May Day is an important holiday in Nigeria that highlights the rights and importance of workers in society. The history of the holiday dates back to the late 19th century when Nigerian workers organised themselves to press for their demands. May Day celebrations include parades, rallies and other events that honour the importance of labour and workers. The holiday is also a day of solidarity and unity, showing the importance of cooperation and solidarity in the world of work. Michael Imoudu was one of the founding fathers of the Nigerian labour movement and worked tirelessly for workers’ rights.
The text provides information about Project Calabar, a training center located in Calabar, Nigeria. The center is situated on the grounds of St. Patrick’s College, which was founded by Irish missionaries. In addition to a kindergarten and primary school directly run by the missionaries, there is also a high school with a boarding school operated by the Archdiocese of Calabar. The Skill Acquisition Center (SAC), a vocational training center supervised by HIFA, is located on the high school campus.
Funerals in Nigeria – celebrated and taken as seriously as weddings?! The death of the beloved Chief Adolf Paster is an opportunity to reflect on how Africans deal with the loss of a loved one. For most Africans, death is just a transition. The deceased will continue to live with the family, albeit in a different, spiritual state, along with the ancestors who have gone before. In Nigeria, a funeral becomes a multi-day celebration attended by all relatives and acquaintances. The festival includes not only mourning for the loss of a loved one and bidding farewell to the deceased but also the joy shared with them over a new life with God. If the family can afford it, these festivities can last several days and include good food, dance, and entertainment.
For the estimated 78 million Christians in Nigeria, Easter has a special meaning without gifts. Traditions like the Easter Bunny or egg hunt don’t play a role. People identify with Jesus and his suffering and hope to be redeemed. The celebration of Palm Sunday begins with a 4-5 hour Mass and is accompanied by processions where participants sing and dance with palm fronds.
The #EndSARS movement is a historic event in Nigeria. Young people are resisting corruption and oppression in an inspiring way. The movement has brought national unity and gained international support. The Catholic Church is calling for dialogue. The protesters demand the immediate release of detained demonstrators, compensation for victims of the SARS unit, an independent commission to investigate and prosecute crimes committed by the unit, psychological evaluation and retraining of the unit, and better pay for Nigerian police officers. The implementation of these demands remains to be seen.
Social media is the most important tool for Nigerian youth to fight for a better and more just life. The #EndSARS protest started as a Twitter campaign and led to protests against police brutality and corruption throughout the country. Despite the lack of a formal leadership structure, young activists used social media to raise their voice and fight for their cause. Although most protests were peaceful, there were also violent attacks, including the use of military forces against demonstrators in Lekki-Lagos.
