THE MAJORITY LOCATION OF MADA PEOPLE IN NIGERIA

THE GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION OF MAJORITY MADA PEOPLE IN NIGERIA MAP OF NIGERIA AND MAP OF MADA

Chun Mada

PRESS RELEASE. Following the successful selection exercise conducted on Tuesday, 12th January, 2016 to select the new Chun Ngah, His Excellency, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura, Governor of Nasarawa State on the advice of the State Council of Chiefs on Tuesday, 12th January, 2016 has approved the appointment of Alhaji Yusuf Adamu Amwe as the new Chun Ngah on 2nd Class status and a member of the Nasarawa State Council of Chiefs with effect from today, Tuesday, 12th January, 2016. 2. Before his present appointment as CHUN NGAH, His Royal Highness who was born in 1948 at RINZE, has a Master of Education Degree from University of Jos and was a former Executive Chairman of Akwanga Local Government Council and currently a Member of the Nasarawa State Universal Basic Education Board. Almakura hails Mada Nation for Contributions to Development of Nasarawa His Excellency Umaru Tanko Almakura has lauded the Mada Nation for their contributions to the development of Nasarawa State, and the huge support they have given the administration. Governor Almakura made this known as he received the Mada nation under the leadership of Chun Mada HRH Samson Gamu Yare and an entourage which included the His Excellency the Deputy Governor Hon. Silas Ali Agara, Sen. Philip Aruwa Gyunka, Hon Peter Mbucho , Hon. Kasim Mohammed Kasim, Prof. Johnathan Ayuba, Hon. Yakubu Kwanta and a host of Mada sons and to say “Thank You” to the Governor for providing the dividends of democracy to Akwanga and the Mada nation in general. The Governor commended for the huge support they had been giving the administration and for the very peaceful nature of the people , declaring them the ‘Pillar of Peace of Nasarawa state’ HRH Chun Mada Samson Gamu Yare appreciated the efforts of the administration in uplifting and developing Akwanga as well as the appointment of many Mada sons and daughters in the administration. As a mark of their appreciation HRH the Chun Mada decorated Gov. Almakura as the “Key Pillar of Nzeh Mada". Nasarawa State Nasarawa State Nasarawa State Roads Nasarawa State Nasarawa State

