Population: 128,771,988 Capital: Abuja Size: 356,669 sq. mi. Ethnic Groups: Hausa-29%, Fulani-29%, Yoruba-21%, Igbo-18%, Ijaw-10% Languages: English, Pidgin English, Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, Fulani Chief Religion: Muslim-45%, Christianity-45%, Indigenous-10%

Hausa, Ajawa - Hausa, Ajawa peoples populate Nigeria to the sum of 25,066,000. They have been well established in northern Nigeria for more than a thousand years. Their history is one of immigration and conquest, having been influenced by Fulani rulers since the early nineteenth century. Islamic practices are tightly woven into their culture.

In comparison to some other African tribes, the Hausa have reasonable standards of health care, diet, shelter, electricity, and education. However life for the Hausa is still very difficult. Unemployment is high among them and only about one half of them can read and write. Their average life expectancy is only 56 years.

The Hausa culture is strongly linked to Islam, which makes it difficult to penetrate them with the Gospel. They are prejudiced against the Christians of southern Nigeria and there is intense persecution of those who have become Christians. Islam has been carried throughout West Africa by Hausa traders and priests and nearly everyone expects a Hausa to be Muslim. This could be why the Hausa stay so resistant to the Gospel.

Fulani, Toroobe - There are 6,490,000 Fulani, Toroobe people in Nigeria. The Fulani are comprised of a number of distinct subgroups. They are grouped and named according to their location and occupation and dialect of their widely spoken language. Accordingly, there are five major groups of Fulani: the Fula Toro, Fulakunda, Fulfulde, Fuuta Jalon, and Tukolor. Their physical features consist of copper-colored skin, straight hair and noses, and thin lips, which suggest a Caucasoid origin, though a long history of intermarriage with other ethnic groups have produced negroid features in many Fulani, the Fulakunda in particular.

The Fulani were one of the first African tribes to convert to Islam and today are more than 99% Muslim. Muslims believe that Mohammed was God’s last great prophet. Not only is Islam a religion for the Fulani, but a way of life. Therefore, any deviation from Islam is condemned and attached by the entire community. The Fulani have numerous taboos, rules which are never to be broken. One of the foremost of these is a taboo against speaking the name of spouses, parents, parents-in-law, first sons, or first daughters. Fear of hostility of family cause many to fail to convert to Christianity.