lx3as:


Is Itsekiri not Yoruboid language? What's the difference between 'Omotsola and Omosola or Omawumi and Omowumi'? I have two friends from the same community in Ekiti that have surnames: Ogunkuade and Ogunkọrọde (same meaning); there are another people with same meanings: Osakuade and Osakọrọde (Orisa has brought wealth); Adeluyi and Adeniyi, etc.
What you can argue is that, the 'w' in Adesuwa is most time silent in Yoruba's (Adesua). You can ask people in Eastern Yoruba states the meaning of names like "Olumilua" and several samples I already mentioned above. In Eastern Yoruba, 'owo - money' is 'egho, pronounced 'eo or eho'; when Itsekiri would say: mini/meni, meji; Ekiti would say: ini, eji; proper Yoruba: ookan, eeji. Uyọ̀̀(Ilaje), Ọyọ̀(Ekiti)̀=Ayọ̀ (the joy I have = uyọ meyọ/mẹyọ, ọyọ̀ meyọ/mọyọ = ayọ moyọ)̀. Adesuwa is a Bini name but it is also an Eastern Yoruba name. It's hard to find someone from Oyo state for example, having names like, Adesuwa, Osasọna, Adesọna (Ekiti/ Ondo states); what you'll have them bearing are Adesọrọ/Adesẹyẹ Oluwasewa/Olusewa, Adesewa. The Eastern and central Yoruba dialects respectively are older and deeper than the North Western Yoruba dialects; 'Ọnà and Okun' are deeper than 'ẹwà and pẹlẹ' (beauty and sorry).

I agree.
Jus like Oluku is deeper and older than ore.

Can this also be applied to planning things in general live government, parastatals, diplomacy and agencies?

Nowenuse:


Apart from the diaspora, can you mention one other aspect in which Binis are after the top 3 in Nigeria?
Unless of course you mean Edo as a state and not Bini as a tribe.

The project their culture and identity more and they have the most "charisma" than the other minorities mainly because of their significant history.
Ibibio people are numerous but can't even project an independent aura separate from the "I am a calabar man" one.
Today today an Akwa Ibom man still told me I am 'from calabar'... Yes, calabar was a historic citadel and all but still, even the efiks that are supposed to have that zeal are only a tad bit better than the ibomites.

pazienza:


I lived in rural part of Ondo for nearly two years.
And yes! There are many Muslims in Ondo. You are simply playing the ostrich.
I don't have official stats, but that's how it seemed to me. It was a cultural shock to me seeing too many women on Hijab, especially that "Ninja" style of Hijab, in Akure metropolis.

Ilaje and Ese odo are mainly riverine communities, with culture close to Delta state.

Bottom line is that Yorubaland is an Islam enclave.
It's intriguing to an Igbo like me coming there for first time, considering how Yoruba pastors have commercialized Christianity. You would think Yorubaland is a Christian strong hold, when the opposite is the case.

And how exactly am I playing ostrich? I haven't said there were no muslims in Ondo state. As a matter of fact, I even said Ondo has more muslims than Ekiti and pegged the figure at 20%. I even mentioned towns and places in Ondo state that have muslims in significant numbers. How then is it a surprise that Akure had people in hijab or burqa since THERE ARE muslims in the state? Besides, Akure is cosmopolitan. The only issue I see here is that you are coming from a place where virtually 100% practices some form of christianity so yes 20% is a LOT to you, I can clearly see how that could be a cultural shock to you. Besides, the so called Yoruba pastors that you claim have commercialized christianity do not claim that Yorubaland is a christian enclave or anything like that. On the contrary, some of them are even muslim converts who became christians and even popular pastors, they are many. Similar to pastor suleman from afemai land who is now also a popular pastor.

You on the other hand, are the one playing ostrich; burying your head in the sand by very cleverly countering all the points that others have raised about igbos with carefully planned and laid out responses. Bravo! you successfully absolved Igbos of all the accusations and observations that Nigerians have been making since pre colonial times from Oba erediauwa to Saro wiwa to Sardauna of Sokoto. You people are just the perfect 'merry going jolly' people and the most innocent people perfect to have as country mates aren't you now?

You don't know what an enclave is do you? Another Igbo claimed that Edos were half muslim and that Edo North was a muslim enclave when in reality I doubt Edo is even 20% Muslim. You even said Ondo was supposed to be heavily muslim because parts of the state is close to Edo North that is virtually muslim when in reality, save for some towns like Warrake, Auchi, Aviele, Jattu and a few other places with a muslim majority, muslims are not even 30% of Edo North as a whole talk less the entire state being half muslim.