MADA NATION

Mada Sei Gyir It is not certain that Mada people of this part of the world migrated because of Religious persecution, Tribal wars or in search for greener pasture. It is also not certain that Mada people of this part of the world came in bits through different directions as claimed by these traditions. In fact, there is no legal valid backing authority that can authenticate any of these claims. From all indications, all these claims are mere emphatic statement that does not hold weight. Perhaps research may throw more lights as new evidence becomes in future. Mada Theory of Migration This is one of the most authentic and acceptable traditions about the origin of Mada people of central Nigeria. Stories from Mada fore-fathers in the remotest time has it that Mada people of the area under study came from the north (the direction they call Shu- the is where the sun rises from), and have remained here up to date. This claim by the ancestor parents is strongly backed up by the migration trends from the north. The claim also has a link with Nok culture which is said to have existed for many. The Nok Theory In 1928, archaeologists discovered evidence of human occupation in the small tin-mining village of Nok in the present Plateau State. The artifacts discovered has evidence of organized human society who are said to have occupied the area of central Nigeria, notably the former Benue Plateau State and part of Kaduna State which is know today as Southern Kaduna as far back as 500 BC. Other scholars put the age of Nok culture at 100 BC. This tradition suggests that Mada people have lived in the area under study for 500 years before Jesus Christ was born. That is to say that Mada people have been living in the area under study for the past 2,512years now. Nok civilization is the earliest known civilization which is said to have flourished extensively in the area under study from the 5th century BC into the early centuries AD, and spread from this point to the whole of Africa and there after. The people here were the first known manufacturers of iron, between the 5th and early 3rd centuries BC. Their sculptures represent animals and human figures which are depicted with heads that are usually tubular, conical and spherical. The people raised crops and cattle ad their means of livelihood, and seem to have paid particular attention to personal adornment. Creation and Maintenance Mada as a nation was created by means of migration and maintained by war. The household ideology of each clan remained a central feature of its structure to date. Mada nation is a conglomeration of clans joined together by a totemic (totem) tie believe to have been grouped into six ancestral lines they call Nci-Nci (lineage). These lineages had helped in exerting positive influence among the neighboring lineages by bringing them together as a people of the same cultural identity. Bows and arrows and farm produce were its twin foundation. Therefore, wherever a Mada Man go, he goes with his bow and arrows. There was not any history of inter-tribal wars between Mada and other nations, except that of slave raids which was always un-successful due to the braveness of the people, and topographic condition of the land. Even during the slave era, it was the Mada man who will sell his brother to the Hausa slave traders on the ground that he is witch. This explains the absence of the history of conquest or foreign rule in Mada land up to date. However, there existed clannish rivalries between the Mada people themselves. In one of our conversation briefings, Baba Kogi Tukura, the most elderly living male of Gbugyar clan at his time stated that: The rivalries were resulted from the tradition of religious (Nhrizei cult) belief system that any person who does not belong to one’s Nci (lineages), is regarded an enemy and Monkey, and should be killed out rightly. Other reasons were those of seizure of wives and the struggle for farmlands. Population, Area and Location The population of Mada people in the area under study is not known. However, it has been proved that the people have the highest population of people of ages between 15 and 64 years old, the age rang that is conventionally considered a working age. The next highest population is the people under the age of 15years of age, while those in age 65 years old under above are the lowest. That is to say Mada people in the area under study have high dependency ratio that needs to be supported by working population. The region under study is a land of great diversity. There are vast grassy plains, and tall mountains in the Northern part of the region. There are also many clans with the same cultural background. Who speak one language with diverse dialectical variations (more than thirty five). There are also small villages where daily life is carried with mixed cultural influence. During the last fifty decades. Mada land became increasingly dominated by traders. However today, the most lucrative businesses in the area under study are owned by them. However, Mada of Nasarawa State of Nigeria is a second largest tribe in the State. The region covers 23 percent of the state’s total land area and contains a population of about 113,430 (2006 census). This include none indigenes residing there. As is well-known, Mada people are found in the central area of that part of Nigeria known as middle belt region. However, they claimed to be indigenes of Nasarawa State where they have Chiefdom. This Chiefdom is surrounded by the neighboring Chiefdom like the Ninzo and Numana Chiefdom in the North; Wamba Chiefdom in the East; Eggon Chiefdom in the South; and Gwandara Chiefdom in the West. The chiefdom has a strong link with these neighboring Chiefdom in terms of culture, language and tradition. A.J. Phillips (1943). (Unpublished) stated that: a careful study at the language spoken by the people of these Chiefdoms shows that they have cultural and linguistic relationship. In his report titled Mada district re-organization No 1248/17, paragraph 10 of 28th august, 1944, to the secretary Northern province Kaduna, Mr. A.J. Phillips, who was the Officer I/C Southern Division (on tour) of Plateau province wrote: "Mada people live in villages that are scattered over an area of about 600 square miles (approximately 1000 square kilometers). Cohesive factors which helped in strengthening tribal unity are: *All kindred speak same language, though regional differences in dialects have naturally evolved in the course of time. The language spoken in Ninzo District today is almost certainly a dialect of Mada language. Similarities in dress (Tsafi rites) and customs also suggest that the Ninzo and Nunku people have a common origin. In Nunku District, there are two main dialects which for convenience may be termed Northern and Southern. The Northern dialect is spoken by the following clans(Nci): Gbuwon, Kpender, Kuku, Lala, Njeto, Njida, Nkeshe, Nkwo, Renghan, Rinze, Runkuchu and Tsu, while the Southern dialect is spoken in Gbugyar, Kedan, Kejah, Kemwa, kenghaan, Kenzuei, Mochu, Ncho, and Njigban. Other clans not listed here were in Mada central District when Mada and Eggon were one entity. *All kindred practice the same tsafi rites, and also have the same religious belief. There was inter-marriage between families. *All kindred had in the last century, a common enemy- the Keffi slave raiders and later, Jema’a Emirate. *Villages did not invariably go to each others for help. However elders relate that sometimes a village could send out a call for help against the Keffi warriors. *The absence of a central chief, or a council welding authority over the tribe as a whole. *Other factors include inter-village warfare which was mostly rife as a result of traditional religious practices of Nci. *The struggle for farm land and that of stealing of wives Nunku here is referring to all Mada." Mr. Phillips traced those factors that tended to weaken tribal strength as: 1.The absence of a central chief or council welding authority over the tribe as a whole. 2.Inter-village warfare which was rife as a result of traditional religious practices of Nci (lineage) practice. 3.Stealing of wives. It is a know fact that Mada people were not politically united, yet, they were strong militarily and socially. This could be due to their unique nature of autonomy, independence, and cultural background. Therefore, their military system was oriented more towards defensive. Urbanization About 85 percent of Mada population in the area of study today lives in rural areas, counting Mada settlement in the area of study among the least urbanized centers. However, the Mada region in Nasarawa State is the most rapidly urbanizing center among it neighboring chiefdoms. Mada’s major cities are Kegbeh (Akwanga), which housed the Local Government headquarters), and Uduwon (Andaha) the seat of traditional stool). These were the primary destinations for the vast majority or migrants. Gudi and Moroa River attracted more immigrants toward the end of 20th century by the railway lines that went through the land. One other city they sprang up in the early eighties and thereafter is Rinzeh which is one of the first markets in Mada land, and of recent (2002), the seat of Akwanga West Development Area. The Mada ethnic group is made up of thirty-five clans with slight dialectical variations in the pronunciation of certain words. Each of the thrity-five clans are represented below. Click on the button to find out more about the clan, the Village/Clan Head, and the people of that clan. Ncinci (The Mada Clans Nduwan Kemwa Tsu Ninghaan Kedan Jah Gbunjeh Ancho Nkangbo Gbohon Gbukun Gbugyar Katanza Mochu Kaigbe Ntsakpe Richeh Nzwai Nchukpe Njugbon Ngadan Rhengan Nkwo Gbunchu Njetou Kpandar Rinze Nchakpa Njida Kambre Lalla Koko Ngban Nneh Nibhun

