13 Interesting Facts About the People of Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group in Nigeria

There are some interesting facts about the people of the Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group that you may not know about. The ethnic group is one of the numerous ethnic groups in Nigeria and this group is rich in history and culture. The Eloyi ethnic group who are also known as the Ago ethnic group are descendants of the idoma people.

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group in Nigeria

The people of the Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group have quite some interesting facts about them and these facts would be shared with you in this article.

1. The Eloyi Believe in the Impersonal God, Owo

The majority of the Eloyi believe in the impersonal god, Owo which is their tradition, though they serve this god it is not a group affair but personal which means everyone with their own way of serving the god.

2. They are Mainly Farmers

The Eloyi are mostly farmers, they also sell dried fish and palm oil for cash. When it comes to their farming they are very prosperous because they raise cash crops such as cotton, yam, guinea corn and others.

3. There are Divided into Two this is one of the Interesting Facts About the People of Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group

Due to a crisis with the British in 1981, the Eloyi ethnic group was split into two which are those who live in the rocky plains and fled to the plains. Some of them later moved back to the rocky hills and others decided to stay in the plains.

4. They are Economically Advanced

When it comes to agriculture the Eloyi ethnic group are very advance and rich economically due to the fact that they grow guinea corn,  cotton, yams and also grow tobacco. They also have other sources of making ends meet such as weaving and dyeing of cloths.

5. They Live in Benue State and Nasarawa State

The Eloyi ethnic group became divided due to the fact that they revolted against the British in 1918 and were forced to live in their homeland. They left the rocky hills which are now known as Nasarawa Plains and went to the plains which are Benue State

6. They Belong to the Idomoid Branch of Benue State this is Among the Interesting Facts About the People of Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group

They are recognised as belonging to the Idomoid branch of Benue state due to the fact that they are related to the Idoma Ethnic group. Though they can be found in Nasarawa Local government areas and also Otukpo local government areas in Benue state.

7. Each Village of the Eloyi Has a Chief

In their beliefs and organization, each Eloyi Village has a head chief who is the father of the village and he is called gado. He is the authority on customs and laws. He is also in charge of the planting and harvesting of rites.

8. The British Created Ten Eloyi Village

After the British curb the revolution, they created ten Eloyi villages in 1932 and appointed a head for the villages, though the people did not recognize those chosen by the British as their village heads.

9. The Language of the Eloyi is One of the Interesting Facts About the People of Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group

The Eloyi people speak the Eloyi language but they also speak the Hausa language as their secondary or primary language depending on where they are living. It has been reported that over twenty-five thousand people speak the Eloyi language

10. The Houses of the Eloyi

The Eloyi people build compounds. The people in the hills built their compound to consist of round huts with conical thatched roofs which are grouped around a central courtyard. While those in the plains build large houses within their compounds and fortify themselves

11. The Eloyi Traditional Attire

The traditional attire of the eloyi people is very colourful.  The material consists of different colours and it is worn by both men and women. With the women tying the material around their waist and head and also draping it over their shoulders.

12. The Eloyi Musical Instrument is Among the Interesting Facts About the People of Eloyi (Afo) Ethnic Group

The Eloyi people have different musical instruments such as utes, rattles, drums and pot drums of two different sizes. These instruments are used to make music during celebrations of special events and such.

13. Headpieces and Masks of the Eloyi People

The people have crest-headed pieces or caps known as oyya that are made from single pieces of wood and these are worn by masquerades. They also have a metal headpiece which is called kotyyo or kwotyo which Is different from oyya.

Conclusion

If you are from this ethnic group it is very important that you learnt about where you came from. It is important to know the people’s history and why they are the way they are. This ethnic group are very hardworking and they make do for themselves even when facing a crisis.

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