| Nigerians celebrate both Christian and Muslim
festivals. New Year's Day, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Christmas Day and
Boxing Day are observed as national holidays, as are Eid-al-Fitr, Eid-al-Kabir
and Eid-al-Maulud.
Eid-al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan, the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and a time of fasting. Eid-al-Kabir (sometimes known as Eid-al-Adha) marks the high point of the Hajj season when Muslims go on pilgrimage to Mecca. Eid-al-Maulud is a day to celebrate the birth of prophet Mohammed. The dates of these holidays are based on the lunar calendar. |
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| Nigeria's Independence Day is celebrated on October
1. Worker's Day, May 1, is a holiday for all workers. On Children's Day,
May 27, all students get a day off school.
Many local festivals take place in Nigeria's communities. Regattas are very popular on the rivers and fishing festivals in the coastal areas. For example, the Argungu festival is a great attraction for people of Sokoto and Argungu. Hundreds of fishermen dive into the Argungu river. Later they emerge with large fish. There are many festivals dedicated to crops and livestock in Nigeria, such as the Yam Festival in the southeastern region and the Crops Festival in Kaduna State. |
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| Common ceremonies include weddings, naming ceremonies, receiving traditional titles and funerals. Almost all ceremonies are lavish events lasting a few days, depending on the wealth of the families. Displaying wealth is seen as the right thing to do during these occasions. |
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