The Office of Student Affairs hosted today’s International Conversation Hour in celebration of Nigerian Independence Day with presentations by graduate students from Nigeria.

Blessing Odion, Nigerian graduate student, gave a presentation on Nigeria.

Odion had the idea to celebrate Nigeria’s Independence Day at the International Conversation Hour.

“I asked my friends if this day was ever celebrated on campus before, and they told me they didn’t think so,”  Odion said.

Odion and his fellow graduate student from Nigeria Bukola Oyelola worked with Angie Threatte, coordinator of International Conversation Hour, to plan the celebration.

“We now want to focus on other countries and have events that the students will be interested in,” Threatte said.

Nigerian students showed up dressed in traditional clothing, and a Nigerian flag was hung at the front of the room.

Additionally, a cake decorated like the flag was offered along with the usual spread of food.

The official celebration of Nigerian Independence Day is Oct. 1 and this week’s International Conversation Hour was meant to be a celebration of that day instead of just the usual activities.

International Conversation Hour takes place every Friday in the Russell Union Ballroom at 11:30 a.m.