Hello everyone,

I am a writer attempting to create a story. In my story, my greatest character is a young 12 year old North-Eastern Nigerian girl, who will become a great hero when she grows up. As an American that has never been outside of America, it is very easy to stumble on ignorance in my attempt to research Nigerian culture. I feel that it would be dishonorable toward Nigerians to represent this character through an American lens, even if by mistake. I want her to have the truest virtues of the African spirit, and for her to be a good representation of what a child of her demographic would be like. So since I have not had the fortune of meeting any Nigerian friends, I was hoping to have the honor of meeting some and a forum like this seemed a fitting place to ask.

Knowing that certainly not all Nigerians are the same culturally, I was wondering if there was anyone knowledgeable on what people are like in a place like Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria. I wanted to know if Muslims and Christians spoke the same language often, of if their religion influenced that. I have read there are many languages spoken there, and that some languages are even extinct I am saddened to say. I know that some people speak "Hauta", and others speak "Kanuri". I was also wondering how most Nigerians refer to their mothers when they are young. In America, we say Mom, Mommy, Mama. Is it the same in Nigeria, or does each language have it's word?

Please accept my gratitude for anyone willing to share their culture and time with me, and please accept my apologies if ever I say anything that is disrespectful, because that is the last thing I would wish to do.

Thank you kindly.

Cc Fulaman198

Fulaman198, Fulanimafia

Amoto94:
Fulaman198, Fulanimafia

Unfortunately I'm Hausa fulani and not Kanuri and I'm not familiar with the NE, but I'll help in the little way I can.

For starters, children in the North generally refer to their mothers as Mama to the best of my knowledge.

P.S. Its Hausa not 'Hauta'.

VomeSchakleton:
Cc Fulaman198

He e-mailed me, I responded to him already. I'm also not Kanuri as you can see from my moniker but a Pullo (Fulani).

Amoto94:
Fulaman198, Fulanimafia

What the Mafia boy said except I'm Fulani, not this Hausa-Fulani stuff.

respecttoyou:
Hello everyone,

I am a writer attempting to create a story. In my story, my greatest character is a young 12 year old North-Eastern Nigerian girl, who will become a great hero when she grows up. As an American that has never been outside of America, it is very easy to stumble on ignorance in my attempt to research Nigerian culture. I feel that it would be dishonorable toward Nigerians to represent this character through an American lens, even if by mistake. I want her to have the truest virtues of the African spirit, and for her to be a good representation of what a child of her demographic would be like. So since I have not had the fortune of meeting any Nigerian friends, I was hoping to have the honor of meeting some and a forum like this seemed a fitting place to ask.

Knowing that certainly not all Nigerians are the same culturally, I was wondering if there was anyone knowledgeable on what people are like in a place like Chibok in Borno State, Nigeria. I wanted to know if Muslims and Christians spoke the same language often, of if their religion influenced that. I have read there are many languages spoken there, and that some languages are even extinct I am saddened to say. I know that some people speak "Hauta", and others speak "Kanuri". I was also wondering how most Nigerians refer to their mothers when they are young. In America, we say Mom, Mommy, Mama. Is it the same in Nigeria, or does each language have it's word?

Please accept my gratitude for anyone willing to share their culture and time with me, and please accept my apologies if ever I say anything that is disrespectful, because that is the last thing I would wish to do.

Thank you kindly.

Most Nigerians refer to their mothers with respect.

Innam, Yumma, Dada, Mama, in some Fulani dialects (Nene in Senegal and Guinea).

Fulaman198:


He e-mailed me, I responded to him already. I'm also not Kanuri as you can see from my moniker but a Pullo (Fulani).

i know youre not. but you being from the north east as well and being a student of history i thought you could shed a bit of light on the issue.

VomeSchakleton:


i know youre not. but you being from the north east as well and being a student of history i thought you could shed a bit of light on the issue.

Understood, he e-mailed me with his inquiry already and I responded to him promptly. He hasn't gotten back to me since.

OP send your questions to Ahmad Salkida at @ContactSalkida on twitter