I don't know if this is the right section for this question but i just decided to post it here.
A conversation ensued between my neighbour and i about the tribe that has the largest population and in few minutes time, i couldnt believe how the discussion turn out to be a very very large and mighty ARGUEMENT that pulled so many crowd including passers-by. Then i kept wondering who's gonna win the debate? I decided to bring this to my nairalanders to please help me out with this.
WHICH TRIBE IN NIGERIA DO U THINK HAS THE LARGEST POPULATION?
MINE IS hausa....wats urs?

IT IS HAUSA NAA...
THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF STATES THAN THE OTHER TWO TRIBES..

faqman:
IT IS HAUSA NAA...
THEY HAVE THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF STATES THAN THE OTHER TWO TRIBES..

Yes, i wont doubt that Hausa hausa has the most number of states. But when u go to those states and discover that there are or may be more Igbos in each of them and also every other state in Nigeria and even other countries then i will know what u'll say. And dont forget that they say any where u go and dont find an Igbo man then u know that place is not safe for humans.so now u be the judge.

Google on Nairaland for the answer and you will get: Hausa/Fulani 29%; Yoruba 21%; Igbo 18%. I don't know how to share the Hausa/Fulani 29%, but when I do equally, Hausa gets 14.5%, Fulani gets 14.5%. And when you separate Hausas from the Fulanis as I have done, the Yorubas and the Igbos with 21% and 18% become the 1st and 2nd largest tribal groups in Nigeria respectively.

Believe population statistics in Nigeria and you'll believe anything. Population is something one can't hide easily but in Nigeria. Thus, look around you and you'll see which group is more visible. That's the first indication. It's about human beings and not ghosts.

Therefore, include ethnicity in the census questionaire and you'll know for certain the population of each group, and not this stupid and politically ridden statistics being thrown round to garner Niger delta oil money. Nonsense and ingredients!!!!

simplemach:

Yes, i wont doubt that Hausa hausa has the most number of states. But when u go to those states and discover [bthat there are or may be more Igbos in each of them[/b] and also every other state in Nigeria and even other countries then i will know what u'll say. And dont forget that they say any where u go and dont find an Igbo man then u know that place is not safe for humans.so now u be the judge.

That "there are or may be more Igbos" in the Hausa states is honestly a very funny thing to say

It is Igbos!
Reason: seeing them almost in every Nigerian enclave from time immemorial.
Hausas no get population large landmass does not equate to large population.

1- Yoruba - Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kogi West, Kwara, parts of Edo.
2- Hausa - Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, 70% Kebbi, Kaduna North, Bauch.
3- Igbo- Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, 1/3 Delta, 1/3 Rivers.
4- Fulani - Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Kebbi- All over Northern and Central Nigeria.

The rest are up for grabs

The Igbos are the largest ethnic group in nigeria(no doubt/unnecessary argument). Number of states does not in anyway equal to population tally. You see, the Hausas are just privileged cunts with a large landmass. For your info, there's the term known as Population Density. Fulanis are mostly fugitives and land pilferers.

Bororojo:
1- Yoruba - Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kogi West, Kwara, parts of Edo.
2- Hausa - Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, 70% Kebbi, Kaduna North, Bauch.
3- Igbo- Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, 1/3 Delta, 1/3 Rivers.
4- Fulani - Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Kebbi- All over Northern and Central Nigeria.

The rest are up for grabs

1- Yoruba - Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kogi West, Kwara, parts of Edo and Delta (Itsekiri) unlikely.
2- Hausa - Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, 70% Kebbi, Kaduna North, Bauchi.
3- Igbo- Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta North, 2/3 Rivers, parts of Edo, Benue, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom . (This is how it should be)
4- Fulani - Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Kebbi- All over Northern and Central Nigeria.
The rest are for grabs.

Chiwude:
1- Yoruba - Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kogi West, Kwara, parts of Edo and Delta (Itsekiri) unlikely.
2- Hausa - Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, 70% Kebbi, Kaduna North, Bauchi.
3- Igbo- Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta North, 2/3 Rivers, parts of Edo, Benue, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom . (This is how it should be)
4- Fulani - Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Kebbi- All over Northern and Central Nigeria.
The rest are for grabs.

thanks for that superb analysis of the major ethnic nations.for the minor ones here's their own..
5]Tiv- Benue,Taraba,Nasarawa
6]Ijo- Bayelsa,Delta,Rivers
7]Mgboko- AKS,CRS
8]Edo- Edo
9]Nupe- Kwara,Niger,Kogi
10]Gwari- Kaduna,Niger,Abuja
11]Kanouri- Bornu,Yobe

this is Nigeria's first 11..the other ones are just subs in the great Nigerian game

Chiwude:
1- Yoruba - Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kogi West, Kwara, parts of Edo and Delta (Itsekiri) unlikely.
2- Hausa - Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, 70% Kebbi, Kaduna North, Bauchi.
3- Igbo- Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta North, 2/3 Rivers, parts of Edo, Benue, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom . (This is how it should be)
4- Fulani - Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Kebbi- All over Northern and Central Nigeria.
The rest are for grabs.