You people have a way of exaggerating your claims for whatever reasons.

This is the religious composition of the SW from the 1963 census which was one of the only few times that religious data was ever included in our census data, and this is what it reveals for the time:

The old Ondo province was 12.3% muslim and 78.6% christian at the time while the remaining 9.1% were traditionalists, if that remaining % have converted to xtianity or Islam by now in the same ratio and rate of conversion, then Ondo indigenes should be at least 86.x% christian by now and about 13.x% muslim (and that is even ignoring cross religious conversions between xtianity and islam), but since Ekiti was part of the old Ondo and is slightly more christian by composition, Ondo should have slightly more when the numbers are adjusted for new state creation, Ondo should be probably around 18% muslim give or take.

[img]http:///65535/47945819521_43c554bc16_b.jpg[/img]

Even the old Oyo that is now the present Osun Oyo states minus Ibadan which was a division of its own, they were 46.6% christian, 41.8% muslim and 11.6% traditionalists in '63. And people would usually say this was a heavily muslim region.

SW Yorubaland as a whole was half christian (49.3%) and about half muslim (42.4%) and 8.3% traditionalists.
And this was that far back. I wonder what the figures are now, no one really knows!

Back your claims that SW is a 'Muslim enclave' apart from the random facts that you saw plenty mosques and women in hijab in Akure metropolis.
An enclave that isn't even half muslim? Don't make me laugh.

cc: Nowenuse

Nowenuse:


Igbos in the 19 states of the north/middlebelt are not more than 5 million.

The way people throw around millions in the Nigerian online space ehhn... you would think they were talking about thousands ni.
Someone will just wake up one day and tell you there are at least 2 million Igbos in Kano and another 1.5 million in Kaduna , without even understanding the real life implications of that.
Assuming Kano state was 10 million.... do y'all know what 2 million Igbos there means not even factoring in all other tribes of Nigeria.

smh

Nowenuse:

See Yakubu Gowon who is from Plateau, even a christian but he was born and bred in Zaria. He had hausa mentality and this was why he was the perfect tool used by the core-north to gain the support of middlebelters against Igbos in the civil war.
Till date, inspite of how Hausa fulanis fight our people, Yakubu Gowon will still preach one Nigeria.

This is the way Hausas effortlessly unite all Nigerian muslims by accomodating them and culturing them, spreading their soft power. Instead of Igbos to learn from this, they keep on arguing pointlessly and emotionally that everybody hates them.

Kano state has produced 2 non Hausa governors.
A Nupe man from Niger state and a Bura man from Borno state have ruled Kano state.
But among the Igbos, an Imo or Enugu man will not even be allowed to contest or rule Anambra, let alone a non-Igbo.

The Northern dynamic is simple.
As long as you accept islam and blend into the general culture , that's it. You become one of them. An Etsako, A Yoruba, An Igala, A Nupe, A Jukun, A Gbagyi, A Mumuye, A Tuareg, Even a Syrian can become 'Hausa' as long as they blend. Origin is useless to them. Yorubas too to a certain degree, but unlike Yorubas that are surrounded by sparsely populated tribes on two sides, the sea on one side (no other majority tribes in Nigeria has a coastline), and the unfortunate turn of fate of being 'brickwalled' by an international border on the final side, Igbos are completely surrounded by heavily populated tribes on ALL sides and still can't manage to coalesce a successful southern alliance like the Hausas have done in the north or even swell their numbers through ethnic conversion. If Yorubas were the ones in the central south east the rest would be story right now.

Nowenuse:


Yes I am very much aware of this. A huge chunk of the Yoruba christians in the north are from Okun. You see this belt, Nupe- Okun- Ebira- Igala- Idoma. They migrate like nonsense. More than half of them live outside their homeland.

But among them, I would say Ebiras have the highest. Ebiras have migrated and been living all over Yoruba land for a very long time in the rural areas, to the extent that these Yorubaland Ebiras have evolved a new unique identity for themselves.
They are called EBIRA OLOKO.
This is why when you say Ebiras are just 300k in the southwest, I just dey look you. Ebiras are the largest non indigenous minority group
In Yoruba land, followed by Tapa (Nupes).
You see a large chunk of Ebiras in Kogi state answering Yoruba names. These names usually came from Ebira Oloko influence through their returnees. Otherwise, how do you explain this?

