Sports / Other
5 Games that people of Nigeria love to play
17 Aug 2021 at 11:01hrs | Views
Nigeria is one of those countries that has a diverse, rich, and immersive culture. There are many benefits of having such a diverse culture that you will find all sorts of people in such countries. Games are very popular in the country and the people of Nigeria are very passionate about games, from traditional to competitive to digital, all sorts of games are played in Nigeria. Let's have a look at 5 Games that People of Nigeria Love to Play:
1. Football
Football is one of those games that Nigerians just love to play. Football was originally brought to Nigeria by the British in the 1920s and since then, the game started to become more and more popular with every passing day. In 1949, the national team of Nigeria went to the UK and won their first match without even wearing proper shoes. In 1960, the national team was re-named as Super Eagles and that name is still popular across the country.
Nigeria won the All Africa Games in 1973 and after that, they were known as the Giant of Africa. Along with this, the Nigerian National Team or Super Eagles have many other titles to their name.
When the Nigerian National Team is playing then the whole country supports the team and the experience is comparable. Many youngsters in the country dream of playing football at a professional level one day in their life. The sport has a huge following in the country and when the Super Eagles are playing then all eyes are on them.
2. Dambe
Dambe is a martial art of the ethnic group Bausa from Nigeria and it is a game that is becoming popular in the country. The game was originally developed by the Hausan butchers who used to participate in Dambe as a test of bravery against their opponents in different festivals. The fighters usually use a rope called Kara to bind their hands tightly and then use them to batter their opponents for up to 3 rounds or until one of the fighters falls to the floor.
Dambe is very popular despite its bloody history and many people have become massively injured while playing this game. Nevertheless, Dambe is popular and is also gaining popularity from around the world. Dambe involves violence, brutality, and discipline which makes it very alluring and appealing. There have been rumors about the introduction of this sport into the Olympics but nothing has been done yet but the people of Nigeria love to play this violent game.
3. Athletics
Track and Field Athletics have always been popular in Nigeria and it is one of those countries that excel in athletics. Nigerian athletes have brought home about 13 Olympics medals for the country. Unlike other sports, this sport is highly variable and can be played as an individual or as a team and utilizes different physical skills such as running, throwing, jumping, etc.
In Track & Field Athletics, Nigeria has produced some of the finest athletes who went on to represent Nigeria on the highest levels and claimed victories for themselves in international competitions. Chioma Ajunwa, Sunday Bata, Ese Bryme are just a few Nigerian top athletes.
4. Whot!
Football wasn't the only game that the British brought to Nigeria but they also brought several card games that became very popular in the country. One of such card games is called Whot!. Whot! is a card game of British origin that usually involves five suits and the goal of the game is to eliminate all of your cards as early as possible by matching them with the cards from the same suit lying face-up on the pile.
The game evolved with time and has become different from the original British version, although the basic rules are more or less the same. The Nigeria version of Whot! features 5 suits that are ball, angle, cross, carpet, and star and these are different from the original British Version. Plus, the number of cards in the Nigerian version is 54 while in the British version, there are 53 cards. Other than these things, the rest of the things are pretty much the same.
Not only Whot! but there are various other cards that have been popular not only in Nigeria but in different parts of the world too such as Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, Freecell, Blackjack, etc.
5. Thunee or Thuni
Another card game that is popular around the country is Nigerian Thunee or Thuni. The game is originally from the Indian migrant community in South Africa and involves up to four players with a 24-card pack. In the game, every player is dealt five cards and then each player takes turns in the bidding until the remaining hands are ranked according to J-9-A-10-K-Q.
However, in the Nigerian version of the Thunee, there are 32 cards instead of 24 and they are ranked according to J-9-A-10-K-Q-8-7. The game is popular in different regions of the country including Jos, Lagos, Abuja, and Ibadan. The game has become so popular in the country that there are now digital versions of Thunee available and you can play the game by downloading the game or playing it free on different websites.
1. Football
Football is one of those games that Nigerians just love to play. Football was originally brought to Nigeria by the British in the 1920s and since then, the game started to become more and more popular with every passing day. In 1949, the national team of Nigeria went to the UK and won their first match without even wearing proper shoes. In 1960, the national team was re-named as Super Eagles and that name is still popular across the country.
Nigeria won the All Africa Games in 1973 and after that, they were known as the Giant of Africa. Along with this, the Nigerian National Team or Super Eagles have many other titles to their name.
When the Nigerian National Team is playing then the whole country supports the team and the experience is comparable. Many youngsters in the country dream of playing football at a professional level one day in their life. The sport has a huge following in the country and when the Super Eagles are playing then all eyes are on them.
2. Dambe
Dambe is a martial art of the ethnic group Bausa from Nigeria and it is a game that is becoming popular in the country. The game was originally developed by the Hausan butchers who used to participate in Dambe as a test of bravery against their opponents in different festivals. The fighters usually use a rope called Kara to bind their hands tightly and then use them to batter their opponents for up to 3 rounds or until one of the fighters falls to the floor.
Dambe is very popular despite its bloody history and many people have become massively injured while playing this game. Nevertheless, Dambe is popular and is also gaining popularity from around the world. Dambe involves violence, brutality, and discipline which makes it very alluring and appealing. There have been rumors about the introduction of this sport into the Olympics but nothing has been done yet but the people of Nigeria love to play this violent game.
3. Athletics
Track and Field Athletics have always been popular in Nigeria and it is one of those countries that excel in athletics. Nigerian athletes have brought home about 13 Olympics medals for the country. Unlike other sports, this sport is highly variable and can be played as an individual or as a team and utilizes different physical skills such as running, throwing, jumping, etc.
In Track & Field Athletics, Nigeria has produced some of the finest athletes who went on to represent Nigeria on the highest levels and claimed victories for themselves in international competitions. Chioma Ajunwa, Sunday Bata, Ese Bryme are just a few Nigerian top athletes.
4. Whot!
Football wasn't the only game that the British brought to Nigeria but they also brought several card games that became very popular in the country. One of such card games is called Whot!. Whot! is a card game of British origin that usually involves five suits and the goal of the game is to eliminate all of your cards as early as possible by matching them with the cards from the same suit lying face-up on the pile.
The game evolved with time and has become different from the original British version, although the basic rules are more or less the same. The Nigeria version of Whot! features 5 suits that are ball, angle, cross, carpet, and star and these are different from the original British Version. Plus, the number of cards in the Nigerian version is 54 while in the British version, there are 53 cards. Other than these things, the rest of the things are pretty much the same.
Not only Whot! but there are various other cards that have been popular not only in Nigeria but in different parts of the world too such as Solitaire, Spider Solitaire, Freecell, Blackjack, etc.
5. Thunee or Thuni
Another card game that is popular around the country is Nigerian Thunee or Thuni. The game is originally from the Indian migrant community in South Africa and involves up to four players with a 24-card pack. In the game, every player is dealt five cards and then each player takes turns in the bidding until the remaining hands are ranked according to J-9-A-10-K-Q.
However, in the Nigerian version of the Thunee, there are 32 cards instead of 24 and they are ranked according to J-9-A-10-K-Q-8-7. The game is popular in different regions of the country including Jos, Lagos, Abuja, and Ibadan. The game has become so popular in the country that there are now digital versions of Thunee available and you can play the game by downloading the game or playing it free on different websites.
Source - Byo24News
