being proudly Nigerian begins with knowing why you should be proud
NIGERIA'S COAT OF ARMS
What is a Coat of Arms?
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A coat of arms is a unique design usually on a shield, that can represent anything from a family, to a town, to a country. Coat of arms used to be very important in battles. They were the fastest way to identify a person in a big crowd.
Who you were, where you were from, could be worked out from your coat of arms.
Nigeria has it's own coat of arms above. All the elements of a coat of arms usually have a meaning, when you pull all their meanings together, you get a story of what the designer wanted you to know or felt was most important about the people or the place the coat of arms represent.
​So what does our coat of arms mean?
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The TWO WHITE STRIPES that come together like the letter Y on the black shield represent the two main rivers flowing through Nigeria, the Niger river on the left and the Benue River on the right.
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The BLACK SHIELD represents Nigeria's fertile land, which is great for agriculture and will grow nearly anything.
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The TWO HORSES on each side represent integrity and dignity of Nigeria and Nigerians.
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The EAGLE on the top represents the strength of Nigeria and Nigerians.​
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The FLOWERS at the base are a special flower found all around Nigeria, the Costus Spectabilis also known as the yellow trumpet plant.
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At the base of the coat of arms is the national motto - Unity and Faith, Peace and Progress.
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Where is the coat of arms used?
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Lots of places! By the president and the vice president, many parts of government and by anyone who wants to be recognised very quickly as representing Nigeria.
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TIME TO TRY
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Draw a coat of arms that represents your family.
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What did you choose to put on your coat of arms and why?