I just said 300K because Ebiras in SW are mostly concentrated in Ondo,Ekiti and Osun. Not so much in Oyo, Ogun and Lag. But of course Lagos is cosmopolitan, who knows the number of Ebiras that might actually be living there.
Ebira tao and Yoruba are adjacent tribes from the Akoko and from the Okun axis from three angles (west , southwest and north). then on the south with Afemai and east with river niger and then onwards Igala. Not that hard to see how influences might have diffused. Also many Yoruba loan words have crept into Ebira tao by association, like Iyawo (wife), Ijova (Ijoba) - (Government), Pataki (Important), Ajuwe (Description), Igbo (weed), Alasheju (oersabi).. it is unavoidable, just like how many Hausa words have crept into Egbura koto.

pazienza:



Very true. People don't know this, or they want to play the ostrich. But Yorubas are predominantly Muslims.
Don't let their commercialized pastors in Lagos-Ogun express road deceive you, those lots seek out mainly gullible Igbo Christians to milk. They know most of their people are Muslims.

I have lived in rural Yoruba before and was shocked by that discovery. Too many mosques and Muslims everywhere. I was shocked.

Now do the maths, of the three dominant Ethnic groups in Nigeria, Hausa-Fulani are overwhelmingly Muslims, Yoruba are like 60% Muslims. Only the Igbo are the Christian core.

It's wishful thinking Nigeria is not a predominantly Muslim country, because it is.

Please what in the world is 'rural Yoruba'?
Simply state where you lived in Yorubaland and let us discuss the religious peculiarities of the so called place.
Take Ondo state for example, you will find mosques in Ikare town but won't find maybe even 1 in Ilaje local government or Ese Odo.

Ondo and Ekiti are not 35% muslim like you fallaciously stated. I don't know how you manage to do it so effortlessly but you just seem to have this special ability to pull figures out of your bare black a.ss! Ondo has more muslims than Ekiti and Ondo is prolly around 20% islamic at most.

pazienza:


I don't know who the Eggons are. But Chukwu forbid we be compared to any group in the North.

Pride and Arrogance ? I would say confidence. Cunningly? Far from it, an Igbo man is too obvious, direct and plain, that's even part of why we have problems in Nigeria. You must have confused us for another major Southern group known for this cunning trait.
Discriminating and unaccomodatimg ? Another misrepresentation. If anything Ndiigbo are too accepting of people and alien cultures.
Domineering? Maybe but it's usually through hard work and merit. Loud nature? Definitely. My people loud nature even makes me cringe.

All in all, your post perfectly illustrates while Ndiigbo should stop looking for non existent allies in Nigeria and instead concentrate on becoming stronger internally. You lots both Xtians and Muslims are no different in your perception of Ndiigbo.

Even Nowenuse who is practically Pro-Igbo is telling you the same thing and you are not reflecting. rather you are saying Chukwu forbid you being compared to Eggon as if you have three heads and they have 1. That is still part of the meaningless pride everyone is well aware of.
Everybody regardless of religion, even staunch christians like yourself are telling you the very same things because there are elements of truth to it. Regardless, a Crossriverian from the Southeast, A Plateau man who grew up in the South, A Yoruba from the West and an Edo man from the Central-west have all said similar things on here and they are all not ringing any bells.

Ndigbo are accepting of other cultures to profit off it in one way or the other. No Nigerian ethnic group is just simply 'accepting of other cultures' for the mere fun of it or for nothing. And No, they are not accepting of other people. At least not to the same degree as some other people within this general corner of Africa.

Nowenuse:


Interesting.

Igalas take Kogi with pride, however, unlike the Tivs, they still emigrate a lot. Lokoja is not a big city with opportunities, so they still move to Kaduna, Kano, Abuja e.t.c

All of Kogis ethnic group migrate in heavy numbers without exception. Even okuns are plenty in the north.
Just a random example is sirD of BBN from Mopa-Amuro but who speaks Hausa and grew up all his life in KD. Not even sure which he is more fluent in Yoru or Haus.

GODMALE:
All these ethnic groups without real social media plaform, if you go to YouTube, Facebook , instagram. You'll see hausa-fulani,igbos and Yoruba's movies, music's,wedding pages and other social forum stuffs.

The only ethnic group to have something similar is Benin, their Instagram wedding page is top 3 after Yoruba's, Hausa and Igbo's and Ibibio comes 4th.

