Quote Originally Posted by KingJaja View Post
The first thing you need to understand about Nigeria, is that it is an artificial construct, created by the British to reduce administrative expenses.

The area called Nigeria has been inhabited by several ethnic groups with very different cultures, over a period of thousands of years. In Nigeria's South West, the Benin Empire and the Yoruba Kingdoms were predominant. (A distinguishing characteristic of the Benin Empire was that they refused to sell slaves to Europeans). In the South East, the Igbo were organised into villages, and in most cases they didn't have central leadership figures (they tended to be more consensual). There are other ethnic groups in the South that shared some of the characteristics of the Igbo and the Yoruba.
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Having worked in Benin for 9 years, and fluent in one ethnic group's language (Adja), I understand to some extent the influence of ethnicity in the region. For anyone working in or advising on terrorist activities in the region, they must have an understanding of ethnicity and worldview of those they are working among. Of course, Africans in the region have the best understanding of that, outsiders can and should learn more.

I wonder what type of cultural training US troops, especially officers receive who are working or monitoring the region?