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West Africa: West African
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Despite the wide variety of cultures in West Africa, from Nigeria through to Senegal, there are general similarities in dress, cuisine, music and culture that are not shared extensively with groups not in the geographic region. Islam is the predominant historical religion of the West African interior and the far west coast of the continent; Christianity is the predominant religion in coastal regions of Nigeria, Ghana, and Cote d'Ivoire; and elements of indigenous religions are practised throughout. Before the decline of the Mali and Songhai Empires there was a sizable group of Jewish communities in areas like Mali, Senegal, Mauritania, and Nigeria. Today there are small Jewish populations in Ghana, Nigeria and Mali. Along with historic migrations, these religions have culturally linked the peoples of West Africa more than those in other parts of Sub-Saharan Africa.
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Many West Africans who were not farmers were pastoralists or fishermen. Fish were eaten raw or pickled, fried, boiled, and prepared by "gumboing." Dried shrimp and crayfish are still essential ingredients in stews and sauces, some of which combine different types of fish with coconut milk and other ingredients. Crab, lobster, cod, mackerel, sole, pike, prawn, gilthead, eel, shrimp, sprat, flounder, carp, and other varieties of seafood provided "fisher folk," such as the Twi of Ghana and the Muslim Bozo, with fish to sell at markets located well into the interior of the continent. In many West African cities these open-air retail markets were principally in the hands of women, who were economically independent traders.
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Architecture The Islamic architecture of West Africa reflects the complexities and diversities of its history as well as the differing natural environments. In the past, analysis of the architecture of the area has tended to concentrate on the influence of North Africa and the Middle East rather than to examine the indigenous cultures and architecture of the area. Three main sources of influence were identified each of which ignored the possibility of local invention or development. The most far-fetched idea was that the monumental architecture of the region was developed from the dynastic architecture of Egypt and was transmitted by the migration of Songhay people from the upper Nile to the Niger. The second explanation attributes the entire West African architectural tradition to the Andalusian poet and architect al-Saheli who accompanied Mansa Musa on his return from the Hajj in 1324. Whilst there is some information that al-Saheli did design an audience hall it is unlikely that this or any other work he may have carried out created an architectural style for the whole region.
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[B]eyond these images of war, West Africa is ... a mosaic of ethnic groups who create an incredible culture of music and dance. The tropical jungles and mountains are some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world. Most importantly, the strength and compassion of West Africans through times of unimaginable loss is truly an inspiration.
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The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) was created on May 28, 1975 in Lagos, Nigeria. ECOWAS was established to promote cooperation and integration in order to create an economic and monetary union for promoting economic growth and development in West Africa. ECOWAS has encountered many problems in the process of regionally integrating West Africa, including: political instability and lack of good governance that has plagued many member countries; the insufficient diversification of national economies; the absence of reliable infrastructure; and the multiplicity of organizations for regional integration with the same objectives. Several ECOWAS-member countries are currently part of the West African Monetary Union (UEMOA), a regional economic and monetary union which shares a common currency (the CFA Franc). The Francophone-countries of Benin, Burkina Faso, Cote d'Ivoire, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo, with Guinea Bissau (Lusophone), comprise UEMOA.
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For the majority of West Africans, access to formal justice is almost non-existent. Courts are too far away to reach, and defendants lack the financial means to pay for legal representation and other associated costs.
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West African