NZEH MADA : A Reflection on MADA peoplle and their culture

Nzeh Mada: A Reflection On A People and Their Culture By Obed Minchakpu

The Easter period of every year has now become a significant period for the Mada people of central Nigeria. This is because in the past two years, this ethnic nationality has had to celebrate its age-long cultural festival, the Nzeh Mada Festival, that had for decades been abandoned due to intractable leadership crisis in the land. However, with the resolution of the leadership crisis by the Nasarawa State Government two years ago, the cultural festival was revived and the second edition was held in the month of April last year at Akwanga, a town in Nasarawa State. This festival attracted attendance from not only the people of Mada ethnic extraction but also from many persons of high standing from different parts of Nigeria. Among the dignitaries at the event last year were the Nasarawa State Governor, Alhaji Tanko Almakura, and other very important personalities like Mr. Labaran Maku, a former Minister of Information, Alhaji Yusuf Agabi, a former Director in one the federal ministries; Group Captain Zakka Rabo Zaggi, a former Airforce Officer, Mike Abdul, a former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, Dameshi Luka, yet another former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State; Silas Agara, the current Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State, and other dignitaries like Prof, Onje Gye-Wado, a law professor, and a also a former Deputy Governor of Nasarawa State; and, Solomon Ewuga, another former Minister. This is apart from traditional rulers from different ethnic groups within and outside Nasarawa State. Furthermore, other notable personalities who also graced the events are Prof. Barclays Foubiri Ayakoroma, Executive Secretary, National Institute For Cultural Orientation (NICO) and many others from all strata of Nigeria's cultural spectrum. Prof. Ayakoroma, who was the Guest Speaker at the event, presented a paper titled: "Developing a Festival Brand: Towards a Blueprint for Nzeh Mada in Nasarawa State." The festival was a weeklong event which had an exhibition of Mada Cultural artifacts, a Colloquium, a Gala nite, a street carnival known as "Bwar", and a Dinner nite, that brought many Mada families together. It was very interesting that many families living in cities like Lagos, Abuja, Jos, Kaduna, Port Harcourt, etc. had time to be in Akwanga to participate in the festival. Having witnessed and participated in the festival, I deemed it appropriate to highlight some of the issues that were the focal points of the events, share my thoughts about some views expressed by some personalities during the event, and reflect on the positive aspect of the festival. In so doing, I will be contributing to the ideas that may assist the organizers of the festival by creating a festival brand that will attract not only local and national attention, but will also draw attention from across the world. I believe that the Nzeh Mada Festival has the potential of becoming a major festival brand in Nigeria's tourism industry and can meaningfully contribute to the efforts being made towards building a strong and virile national economy for our country. The first event of the festival was the exhibition that began on Tuesday, 31st March, 2015 and ended Sunday, 5th April, 2015. And as the exhibition lasted, many Mada artifacts were on display. The Curator, Dr. Solomon Manzunche of the Nasarawa State University, Keffi, was at hand to interact with Guests and visitors to the exhibition. He articulately introduced the items on display and their usage in the past by Mada people. The exhibition was no doubt, Mada History and Culture on display. This is very commendable and should be sustained. Efforts should be made to carry out archeological excavation of ancient Mada settlements so that more of such artifacts can be found. These excavated sites would also, no doubt become tourist sites in the future if undertaken. More so, visits to such sites would boost the rural economy of Mada people living around such settlements. Of significance too, is the need to get the services of archeology departments in our various universities towards this direction. The purpose is not only to uncover more Mada artifacts, but to also date them so that we get to understand and appreciate the level(s) of development of our people in ancient past. One other significant event at the 2015 Nzeh Mada Festival is the Colloquium which held on Friday, 3rd April, 2015. During the Colloquium, Prof. Ayakoroma, presented a paper that dwelt on a Blueprint for developing a festival brand. His paper touched on the theme of the festival: "Festival of Reconciliation and Consolidation." Prof. Ayakoroma in his paper said, "The theme of this year's Nzeh Mada Festival, "Festival of Reconciliation and Consolidation," is very apt, considering the wave of ethnic and inter-ethnic clashes in many parts of the country." In other to do justice to the paper, the learned Professor first set out to define terms used in the paper which include: "Ethnicity, ethnic nationality or group, festivals, socio-economic development and branding." Ayakoroma, in summation, defines these terms thus: "Ethnicity is the state of belonging to a social group that has a common national or cultural tradition. On the other hand, an ethnic group or ethnic nationality is a section of the population, which by virtue of sharing common cultural characteristics, separate the people from others within that population. People are all acculturated or socialized into the ethnic groups they belong. In other words, it is a group of people having common language and cultural values. These common values are enhanced through continuous interaction between the people, who make up the group; and the ethnic groups are created mainly through inter-marriages, inter-mingling or assimilation." These definitions clearly set the stage for a proper