GST 1212 units100 LevelSecond Semester

Nigerian Peoples and Culture

Foundation course — taken across University of Uyo programmes, not one department

GST 121 (Nigerian Peoples and Culture) is a 2-unit, 100 Level course taught in the Second Semester at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It is a foundation course taken by undergraduates across the university's programmes, not one department's course.

An introduction to Nigeria's ethnic diversity, cultural heritage, colonial and political history, and nation-building challenges. Provides context for the social and policy dimensions of technology in Nigeria.

On Areté, GST 121 comes with

  • 2 lecture-note topics
  • 2 recommended textbooks
  • an AI tutor that has read this course’s outline and notes
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Course outline

  1. 01Nigerian history, culture and art up to 1800 (Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and minority groups)
  2. 02Nigeria under colonial rule and colonial administration
  3. 03Evolution of Nigeria as a political unit: amalgamation, nationalist movement, independence
  4. 04Challenges of nation-building: military intervention, the Nigerian Civil War
  5. 05Trade and economics of self-reliance: indigenous trade, apprenticeship, skill acquisition
  6. 06Social justice, national development, and the judiciary
  7. 07Individual norms and values; citizenship acquisition and civic responsibilities
  8. 08Re-orientation and national values: the 3Rs and national orientation strategies

What the GST 121 lecture notes cover

  1. 01The 3Rs Policy and Reorientation Strategies in Nigeria: 1970–1975
  2. 02Apprenticeship System in Nigeria: Challenges and Future Prospects

2 transcribed topics, taken from the lecturer’s own workbook. Readable in full once you sign in.

GST 121 key concepts

The 3Rs: Rehabilitation, Reconstruction and Reconciliation
The 3Rs policy was enunciated immediately after the end of the civil war in 1970 to readmit Biafra (the Eastern Region) into Nigeria after its exit in 1967. It was a clearly thought-out policy carrying the ingredients for healing the wounds and scars created by the war, and a strategy for resolving the age-old…
Rehabilitation
Restoring to good working condition what the war had damaged — people, roads, bridges, public services and private companies that were destroyed during the war.
Reconstruction
Rebuilding destroyed public infrastructure: hospitals, schools and markets were reconstructed.
Reconciliation
Assuaging feelings of animosity among Nigerians — amnesty was granted to exiled Igbos, and those who had been in the civil or public service were completely reabsorbed into the mainstream of the public service.
The Indigenization Policy
The indigenization policy is defined as "the roping off of certain types of business activities and the reserving of these for exclusive ownership and control of Nigerians." Its objective, according to Chibuzo Ogbuagu, was to set the stage for greater participation by Nigerian nationals in the ownership, management…
The National Youth Service Corps (NYSC)
The National Youth Service Corps is a one-year mandatory national service programme for all graduates of Nigerian citizenship from Nigerian universities and from foreign universities recognised by the National Universities Commission (NUC). It was established under Decree No. 24 by the military government of Gen.
What Is Apprenticeship?
Apprenticeship is a structured form of vocational training in which an apprentice acquires practical skills and knowledge from an experienced mentor or master craftsman within a specific trade or profession, through a combination of on-the-job learning and formal instruction.
Structured learning experience
A learning programme designed to impart the skills and competencies of a particular craft or profession, tailored to industry needs and combining theory with practice.
Mentorship and guidance
The relationship between apprentice and master craftsman, who acts as role model, instructor and source of personalised feedback throughout training.
Hands-on training
Learning by doing — apprentices engage directly in the tasks of the trade under supervision, developing proficiency through repeated practice and real-world exposure.
Progression and skill development
Apprentices gain proficiency gradually, taking on more complex tasks and responsibilities as they demonstrate competence.
Cultural and socio-economic context
Apprenticeship is embedded in the traditions, values and community practices of a region or ethnic group, and plays a role in preserving cultural heritage.
Skill acquisition and employability
Equips apprentices with practical skills that prepare them for entry-level employment or self-employment.
Promotion of craftsmanship and artisanship
Preserves and promotes traditional craftsmanship by passing down specialised knowledge and techniques.
Career development and professionalism
Gives apprentices a structured pathway from novice to skilled practitioner, fostering commitment to quality standards.
Economic growth and industry development
Addresses skills shortages, and skilled apprentices contribute to productivity, entrepreneurship and competitiveness.
Social inclusion and community engagement
Gives marginalised groups, including youth, access to training and employment, often supported by strong community networks.
Business involvement
Employers are the foundation of every apprenticeship programme; the skills their workforce needs sit at its core, and businesses must be active partners at every stage of designing it.
On-the-job training
Structured, hands-on training from an experienced mentor at the job site, typically for at least a year, built by mapping the skills and knowledge the apprentice must master to become fully proficient.
Related instruction
Technical, workforce and academic instruction that complements on-the-job learning, delivered by a community college, technical school, apprenticeship training school, or the business itself, with education partners and employers jointly developing the curriculum and funding it.
Rewards for skill gains
Apprentices receive progressive pay increases as they hit skill benchmarks, from an entry wage to an ending wage, rewarding and motivating advancement through training.
Agriculture
A diverse sector needing skilled labour — veterinary nursing, horticulture, animal care, game and wildlife management, and environmental conservation, spanning both outdoor and office-based roles.
Arts and media
Skills for the media and publishing sector — journalism, live events and promotion, creative and digital media, broadcast production, costume and wardrobe, and business and administration.
Business and administration
Typical office roles with fixed hours, requiring strong organisational and communication skills — human resource management, business innovation and growth, social media and digital marketing, project management, telemarketing and sales.
Construction
Designing, building and maintaining roads, buildings, airports and other projects — plumbing and heating, civil engineering, construction management, electrical and electronic servicing, and education and training.
Education and training
Working with people of all ages and needs to develop and pass on knowledge in a particular area — work-based learning practitioner development, learning and development, learning support, and supporting teaching and learning in schools or in physical education.
Perceived prestige of formal education
Nigerian society tends to see formal education as more prestigious and a better guarantee of career prospects than vocational apprenticeship, discouraging young people from pursuing it and contributing to a decline in skilled artisans.
Lack of standardization and regulation
Apprenticeship programmes often lack standardised curricula, assessment procedures and certification, undermining the quality and recognition of the training.

