Benue State is one of the North Central states in Nigeria with a population of about 4,253,641 in the 2006 census. The state was created in 1976 and was among the seven states created at that time. The state derives its name from the Benue River initially called Ber-nor, a compound word in Tiv language which means river or lake of hippopotamus the name Ber-nor was corrupted to BENUE by colonial masters, the river is the second largest river in Nigeria after the River Niger. The state borders Nasarawa State to the North; Taraba State to the East; Kogi State to the West; Enugu State to the South-West; Ebonyi and Cross-Rivers State to the South; and has an international border with Cameroon to the South-East. It is inhabited predominantly by the Tiv, Idoma and Igede people. Minority ethnic groups in Benue are Etulo, Igbo and Jukun people etc. Its capital is Makurdi. Benue is a rich agricultural region; common crops cultivated in the state include oranges, yams, mangoes, sweet potatoes, cassava, soya bean, guinea corn, flax, sesame, rice, groundnuts and palm trees.
Tiv is a Tivoid language spoken in some states in North Central Nigeria, with some speakers in Cameroon. It had over 4.6 million speakers in 2020. The largest population of Tiv speakers are found in Benue state in Nigeria. The language is also widely spoken in some Nigerian states namely, Plateau, Taraba, Nasarawa, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, and Abuja. It is by far the largest of the Tivoid languages, a group of languages belonging to the Southern Bantoid languages.
Tiv are a Tivoid ethnic group. They constitute approximately 2.4% of Nigeria's total population, and number over 5 million individuals throughout Nigeria and Cameroon. The Tiv language is spoken by over 5 million people in Nigeria, with a few speakers in Cameroon. Most of the language's Nigerian speakers are found in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa, Plateau, Cross rivers, Adamawa, Kaduna, and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The language is a branch of Benue–Congo and ultimately of the Niger–Congo phylum. In pre-colonial times, the Fulani ethnic group referred to the Tiv as "Munchi", a term not accepted by Tiv people.
Taraba is a state in north-eastern Nigeria, named after the Taraba River, which traverses the southern part of the state. It is known as "Nature's Gift to the Nation". Its capital is Jalingo. The state's main ethnic groups are the Fulani, Mumuye, Mambilla, Jukun, Kuteb, Karimjo Wurkun, Yandang, Ndola, Ichen, Jenjo, Tiv, Tigon, and Jibu. The northern part is mainly dominated by the Fulani, Wurkun and Mumuye. The southern part is dominated by the Jukun, Chamba, Tiv, Kuteb and Ichen. The central region is mainly occupied by the Fulani, Mambilla, Ndola, Tigon, Jibu, Wurbo, and Daka people. There are about 80 distinct ethnic groups and their languages in the state.
Muri is a town and traditional emirate in Jalingo but covers Karim Lamido LGA ARDO KOLA Yoro, Taraba LGA and others, in northwestern Taraba State, eastern Nigeria, approximately between 9° and 11° 40′ E. and 7° 10′ and 9° 40′ N. The Benue River is nearby, and the portion on the southern bank of the river is watered by streams flowing from the Cameroon region to the Benue. In 1991, the town was estimated to have a population of 56,570. The valley of the Benue has a climate generally unhealthy to Europeans but there are places in the northern part of the province, such as the Fula settlement of Wase on a southern spur of the Murchison hills, where the higher altitude gives an excellent climate.
Jalingo is the capital city of Taraba State in north-eastern Nigeria, named in fulfulde and has been estimated with population of 418,000 as of 2018, The city has received the highest number of immigrants mainly from, Kano, Borno, Gombe and the neighboring Cameroon. As of November, 2022 the city is estimated to have around 581,000 people.
SardaunaLocal Government Area is located in the extreme southeast of Taraba State in Nigeria. It is synonymous with the Mambilla Plateau, which is dotted by many towns and villages. The capital of the LGA is Gembu, an ancient Mambilla settlement whose name is a corruption of "Gelmvu", the name of an ancient monarch of the area. Other ethnic groups from the mainstream Nigeria and neighbouring Cameroon Republic such as Hausa, Kanuri, Igbo, Banso, Kambu, Fulani, etc can be found in the commercial centres as business communities.
