Welcome to the ASO Website!
The African Students Organization (ASO) is a non-profit organization at the Michigan Technologcal University (MTU). All MTU Students interested in the goals and visions of this organization are eligible for membership.
Our Mission at ASO is to let people know about african cultures, be ambassadors of Africa both on and off campus and to disseminate accurate information about african countries. We also strive to give members of our prestigious organization opportunities to know about each other's culture.
The Country Spotlight below is an informational piece on the different countries which exist in our organization. This is to educate us on each other's countries and will be updated monthly.
Nigeria is a West African country that shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in the north. Its coast lies on the Gulf of Guinea, part of the Atlantic Ocean, in the south. It has Abuja as its capital city and Lagos as its most populated city.
On October 1, 1960, Nigeria gained its independence from the United Kingdom. The new republic decided to become a Federal Republic modeled after the United States, with 36 states and one Federal Capital Territory. After independence, Nnamdi Azikiwe was elected as the first president. The current president of Nigeria is Umaru Musa Yar'Adua who was elected in 2007.
Nigeria currently has more than 250 ethnic groups, with varying languages and customs, creating a country of rich ethnic diversity. The largest ethnic groups are the Fulani/Hausa, Yoruba, Igbo, accounting for approximately 68% of the population.
Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and the eighth most populous country in the world with a population of over 140 million. The country is listed among the "Next Eleven" economies. This can be attributed to the availability of oil. It became a major resource during the oil boom of the 1970s; where Nigeria joined OPEC and billions of dollars generated by production in the oil-rich Niger Delta flowed into the coffers of the Nigerian state.
-By Haki Kiema