I said 1/3 of Rivers, not 2/3.
And the Ibo population in the rest of those states is very tiny and insignificant, compared to those other states i have listed.

Bororojo:


I said 1/3 of Rivers, not 2/3.
And the Ibo population in the rest of those states is very tiny and insignificant, compared to those other states i have listed.

Did I hear you say insignificant among the rest? Now let's leave the Igbos and analyze the population of other major tribes you listed, in their supposed strongholds. Have you been to the north before? For your information, the Hausa as a tribe is not even up to 60% in Kebbi. In Jigawa the Hausas makes up 70% of the population. In Bauchi they make up 50% excluding the Kanuris, Fulani and other minorities.
For the Yorubas, don't go there. In Kwara the population of those who claim pure Yoruba are just 60 percent. The state may speak Yoruba, yet it dose'nt mean every one there are Yorubas. The Gambaris, the Baruba's, and Nupe's complete the remaining 40 percent. In Edo don't even go there! You can take with you the Akoko-Edo, but don't even start adding up the Yoruba speaking parts of Igarra land. Now you see we are even.

Chiwude:
1- Yoruba - Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kogi West, Kwara, parts of Edo and Delta (Itsekiri) unlikely.
2- Hausa - Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, 70% Kebbi, Kaduna North, Bauchi.
3- Igbo- Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta North, 2/3 Rivers, parts of Edo, Benue, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom . (This is how it should be)
4- Fulani - Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Kebbi- All over Northern and Central Nigeria.
The rest are for grabs.

Igbo: Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, 1/3 Delta (Anioma), 2/3 Rivers, parts of Edo, *Bayelsa*, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Benue

Chiwude:
Did I hear you say insignificant among the rest? Now let's leave the Igbos and analyze the population of other major tribes you listed, in their supposed strongholds. Have you been to the north before? For your information, the Hausa as a tribe is not even up to 60% in Kebbi. In Jigawa the Hausas makes up 70% of the population. In Bauchi they make up 50% excluding the Kanuris, Fulani and other minorities.
For the Yorubas, don't go there. In Kwara the population of those who claim pure Yoruba are just 60 percent. The state may speak Yoruba, yet it dose'nt mean every one there are Yorubas. The Gambaris, the Baruba's, and Nupe's complete the remaining 40 percent. In Edo don't even go there! You can take with you the Akoko-Edo, but don't even start adding up the Yoruba speaking parts of Igarra land. Now you see we are even.

My Ethnic group is #4 on my list

Yorubas are more than 75% in Kwara.

These are the LGA's in the state

Asa
Baruten
Edu
Ekiti
Ifelodun
Ilorin East
Ilorin South
Ilorin West
Irepodun
Isin
Kaiama
Moro
Offa
Oke Ero
Oyun
Pategi

And all the bolded are predominantly Yoruba.

Edited

Chiwude:
Did I hear you say insignificant among the rest? Now let's leave the Igbos and analyze the population of other major tribes you listed, in their supposed strongholds. Have you been to the north before? For your information, the Hausa as a tribe is not even up to 60% in Kebbi. In Jigawa the Hausas makes up 70% of the population. In Bauchi they make up 50% excluding the Kanuris, Fulani and other minorities.
For the Yorubas, don't go there. In Kwara the population of those who claim pure Yoruba are just 60 percent. The state may speak Yoruba, yet it dose'nt mean every one there are Yorubas. The Gambaris, the Baruba's, and Nupe's complete the remaining 40 percent. In Edo don't even go there! You can take with you the Akoko-Edo, but don't even start adding up the Yoruba speaking parts of Igarra land. Now you see we are even.

I am not denying an igbo presense in Cross river, Benue, or Edo, but they are actually very tiny in comparism to 5SE states +Rivers and Delta.

This is an approximate ethno linguistic map of Nigeria here.

Fell free to post others available to your utilization.

Bororojo:


My Ethnic group is #4 on my list

Yorubas are more than 75% in Kwara.