They have their own movie production and you can even view i on YouTube, I tried to check if ijaw, urhobo etc have something similar but I was stunned, I tought ijaw has 15 million population so they can't act movies in ijaw language?

Even in diaspora forum, after the 3 major tribes Benin comes next in hosting occasions

I agree.
In so many aspects Edos are the 4th most prominent ethnic group in Nigeria after the top3.
Even Edo diaspora population is third after Yoruba and Igbo.

Yujin:

It is not a fair analogy and you know it. Colonial records show Igbos with more population than Yorubas. Is it not so?

But how is it an unfair analogy? the conditions mirror each other perfectly well. The land area-density dichotomy.
colonial documents also show igbos more than hausa-fulani. Even if it were true at the time, a lot has since changed from the era of the 1920s.

Yujin:

You're correct. We still have to consider the proportion of the densities when comparing both regions. The density in Igboland was about triple the average in other areas hence the earlier census done by the British showed Igboland as having the biggest population in Southern Nigeria.

Ibibio land is also dense. Denser than tiv land, but Ibibios are not more than Tivs.
I think that is a fair analogy that roughly also equates to the dynamics between Yoruba and Igbo with Igbo being Ibibio and yoruba being Tiv.

Nowenuse:


Delta central is more cosmopolitan than Kogi east because places like Uvwie & Udu have merged with Warri and have many tribes living there. Same with Ughelli & Sapele towns.
Delta central is far far more urbanized unlike Kogi east.
How many immigrants are living in Ankpa or Anyigba? Everybody is Igala.

Yes, you also have Urhbos in Warri south and a small minority in Patani & Sagbama LGA in Bayelsa. However, Igalas have up to 6 towns in the SE/SS and some communities in Apa LGA of Benue state.

Lastly, Igalas migrate more than Urhobos as of today. Igalas are becoming intimidating in Abuja, they are also very many in Kaduna, Jos & Kano, they are in Igbo land too.
Urhobo migrants on the other hand only have strong populations in Benin villages & Ajegunle (Lagos).
Both tribes should be something very close to equal.

sure?

Urhobos
: SW, Edo, Port Harcourt, North
Igalas: North only. Very small in SE.

Nowenuse:




Of course, Esans can never match Bini population in Benin.
I was born and bred in Warri and I discovered that in Warri and Asaba and even PH, you will meet 5 esan people first before you meet 1 Benin person. Same thing with Lagos.

Benin people hardly leave Benin to anywhere else apart from Italy. Unlike Esans who move everywhere and are visible everywhere.

Same thing with the Afemais. Etsako (Auchi) people with their muslim religion are well represented in the north. You see them in Kaduna, Jos, Kano & Zaria.
The Akoko edos are very much in Yoruba land.

Are you people aware that so many Urhobos are living in Benin villages? All those Ovia areas down to Ore forests have many Urhobo and even Yoruba communities who dominate the Palm oil plantations. These people are not Benin people.

How about the Ijaws who have up to 10 towns in Ikpobha-Okha & Ovia villages? All those Siluko and Gelegele areas along the coast into Ondo state?

Benins cannot be up to half of Edo state. It is impossible. Where are the communities?


As for Ebira, how can you say Ebira Tao + Koto are 1 million? Are u aware that Okene was the most populated LGA in Kogi state in 2006 census? Only the Ebira migrants in Yoruba land are up to 1 million, let alone those in Kogi.

Ebiras are well represented in the north too, but so are Igalas, so it won't count much.

Yes, Ebiras of FCT and Nasarawa are not likely more than 200k. But those in Yoruba land, Edo state, Tao of Kogi central & Koto of Lokoja/Koton karfe are more than 2 million combined.

Wait, be sincere, how many Ebiras will you say are all over Yorubaland up to Kwara? I need a figure.

@GODMALE, you said Ebiras are not more than 50,000 in Edo state, are you aware that Igarras/Etunos who have the largest town in Akoko edo are also Ebira speaking people?
What about the Ebiras who I heard are now up to 30% of Ososo town and the majority in Aiyegunle?

