From: The Encyclopedia of Canada's Peoples/Nigerians/Onaiwu Wilson Ogbomo
Most immigrants from Nigeria, while maintaining their distinct ethnic identities, have endeavoured to integrate into the larger Nigerian and African communities in Canada, through participation in religious worship, social gatherings, and business transactions. Universities and colleges have organizations such as the African Students’ Associations, which cater both to individual and to group interests.
Nigerians have formed organizations through which they maintain contacts with one another – most notably, the Association of Nigerians in Nova Scotia (ANNS) and the Nigerian Cultural Association of British Columbia (NCABC). The ANNS was formed in Halifax in 1983 as the Nigerian Students Association, but, because students were always in transition, the organization decided to include all Nigerians resident in Nova Scotia and in 1986 became the ANNS. The ANNS seeks to promote interaction between members, foster Canadians’ awareness of Nigeria, forge links with bodies possessing similar objectives, and encourage Nigerians to participate in Canadian economic and social activities. The NCABC, founded in 1987, replaced a long-dormant Nigerian organization and has similar objectives to the ANNS.
Many Nigerian immigrants are civil servants or work in such professions as medicine, law, engineering, computer science, pharmacy, and post-secondary teaching. As well, many Nigerians are studying in Canada, preparing for careers in their homeland. Between 1982– 83 and 1986–87, Nigeria ranked among the top ten source countries of foreign university students in Canada; in 1990/91 there were about 390 such visiting students. Other, less-educated Nigerians have become blue-collar workers.
Though Nigerians, as recent immigrants, have not yet held political office in Canada, they do vote in elections. In some provinces even non-immigrant Nigerians, as Commonwealth citizens, can vote in provincial elections, provided that they meet the residency requirement. Most Nigerian immigrants have adopted Canada as their home but, as members of the first generation, still maintain ties with their extended families in Nigeria.