These are the LGA's in the state

Asa
Baruten
Edu
Ekiti
Ifelodun
Ilorin East
Ilorin South
Ilorin West
Irepodun
Isin
Kaiama
Moro
Offa
Oke Ero
Oyun
Pategi

And all the bolded are predominantly Yoruba.

Bororojo:


My Ethnic group is #4 on my list

Yorubas are more than 75% in Kwara.

These are the LGA's in the state

Asa Gambaris dominated
Baruten Baruba
Edu Exclusively Nupe
Ekiti Yoruba
Ifelodun Yoruba
Ilorin East Gambari dominates
Ilorin South Gambari dominates
Ilorin West Gambari dominates
Irepodun Yoruba
Isin Yoruba
Kaiama Baruba
Moro Mixed btw Yoruba, Gambari, Nupe
Offa Yoruba
Oke Ero Yoruba
Oyun Yoruba
Pategi Nupe

And all the bolded have been rectified.

Your tribe is Fulani if I guess. And you may be Fulaman, I guess also. Long time bro. The bolded you listed is not actually the reality on ground. You may ask why? I have full information about the state than you may think. This because I once served in the KWHA Ilorin during my NYSC days. The above is my adjustment.

Yes i am Fulani, but I am not Fulaman, lol- I am another Fulani man.

you edited that list and replaced them with Gambari dominated, mixe of this and this.
I am not talking about which tribes dominate which areas, or if the area has other groups in it, but rather- who are the MAJOR ethic grous in each local government- can you seriously tell me that Yorubas are not the majority in The Ilorin LGA's? what are gambaris anyways? (Mix of Hausa, Fulani, Etc??}
Anyways... whatever is the case, i hope ethnic statistics are included in our next census.

Chiwude:
Your tribe is Fulani if I guess. And you may be Fulaman, I guess also. Long time bro. The bolded you listed is not actually the reality on ground. You may ask why? I have full information about the state than you may think. This because I once served in the KWHA Ilorin during my NYSC days. The above is my adjustment.

Ur analysis is faulty, there is no tribe known as Gambari. The so called Gambaris are Yorubas who prefer being associated to Fulanis eg the Sarakis.
The current Emir - Sulu Gambari is a Yoruba man, formerly Justice Abimbola Gambari of the Appeal court.
They prefer being associated with the North than the south

Bororojo:
Yes i am Fulani, but I am not Fulaman, lol- I am another Fulani man.

you edited that list and replaced them with Gambari dominated, mixe of this and this.
I am not talking about which tribes dominate which areas, or if the area has other groups in it, but rather- who are the MAJOR ethic grous in each local government- can you seriously tell me that Yorubas are not the majority in The Ilorin LGA's? what are gambaris anyways? (Mix of Hausa, Fulani, Etc??}
Anyways... whatever is the case, i hope ethnic statistics are included in our next census.

The Gambaris are mixed (Fulani/Arewa and Yoruba), but they prefer to be called Fulanis even though they understand only Yoruba language. Saraki and so many others are from this tribe. Also, the Ilorin Emirate comprises : Ilorin West, Ilorin East, Ilorin South, Asa and Moro L.G.Areas. All the above form the Ilorin Senatorial zone (Kwara Central) that is talked about.

Kwara North senatorial zone comprises majorly the Nupe and Baruba areas, along with one Yoruba Local government. They comprise the following : Baruten, Edu, Patigi, Kaiama and Ifelodun L.G.A. The first class traditional ruler here is the Emir of Shonga Edu L.G.A.
In addition, Kwara South senatorial is a mainly Yoruba area comprising the Igbomina and other Oyo groups. The L.G.A are Oyun, Eko Ero, Isin, Irepodun, Offa, Ekiti.
[b]Note: The Ilorin central senatorial zone has Yorubas towns too, with a considerable amount of pure Yoruba population. But, all the Obas of the towns are turbaned the Arewa way. They even sit in the council of the Emir of Ilorin and perform different port folios in the Emirate. For them, anywhere the north go, that is the direction they'll go despite being Yorubas. However, what makes you a Yoruba must be the fact that your patrimony isn't fulani. The same applies to the Fulanis. You may speak Yoruba, have Yoruba mother, or eat Amala, or even think like a Yoruba man, yet, as long as you trace your lineage to a Fulani immigrant of the 19 century, automatically you become a Fulani (but Yoruba cultured). Even the term Yoruba cultured is not widely pronounced. From Kwara central to the north, the indigenes dress like typical northerners; They don't celebrate festivals deemed unislamic, no Oro, no Egungun, only Salah is allowed here. Shariah courts are found also, but not ruthless as those found in the north. The mosques and Sheiks in Ilorin alone out number those found in the S/West. But, the people of Ilorin, despite being muslims are very peaceful and friendly - a Yoruba trait you find in them.
However, Politically in the state, if you want to climb through the ladder and achieve your ambition claiming or aligning with the Fulanis (Gambaris) is your best bet. You can ask the Saraki's, they are the masters.[/b]

Bororojo:


I am not denying an igbo presense in Cross river, Benue, or Edo, but they are actually very tiny in comparism to 5SE states +Rivers and Delta.