The 2 topics define many more terms than these — the full set, with flashcards, is in the notes.

Read the start of “The 3Rs Policy and Reorientation Strategies in Nigeria: 1970–1975”

Chapter 1, by Samuel O. Ishaya, Ph.D. (Department of Philosophy). It analyses the aims and objectives of the 3Rs and the other strategies the federal government of Nigeria used between 1970 and 1975 to reintegrate the former Eastern Region into the federation, restore development to that part of the country, and re-orientate the rest of the country to receive the people of the East as bona fide members of the Nigerian federation.

Introduction — Background to the Policy

Nigeria gained political independence from Britain on October 1, 1960. At independence the country had three regions: Northern, Western and Eastern. In 1963 a fourth, the Midwestern Region, was carved out of the Western Region. By July 1967 a civil war had broken out between the Eastern Region and the rest of the country. The Eastern Region had been renamed the Republic of Biafra by Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, who had been the region’s military governor since 1966, after the first military coup. The immediate causes of the war are mostly attributed to ethno-religious violence and anti-Igbo pogroms in Northern Nigeria, a military coup, a counter-coup, and the persecution of Southerners living in the North. The war ran for 30 months and caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people on both sides.

On January 15, 1970 the war ended with the surrender of the Biafran leadership to the Nigerian government. But a dilemma remained: how to rebuild the unity the war had shattered. During the war, people from the Eastern Region had become disenchanted with people from other parts of the country. Friends had become enemies; property was destroyed or looted by former neighbours and friends; public infrastructure — roads, bridges, schools, power stations, railway stations, trains, airports and aeroplanes — was damaged. The people of the former Eastern Region also nursed a fear of alienation and marginalisation, having surrendered to the Nigerian state.

That is the opening of topic 1 of 2. Sign in — free, no password — to read the rest, take the practice questions, and ask the AI tutor about any of it.

Read all 2 GST 121 topics

Recommended textbooks

  • Nigerian Peoples and Culture — Emmanuel N. Emeka

    Standard Nigerian university text for this course

  • The History of Nigeria — Toyin Falola

    Concise and authoritative account

How to pass GST 121

  • Link course topics to current events — Nigerian news puts everything in context
  • For the culture component, draw on your own background and community knowledge
  • Cybercrime and digital-policy topics connect directly to computing degrees — pay extra attention there
  • Past questions drive most of the exam content for GST courses — collect and study them

GST 121 — questions and answers

What is GST 121 at the University of Uyo?
GST 121 (Nigerian Peoples and Culture) is a 2-unit, 100 Level course taught in the Second Semester at the University of Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. It is a foundation course taken by undergraduates across the university's programmes, not one department's course. An introduction to Nigeria's ethnic diversity, cultural heritage, colonial and political history, and nation-building challenges. Provides context for the social and policy dimensions of technology in Nigeria.
Which programmes take GST 121?
GST 121 is a foundation course taken by undergraduates across University of Uyo programmes — it belongs to the university, not to one department. Whatever your department, Areté covers it with the same outline, textbooks and study tips.
What topics are covered in GST 121?
The GST 121 outline covers 8 topics: Nigerian history, culture and art up to 1800 (Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, and minority groups); Nigeria under colonial rule and colonial administration; Evolution of Nigeria as a political unit: amalgamation, nationalist movement, independence; Challenges of nation-building: military intervention, the Nigerian Civil War; Trade and economics of self-reliance: indigenous trade, apprenticeship, skill acquisition; Social justice, national development, and the judiciary; Individual norms and values; citizenship acquisition and civic responsibilities; Re-orientation and national values: the 3Rs and national orientation strategies.
What textbooks are recommended for GST 121?
Recommended reading for GST 121: Nigerian Peoples and Culture by Emmanuel N. Emeka; The History of Nigeria by Toyin Falola.
How do I pass GST 121?
Link course topics to current events — Nigerian news puts everything in context For the culture component, draw on your own background and community knowledge Cybercrime and digital-policy topics connect directly to computing degrees — pay extra attention there Past questions drive most of the exam content for GST courses — collect and study them
Where can I find GST 121 lecture notes and past questions?
Areté (https://www.aretecyb.tech/courses/gst-121) carries 2 lecture-note topics, 2 recommended textbooks for GST 121, plus an AI tutor that has read the outline. It is free for University of Uyo students — sign in with your email, no password.

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