livestock
raising and salt processing.
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