This is an approximate ethno linguistic map of Nigeria here.

Fell free to post others available to your utilization.

You are right. The population of Igbos in areas like Cross-River, Benue, Edo and Akwa-Ibom are less.

cheruv:

thanks for that superb analysis of the major ethnic nations.for the minor ones here's their own..
5]Tiv- Benue,Taraba,Nasarawa
6]Ijo- Bayelsa,Delta,Rivers
7]Mgboko- AKS,CRS
8]Edo- Edo
9]Nupe- Kwara,Niger,Kogi
10]Gwari- Kaduna,Niger,Abuja
11]Kanouri- Bornu,Yobe

this is Nigeria's first 11..the other ones are just subs in the great Nigerian game

Mgboko and Gwari, seriously??
There are more Igalas than both groups combined.

Bororojo:


Mgboko and Gwari, seriously??
There are more Igalas than both groups combined.

not up to 5M igalas and you want recognition for them why not ask me to recognize the 600K idomas,since you're this gullible

cheruv:

not up to 5M igalas and you want recognition for them why not ask me to recognize the 600K idomas,since you're this gullible

Because Igala are more than Idomas.
Igalas are on the same level as Nupes.

Danrizzle:
the 'igbos' are of course the largest ethnic group in nigeria(no doubt/unnecessary argument). Number of states does not in anyway equal to population tally. You see... the hausas are just priveledged cun:ts with a large landmass(there's a term known as 'population density'). Fulanis are more of fugitives&land pilfers.

Wow where did you get that from? your rear end?

Fulaman198:



Wow where did you get that from? your rear end?

When you separate the joint Hausa/Fulani ethnic status, you get a lesser population than the other two major tribes in the tripod. So, the guy has a good point. The Yoruba and Igbo tribes may actually be the two largest ethnic group by population. The Hausa and Fulani come Third and Fourth respectively.

Chiwude:
When you separate the joint Hausa/Fulani ethnic status, you get a lesser population than the other two major tribes in the tripod. So, the guy has a good point. The Yoruba and Igbo tribes may actually be the two largest ethnic group by population. The Hausa and Fulani come Third and Fourth respectively.

Hey bro, I wasn't referring to you. I was referring to the ethnic bigot Danrizzle

Chiwude:
1- Yoruba - Lagos, Ogun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo, Osun, Kogi West, Kwara, parts of Edo and Delta (Itsekiri) unlikely.
2- Hausa - Kano, Jigawa, Katsina, Sokoto, Zamfara, 70% Kebbi, Kaduna North, Bauchi.
3- Igbo- Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, Delta North, 2/3 Rivers, parts of Edo, Benue, Cross River and Akwa-Ibom . (This is how it should be)
4- Fulani - Adamawa, Gombe, Taraba, Bauchi, Yobe, Plateau, Kebbi- All over Northern and Central Nigeria.
The rest are for grabs.

Who put Benue, Cross river and Akwa,ibom as Igbo states? Better don't deceive yourself

Bororojo:
Yes i am Fulani, but I am not Fulaman, lol- I am another Fulani man.

you edited that list and replaced them with Gambari dominated, mixe of this and this.
I am not talking about which tribes dominate which areas, or if the area has other groups in it, but rather- who are the MAJOR ethic grous in each local government- can you seriously tell me that Yorubas are not the majority in The Ilorin LGA's? what are gambaris anyways? (Mix of Hausa, Fulani, Etc??}
Anyways... whatever is the case, i hope ethnic statistics are included in our next census.

Gambari is the Yoruba name for fulani
The current emir is of fulani ancestry through his father's side so in Yoruba language we have always called their clan - Gambari

It's the Hausa/Fulani tribe, and I'm not saying this because of the landmass. The Hausa/Fulani tribe (not just Hausa or Fulani, it's combined) has the largest population in Nigeria.
.
Igbos being located across the length and breadth of planet Earth simply shows the hustling spirit and adaptation ability of the tribe and does not in any way depict a massive population.
#myopinion