Cc deadlytruth my Oshuku friend

I am the one that said Ebiras are now plenty in Ososo ... wait wasn't that like 2-3 years ago this guy you no dey forget something.
Ebiras in Edo.... 100K
Ebiras in SW - 300K

Okene is the largest LGA yes, Okene plus Adavi is the single largest conurbation in Kogi even larger than lokoja. But outside the obvious size of Okene township, what is the population of Kogi central? What is the population of Kogi lga at Koto karfe that will justify or support the 3 million figure. Kogi central if I were generous and say 900k plus Kogi lga another 100k that is 1Mill. Nassarawa plus f.c.t 200k like you already agreed, that is 1.2 million.. sounds about right for Ebira. Diasporic population in north: Unknown.

Nowenuse:


Great analysis!

Hmm, I don't think Urhobos would be clearly more than Igalas unless of course you add Isoko to the Urhobo population.

2ndly, like I was telling garfield. If fulanis are the 4th largest tribe in Nigeria, then Hausa cannot be the 1st or even 2nd. They would be the 3rd.
This is because the Hausanized Fulanis of the Northwest are something close to 10 million. If you remove them from Hausa population, then Hausa shrinks significantly and cannot compete with Yoruba & Igbo.

Between Yoruba & Igbo, it is very very difficult to tell who is the largest.

Compare Delta central 100% Urhobo to Kogi East, Igala plus minorities from 2006, you will see that Urhobos are more than Igalas. (within the homelands at least) Mind you, Warri metropolis is not even Delta central but Delta south and there are still Urhobos there.

Yujin:

I'm 100% sure of that. Just three states in the north would cover that population. You don't know the population distribution of Igbos. Outside Lagos and its satellite communities in Ogun state, where else in the SW do Igbos have such conspicuous presence?

Everywhere there. Even if they are tiny, theya re still present.
In many places within this obodo Nigeria ,igbos are tiny but prominent component of the fabric of towns. That is what many people don't know. prominent is not the same as populated That is how one of you was arguing with a cross riverian that migrant Igbo Communities were more than the Ibibios in C/River state and he was telling you guyz the reality on ground.

Nowenuse:


Pls, are you from Kogi state? Can you tell why the Ebiras & Okuns can never unite against Igala?
Both of them have been together in the same political entities for decades, how come they still can never agree till now?

The mind of the average okun is not in kogi, it is stuck in Ilorin, Ibadan, Ile-Ife or Lagos.lol funny but 'it is a true something'. Even during elections their turnout is usually the lowest. They are not enthused about the entire prospect of 'Kogi' at all.. To the Igalas, Kogi is nirvana. The state na their papa property, an avenue to finally develop their land after years of shackling under Benue-Plateau to Benue then to Kwara (Where they were jokingly called 'abroad kwarans' because there was no bridge between Itobe and Ajaokuta at the time like it does now, they had to use Canoes to even get to their own capital in ilorin and other parts of the state) nd then again under Benue before they finally landed in Paradise Kogi

Ebiras are the ones in a dicey situation here, because left to the Okuns they won't even be Kogites. Igalas are happy where they are. Ebiras however will never share a state alone with Igalas and don't want to return to a state where they would be an even smaller minority under a heavy yoruba majority (Kwara). I just feel it is because of them that Kogi was even brought together as an entity cos Igala population alone can't sustain a state so the western half were brought over from Kwara to join, together with the centrally located and historically significant town of lokoja.

The truth is that Okuns and Ebiras have different political agendas but they can still come together if they really want to. They just have to come by a rotation agreement and Igala domination will be history.

GODMALE:
what about the Benin's? Or are you saying there are more urhobo, ijaw, Ibibio than the Benin's?

Binis are a dicey case, cause BENIN city is now so diluted, so many Esans, Etsakors, Igbos, Yorubas, Isokos etc now in Benin. I can't even honestly remotely remember what the second largest bini town(or village) probably Abudu near Ika or Utesse near Ondo state? ? The Benins are essentially a city state people. So much aspect of Edo history was focused on Benin city that it looks like the people forgot to produce other towns.

Urhobos, Ijaws and Ibibios are all more populated than Benins.

Yujin:

Most of what you wrote is correct but as for saying 'realistically' Igbos will be the third largest is a big fallacy. The threat of the huge Igbo population was one big factor for the hate in the north in colonial times and even during the war. Igboland had by far the highest population density in sub-saharan Africa

Population density of Igboland between the Central Anambra and the Central/Imo to Umuahia axis, as well as the central Enugu ridge between Ezike and Udi, I agree. But overall population is still a big toss up to be honest. And by overall population I am also including the Ikwerres, Ikaz, Ogbas, Kwales and all other igbo affiliated groups, even Ekpeye.
Igbo settlement pattern is the same as that the Fon of Southern Benin, still all Fon within Benin cant be more than 4 million.

