Nigerian students listen as their teacher gives a lecture, switching between the national language English and the locally-spoken Hausa tribal language, at the Public School for Boys in Gusau, Nigeria Friday, Oct. 29, 1999.

With over a dozen major tribal languages and cultures, maintaining unity is one of Nigeria's greatest ongoing challenges. In a country so overwhelmed by its troubles that it often appeared destined for complete collapse, the end of military rule - and the first steps of the new civilian government - have opened a deep vein of optimism in this nation of cynics.