Nigerian arts scene challenges the status quo

Nigeria, a country with a turbulent and tragic past, has developed a budding arts scene that engages directly with inequality, violence and state corruption. Since it was granted independence in 1960, Nigeria has been rocked by successive conflicts. The Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970) saw between one and three million people die, followed by a period of nearly three decades of military coups and dictatorships. Despite efforts to consolidate Nigerian democracy in 1999, 2007 saw the outbreak of further ethnic violence. A primary cause of civilian and military conflict is Nigeria’s oil-rich resources, over which military leaders have struggled to gain control.