Density x Landmass is what will result in eventual population not just density alone.

garfield1:

Dont you think ebira and okun are equal since both control 5 lgas.

Okuns:
Yagba East
Yagba West
Ijumu
Kabba-Bunu
Mopa-Muro
Like 50% of Lokoja LGA landmass, although most definitely less than that for population prolly like 35%.

Ebiras:
Adavi
Okehi
Okene
Ajaokuta
Kogi (although this lga is a mix cause there is a small nupe spillover from lapai, Niger state, and also they call themselves Egburas not Ebira )

So the truth is that the Okuns even have more Landamass (By a lot) and more LGAs than the Ebiras, but the Ebiras are more than Okuns cause the Ebira homeland although smaller is more densely settled than Okun lands.

Iamgrey5:
Your submission on the Hausas is right

Many people often think it is the Fulani that are treating the Hausas unfairly, but they don't understand that Hausas themselves don't mind being treated that way as long as they are given a room to hide under the imperial Fulani rule of the core north to propagate their culture.

Most urban Hausas are very pleased with the Hausa-Fulani tag (for various reasons). NW Fulanis are indifferent about it, while NE Fulanis lowkey abhor it. lol
I know this for a fact. Except people just want to pretend and bla bla bla.

Nowenuse:

You are right on most of your points, but no census have ever shown esans to be more than Binis. Although Esans have more villages than the Edos, but Benin is a massive metropolis, and even though esans are now a prominent population within the Benis Metro LGAs of Ikpoba Okha, Egor and Oredo and even parts of Ovia North east, they are still no match for the Binis population wise.

You are also right about the ebira population in SW and Edo
Although realistically speaking Ebiras still can't be up to 3 million. assuming 1 million of them are in Kogi (Tao+Koto) their communities in Toto nassarawa) and Abaji (Fct) are few and scattered. 200,000 max.

Yujin:

Firstly, there are more Igbos in the north than in th West. The north is made up of three regions with lots of cities and towns where Igbos are found in huge numbers. You don't know this. Then in the SS states outside Rivers and Delta, Igbos presence is still huge. You don't know this too. The day a credible census will done in Nigeria, lots of people will die of heart attack.

You state this like you are 100% sure of it.
If Lagos for example is 25 million people, how we say for instance that Igbos are 20% of Lagos state, you know that is 5 million Igbos already in Lagos alone notwithstanding the other SW states. How many northern states will you have to put together to obtain 5 million Igbos?

Unless a truly sincere census compete with ethnic information is carried out in Nigeria, we will never truly now the positions of Nigerian ethnic groups with regards to population, but the truth is that the Hausas are scared to death about the prospects of a census with ethnic information, because so many tables will be broken to pieces.

Kebbi isn't a pure Hausa state
Kaduna will be a shocker
Jigawa has a large Kanuri minority of Mannga extraction.
Meaning only 4 of 7 (Katsina, Sokoto, Kano and Zamfara) are over 95% Hausa and Fulbe
Now, in the case of an ethnic census of these states some Fulanis will NOT self identify as Hausa and herein lies a huge problem. All those Lamidos and Dikkos, Bellos, Tukurs, Yeros, Sambos, Danfulanis, Baffahs/Bappas, Bappayo/Babbayos, Yugudas, Barkindos, Gidados, Jungudos Etc etc will all instantly become Fulani.

In the North East Zone.
Gombe is a majority minority state plus a plurality of Fulbe with hausas hiding under them.
Adamawa is also a largely state of Minorities with a prominent Fulani ruling class plurality with Hausas hiding under that. (similar to Gombe)
Taraba is also similar to the two above but with a smaller and less prominent Fulani component
Bauchi isn't a homogeneous state either with Hausas, Fulbe, Kanuri Bole, Jarawa, Warja etc being there.
Yobe and Borno are largely Kanuri with a host of minorities in Southern and Eastern Borno (Bura Pabir(Babur), Shuwa, Marghi, Buduma/Yedina, Chiboku, Mandara numerous others), and western Yobe being mostly Kare-kare, Bade and Ngizm. (Pottiskum and co)

So realistically speaking Yorubas or Hausas or even Igbos could theoretically be the largest ethnic group in nigeria.
BUT realistically Igbos are most likely 3rd with the Yorubas (1st or 2nd) and Hausas being (1st or 2nd), and Fulbes being 4 and Tiv or Kanuri being 5th/6th although I am betting on Tiv because of the ethnic breakdown of Borno and Yobe which i already highlghted above but which many people aren't aware of)

The CIA re dead wrong, sorry. Urhobos are even more than Igalas lol and they are not on the list. Also I am pretty sure their 'Ibibio' means Ibibio + Efik + Annaŋ + Ekid (Eket) +Oro (Oron) + maybe even the Andonis/Ibeno.

