**6. Nigerian communitarian experience as a socio-cultural factor in relation to happiness**

It is an existential fact that Nigerians are communitarian beings who cherish and committedly engage themselves in socio-cultural activities that shape and give meaning to their lives. Marriage, that is, the union of two or more mature adults (in case of polygamy) is the very cradle of the communitarian life of the people. It is a sacred union that brings families, kindreds, villages and towns together in happy and lasting relationships. As such, family is a very vital aspect of Nigerian culture and social life. As a matter of fact, every reasonable Nigerian longs to get married and to give his own children into marriage and even wishes to see his own grand and great grandchildren before his death. Such a person perceived himself and he is considered in Nigerian context as having lived a fulfilled and happy life. In contrast, it is believed to be a pronounced misfortune not to marry (except for wilful celibates) and worse still a curse almost, if the marital union is not blessed with a child(ren). Children are so much cherished as they are major sources of joy and they guarantee the future of the families. To this end, celibate life is perceived as alien to Nigerian culture.

In typical Nigerian setting, getting married occurs in various stages with rich cultural practices from both families which eventually extends to the nuclear families and further to the larger community and possibly to the entire town and even beyond. Marriage is regarded as the seed of culture for it has a serious cultural significance. Fundamentally, it indicates life and love which are best realized in Marriage. It is an indispensable factor for the continuation of family lineage. Therefore, procreation is central to Nigerian marriage and male child is more desirable to ensure this continuity. Each culture has its own way of celebrating the marital union according to its norms and customs.

At marriage, every Nigerian couple is confronted with 'three worlds'; namely, the traditional world, the civil/legal world and the religious world and all three must be satisfied before the duo are considered to be legitimately married. In traditional marriage, both families come together as the bride's family traditionally hands over their daughter to the intending groom. The traditional rites vary according to culture and custom of the people. The civil marriage is done according to the civil laws of the nation. For the Church marriage, every Church conducts marriage of her members according to her specific rites. In all, marriage is accompanied with boundless happiness for everyone. In fact, it is seen as an immense blessing.

Communal life binds Nigerians together in the spirit of brotherhood. In socializing and sharing their cultural heritage, they often gather to work, discuss issues that concern them and celebrate together. They have colourful festivals with rich cultural displays including masquerades of different types, sizes, colours and species, dancing groups of both young and old people, local music, sports, dressing, food delicacies, even religious activities, etc., that promote life and people's well-being. Social life helps to ease work pressures, unfavourable existential burdens, deepen love, reconcile enemies and maintain stronger family bonds. Festive periods such as Christmas, New Year, Easter and new yam festivals are usually hoped for because they are uniquely celebrated. Besides, most major socio-cultural events take place during those occasions. Many relatives come together to share their lives and experiences and inter-change memorable visits and connect with their new and/or lost relations. Many Nigerians in diaspora seize the golden happy festive opportunities to come home and meet their relatives and friends.

Nigerians are always passionate about life, and they are lively people despite the seemingly challenging circumstances that confront them. Beside socio-cultural

### *Socio-Cultural Basis of Happiness: African Existential Perspective DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107874*

disposition, this is believed to also depend on genetic conditions. Hence, specific genetic endowment has also been identified to interact with socio-cultural elements in determining the levels of happiness among the people. With the help of biological studies, evidences that associate levels of happiness with genetic make-up continue to increase. For example, in a happiness study performed by Minkov and Bond regarding the genetic component to national differences in Happiness in interaction with climate factors as a cultural factor reveals that there is a very significant association between nation's happiness and A allele in the Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolose (FAAH) gene variant. According to the finding, nations with people of high occurrence of A allele were observed to perceive themselves happier than those with low A allele and *vice versa*. This became even more obvious under certain climate condition. In other words, "this allele helps to prevent the chemical degradation of anandamide, a substance that enhances sensory pleasure and helps to reduce pain [64]". Among the nations with high A allele were Nigeria and Ghana from West Africa, Mexico and Columbia from Northern Latin America compared with their counterparts from Arab nations (Iraq and Jordan) and East Asian nations (Hong Kong, China, Thailand, Taiwan) who showed lesser rates of allele in their genes.

The Nigerian specific culture and the study above with regard to the proteinous element that influence pleasurable and painful feelings in man help to significantly explain why people from poor and underdeveloped nations like Nigeria, Ghana, Mexico and Columbia perceive themselves happier and satisfied in life than others from other countries, even the most developed ones.