appreciation of the paper. Having defined these terms, Ayakoroma went on to disclosed that there are well, "over 250 ethnic groups in Nigeria, with over 500 distinct languages indigenous to the people." He was quick to however, explain that: "What one understands from all of these is that the actual number of ethnic groups in Nigeria is not definitive. Somehow, the ethnic groups are further divided into majority and minority ethnic groups." Ayakoroma lists the majority ethnic groups as: Hausa/Fulani, Igbo, and Yoruba. His list of the minority ethnic groups include: Bini, Egbira, Ibibio, Idoma, Ijaw, Ikwerre, Jukun, Kanuri, Nupe, Tiv, and Urhobo. The Professor also while focusing on Nasarawa State, lists the Mada, Agatu, Aho, Alago, Chesu, Eggon, Gbagyi, Gwandara, Kantana, Rindre, and Migili, as also belonging to the group of minority ethnic groups in Nigeria. One issue raised in Prof. Ayakoroma's paper that I disagreed with while contributing to the discussion on his paper at the event, is his claim that a significant feature of minority ethnic groups is that they are prone to being antagonistic. Let me quote him here: "Tension and conflicts are regularly manifest amongst minority ethnic nationalities. The minority ethnic nationalities are more dangerous than the major ethnic nationalities, because the activities of the big ones can easily be monitored, while smaller ethnic minorities cannot easily be figured out; some of them are hardly known outside their domains. When such conflicts erupt, their consequences are grave and very difficult to manage," Prof. Ayakoroma said. I do not subscribe to this view, as doing so would amount to stereotyping minority ethnic nationalities. Conflicts are not the exclusive preserve of persons of minority ethnic extractions, as every human creation has the instinct of becoming violent. It is because of this that one of the commandments God gave to Moses is that: "Thou shall not kill." I will rather say that, the domineering and oppressive nature of most of the majority ethnic nationalities has been the main factor that has contributed to the violent attributes of the minority ethnic groups. In Physics, one of Newton's laws of motion states that, "For every action, there is always an equal and opposite reaction." We can comfortably say here that when a people group is pushed to the wall, there is no doubt that persons from such a people group can react violently against those oppressing them. Further more, we know that the Newton's law of motion quoted above correlates with Marxist philosophy, a philosophy whose tenets are anchored on inspiring a movement of workers towards propelling them to become the vanguards of the revolution of the oppressed against capitalist bourgeoisie. The workers as the mobilizing force of the oppressed are catalysts to revolutionary changes not because of their violent nature, but because oppression has forced them to become a force that can propel such a revolution against the oppressors. While It is true that there are times minority ethnic nationalities are pitched against each other in conflict situations, but I completely disagree with Prof. Ayakoroma that this is a phenomenon that is restricted to minority ethnic groups. The fact is, majority ethnic nationalities do also have conflicts between them, and most often, drag minority ethnic groups into such conflicts. For instance, during Nigeria's first republic, the political class in northern Nigeria engaged themselves in a class struggle for political power with the political class in the south east geo-political zone, when the first military coup d'état was staged by a group of Igbo military officers led by Major Chukwuma Ezeogwu. It was this conflict between the Hausa/ Fulani and the Igbo military political classes from the two majority ethnic nationalities that brought about the outbreak of hostilities that led to the Nigerian/Biafran war. The sad thing is that ethnic minorities were dragged into the war too. Against this backdrop therefore, the attempt by Ayakoroma to isolate violence as an attribute of minority ethnic nationalities cannot be accepted as a serious treatise on cause(s) of ethno-religious violence in Nigeria. In spite of the disagreement with Ayakoroma on this vital issue raised in his paper, I still agree with him that cultural festivals have the ability to become catalysts for positive development. For instance, the Nzeh Mada festival, as earlier mentioned, can become a tool that can generate income for our people. When we have historical tourist sites, tourists who come to watch the Nzeh Mada can visit these sites and in doing so, can enrich our peasants through buying their wares like baskets, mats, pots, hoes and different items not commonly found elsewhere. Having said this, suffice it to stress that the Nzeh festival is a veritable tool for socio-economic and political development of the Mada nation. So also, the Nzeh Mada festival can also serve as an instrument of social cohesion and unity of the Mada ethnic nationality. This too, can become a tool for the rejuvenation of our dying language. And this is possible if emphasis is laid on motivating our people to speak, write, and read in the Mada language. We must all note that our language is our symbol of cultural identity, it unveils our history as a people, and binds us together as one people under the banner of God. It is against this backdrop that I want to commend the organizing committee of this festival for doing us proud as a people by sustaining it. No doubt, as we continue to stage one festival after the other in years to come, our ethnic nationality would become the envy of others and a pride to generations of our children yet unborn. Best wishes as you all celebrate our cultural identity and uniqueness as as people living under the banner of God. Bless you all! 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The Photograph of HRH Alh. Yusuf Adamu Amwe , the Chun Ngah of Akwanga West Dev. Area Rinze