I was just laughing a few years ago when Ijaws were parading themselves as the 4th ethnic group in Nigeria. Una doh!

cc: Iamgrey5 , garfield1 , Nowenuse

Iamgrey5:
You absolutely right

I am amazed when people claim Igala is more than half of kogi

I have been to kogi on few occasions and I have noticed this might be a misconception.

Meanwhile, Oga garfield

Igala is kogi East not west.

The misconception stem from the fact that firstly Ebiras and Okuns never sit in the same boat on political issues. As a result, the igalas always deliver bloc votes for their candidates and most times will always win. Over the years this has been misconstrued by people to mean that Igalas are the majority in Kogi, when in actuality the Igalas are a plurality (single largest individual ethnic group in the state) but not a majority of the population. Just like Urhobos in Delta.
Tivs in Benue are a real majority, and can single handedly decide the fate of elections even if all the other ethnic groups vote against. Igalas can't single handedly decide the political fate of Kogi if Kogi central and Kogi west have a unanimous voice, but that might never happen.

This coming election will also show that same pattern.

garfield1:

I agree.i only approximated or tried to exaggerate.out of the 9 lgas in kogi west,they dominate 7.bassa and one other lga which i cant recall are not igala dominated.what is the percentage of okun and ebiras

Igala - 40%
Ebira - 30%
Okun - 20%
Nupe offshoots (Bassa Nge, Kakanda) 3-4%
Others (Ogori, Idoma, Hausa, Bassa komo) 6%

Give or take.

garfield1:


Please dont misunderstand me.i never said ibibios are indigenous to cross river,i said there the largest non indigenous tribe in cross river.the mistake you make is counting ethnicities only in their original homeland,no you must count areas they are settled in large numbers also.
ishans and ebiras cannot be up to 2 million.kogi was 3.2 million as of 2006.half of kogi is igala thats 1.6.leaving the okun and ebiras to share the remaining 1.6.if you estimate their growth rate at 2.6 % annually,they wont be up to 2 million.same applies to ishans.by estimation,edo should be 4.5 million now.half or more is made up of binis.the central where ishan inhabit has the least popupation so they cant be up to two million.

Igalas are not half of Kogi. More like 40-45% max.
People think Kogi east is is just Igala...forgetting that there are Bassa Nges and Bassa Komos plus Idomas there too

Nowenuse:


Yes you are right. Kanuris could be more than Tivs.
Please, there are no Ibibios in Cross River state. It is the Efiks that are in Cross river.
If Ibibios are on their own, they would be at the level of Igalas, Idomas, Urhobos, Bini BUT if they are merged with the Efiks, Annang & Oro, they would be at the level of Tivs & Kanuris.

For me, I think Igalas, Gbagyis, Nupes, Urhobos, Idomas, Binis and even Esans & Ebiras are around 2-3 million people each.
While Ibibio-Efiks, Kanuris, Ijaws & Tivs are around 5 million people each.

Nope!

I agree with the rest.

Osaze007:
What are you saying
Lagos Yoruba is Oyo dialect
All of Yoruba from Lagos to kwara speaks Oyo dialect

Lagos Yoruba aka SMY Standard modern Yoruba) is a direct fusion of Oyo Yoruba and Egba Yoruba in equal measures, that has also since evolved leaving out all the funkyness and nasality that Oyo is notorious for.
Nobody goes around speaking Oyo Yoruba in everyday life in Lagos or anywhere outside Oyo areas except the older generation. You will be made fun of, seriously..

Olu317:
There are Yorubanised English words in Yoruba language though little. One example is Shop is which is Shobu. Another example is mummy which moimi/momi/maami etc.

The Yoruba word for Shop/Stall is Isọ. 'shoobu' is a direct result of deliberate modernisms/infusion.

Not sure 'mama' is from english because in my dialect of Yoruba, mọmọ and yeye both mean grandmother, while iya and mama is mother. That might neeed further digging into.