Gboko is a Local Government Area in Benue state, North-central Nigeria. It is headquartered in the town of Gboko.
Jukun are an ethno-linguistic group or ethnic nation in West Africa. The Jukun are traditionally located in Taraba, Benue, Nasarawa, Plateau, Adamawa, Bauchi and Gombe States in Nigeria and parts of northwestern Cameroon. They are descendants of the people of Kwararafa. Most of the tribes in the north central of Nigeria trace their origin to the Jukun people and are related in one way or the other to the Jukuns. Until the coming of both Christianity and Islam, the Jukun people were followers of their own traditional religions. Most of the tribes, Alago, Agatu, Rendere, Goemai in Shendam, and others left Kwararafa when it disintegrated as a result of a power tussle. The Jukuns are divided into two major groups; the Jukun Wanu and Jukun Wapa. The Jukun Wanu are fishermen residing along the banks of the river Benue and Niger where they run through Taraba State, Benue State and Nasarawa State. The Wukari Federation, headed by the Aku Uka of Wukari, is now the main centre of the Jukun people.
The Jukunoid languages are a branch of the Benue-Congo languages spoken by the Jukun and related peoples of Nigeria and Cameroon. They are distributed mostly throughout Taraba State, Nigeria and surrounding regions.
Ganye is a town and Local Government Area of Adamawa State, Nigeria. Jada and Toungo Local Governments were carved out from Ganye local government area of Adamawa state Nigeria. Ganye is bordered by Jada Local Government Area to the North and East, Toungo Local Government Area to the South and Taraba State to the West. It is the headquarter of the Sama (Chamba) people worldwide.
Lau is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Lau and the area is dominated by Winlau people. Lau Local government has a border with Ardo Kola, Jalingo, Yorro and Zing local governments of Taraba state. It also shares a border with Numan, Adamawa State.
Wukari is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Wukari on the A4 highway. The Donga River flows through the area and the Benue River forms a boundary with Nasarawa State to the northwest. It has an area of 4,308 km2 and a population of 241,546 at the 2006 census. The postal code of the area is 670.
Ussa is a local government area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters is in the town of Lissam. Ussa borders the Republic of Cameroon in the south; the Donga River forms its northern boundary. Ussa was created in 1996 during the regime of General Sani Abacha after an earlier attempt failed in 1983, Aticwo (kpambo), Rufu, Lumbu, Fikyu, Acha, Kpambo Puri, are some of the district councils within Ussa.
Donga is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. It has its headquarters in the town of Donga on the Donga River at7°43′00″N10°03′00″E.
Gassol is a Local Government Area in Taraba State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Mutum Biyu on the A4 highway at8°38′00″N10°46′00″E.
The Mambilla Plateau is a plateau in the Taraba State of Nigeria. The Mambilla Plateau has an average elevation of about 1,600 metres (5,249 ft) above sea level, making it the highest plateau in Nigeria. Some of its villages are situated on hills that are at least 1,828 metres (5,997 ft) above sea level. Some mountains on the plateau and around it are over 2,000 metres (6,562 ft) high, like Gang or Chappal Waddi which has a height of 2,419 metres (7,936 ft) above sea level. It is the highest mountain in Nigeria and in West Africa. The Mambilla Plateau measures about 96 km (60 mi) along its curved length; it is 40 km (25 mi) wide and is bounded by an escarpment that is about 900 m (2,953 ft) high in some places. The plateau covers an area of over 9,389 square kilometres (3,625 sq mi).
The Wukari Federation is a traditional state in Nigeria, a successor to the Kwararafa state of the Jukun people. The state is based in the town of Wukari in Taraba State, in the south of the Benue River basin. The ruler takes the title "Aku Uka".
Genesis sanda from Takum LGA taraba state
Kuteb also known as Ati, Kutev, Mbarike is a Nigerian ethnic language. The Kuteb people mostly live in the southern part of Taraba state in Nigeria, with a thousand-or-so speakers across the border in Cameroon. In Nigeria, it is spoken mostly in Takum and Ussa LGAs, and Yangtu SDA Taraba State.
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