13 Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda (Lunguda) Ethnic Group in Nigeria

Nigeria is a very diverse country when it comes to ethnic groups. The country records more than 250 ethnic groups, while some are major, others are minor. Of these minor ethnic groups is the Longuda people. Today’s article will give you 13 Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda (Lunguda) Ethnic Group in Nigeria.

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda Ethnic Group in Nigeria

When you learn about an ethnic group, it helps to brew an understanding of the people as well as scrape discrimination. In this article, you will not only be learning about the Longuda people. You will also learn some facts about the state they reside in.

13 Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda (Lunguda) Ethnic Group in Nigeria

The following are interesting facts about the people of Longuda (Lunguda) ethnic group in Nigeria as well as their resident state.

1.  State of Residence

Like every tribe in Nigeria, the people have a state that they call home. The Lunguda people are indigenous to Adamawa as well as Gombe State in northeastern Nigeria.  A number of the people also reside in Borno state.

2. Local Government Area

The Lunguda people reside in the Guyuk local government area of Adamawa state in Nigeria. The other set that stays in Gombe state resides in the Balanga local government area.

3. Lifestyle is One of the Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda Ethnic Group

The Lunguda people are a West African ethnic group and they reside in Nigeria. Records show that they are the only known matriarchal tribe in Nigeria. In many aspects of their social organization, the people consider matrilineal descent more important than patrilineal descent. The people also count clan membership on the mother line.

4. History

Oral tradition and records show the Lunguda people parted from the Kanuri tribe in Borno state. Hence, some Longuda people are still in Borno state. The people have the seat of their traditional ruler in Guyuk local government area, Adamawa state.

5. Food

The people’s traditional food is “tuwo”. It is made from Guinea corn. Guinea corn is made into flour with a stone hand mill and cooked into a thick paste. “tuwo” is eaten with vegetable soup.

6. Occupation is Among the Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda Ethnic Group

The Longuda people are predominantly farmers. In the old days, their staple crop was Guinea corn and they made their traditional food from it. However, today, rice, millet as well as maize form part of the people’s staple crop. The dominant crop that the people grow still remains Guinea corn.

7. Marriage

The Longuda people perform marriage rites differently in relation to their different dialects. The people are primarily polygamous. In the traditional sense, abduction was the way to seal the marriage. The bride is abducted the night before her marriage by the groom and his friends who take her to a cottage.

A form of resistance is put up by the bride’s family and also the neighbourhood but the groom is set to win in order to marry the woman. After the night of the abduction, the groom pays the bride’s price to the bride’s parents.

In modern times, the method of abduction is no longer in need, especially since Christianity as well as cultural assimilation. A watered-down version of the abduction method is now in use for marital rites.

8. Language

The classification of the Lunguda language is under the Niger-Congo language of Nigeria. Speakers of the language settle in the western part of Gongola mainly in and also around the hills of the volcanic Lunguda Plateau. The plateau is in Adamawa State.

9. Language Dialects are One of the Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda Ethnic Group

Records show that there is considerable lexical diversity in the Longuda language. As such, the language has been divided into five clusters. They are

  • Longuda/Lunguda of Guyuk and Wala Lunguda
  • Nʋngʋra(ma) of Cerii, Banjiram
  • Longura(ma) of Thaarʋ (Koola)
  • Nʋngʋra(ma) of Gwaanda (Nyuwar)
  • Nʋngʋra(ma) of Deele (Jessu)

10. Population

The Lunguda people are a minor ethnic group in Nigeria. However, their population is not very small. According to the 2006 population census, the people record up to 504, 000. The people reside in Adamawa, Gombe as well as Borno States.

11. Religion

The people practice different religions with dependence on their resident states. The majority of them are however Christians. There are people of other religions among them like traditional African religion. The major religion for those living in the northern part of Guyuk is the practice of Islam.

12. Education is Among the Interesting Facts About the People of Longuda Ethnic Group

The people have a high interest in education. They not only attend schools, but they also involve themselves in vocational skills. The people enjoy the educational as well as vocational benefits of their states.

13. Alternate Names

The Lunguda people also go by different names. These names help people to identify them easily. They are Jessu, Nungu-Raba, Nya Guyuwa, Nya Gwanda as well as Nyuwar; Yibchoba.

Conclusion

If you wish to appreciate people, you should learn about their ethnicity. These facts will help you to understand the people of Longuda ethnic group better.

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