SPEECH BY HRH ALH. YUSUF ADAMU AMWE THE CHUN NGAH OF AKWANGA WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA, RINZE

A SHORT SPEECH PRESENTED BY HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS ALHAJI YUSUF ADAMU AMWE (CHUN NGAH) AKWANGA WEST DEVELOPMENT AREA RINZE, NASARAWA STATE ON 27TH DAY OF MAY, 2017 AT RE: GRAND FINALE OF THE INTERACTIVE FORUM ON COMMUNITY POLICING AND THE NATIONAL SECURITY AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING SERVING SECURITY OFFICERS / AGENCIES , FALLEN HEROES, DISTINGUISHED RETIREES, TRADITIONAL RULERS AND PUBLIC OFFICE HOLDERS REGARDING SECURITY ISSUES. PROTOCOL First of all, I thank you immensely for honouring me with this prestigious award. I dedicate it to my governor, His Excellency, Alhaji Umaru Tanko Almakura, the Chairman Traditional Council of Emirs and Chiefs of Nasarawa State, His Royal Higness Alhaji Mustapha Agwai I, the Commissioner of Police Nasarawa State and his team and all the security Agencies in Nasarawa State for beimg worthy partners. Please permit me to congratulate the Federal Government under president Muhammadu Buhari , the gallant Nigeria Armed Forces and the modern Nigeria Police. They are making us proud by restoring peace and dignity to Nigerians. They are successfully fighting the insurgents and the canker worm-corruption and fixing our economy. I am extremely grateful for the opportunity you have given me to say something about the security challenges facing my community. I have put the story of the security challenges facing my community into a short essay. I have left out a lot of details, some of them not very pleasant, for your imagination Last February a well-known native doctor was kidnapped. The kidnappers refused to take any ransom. A few days later his dead body was found. Two months later, a Chinese was kidnapped from a road construction site. He managed to free himself and escape miraculously. This month the mother and a sister of the member representing us at the Nasarawa State House of Assembly were kidnapped and released only after a payment of ransom. All these took place in my chiefdom. My palace is situated in Rinze which has a large population. Some years back Rinze had a police station that had many police men and women. It had an armoury and patrol vehicles. Somehow all those have disappeared. We now have only one ASP, one Inspector, and one Sergeant. To our dismay, only the ASP has a gun. I have been speaking with Nasarawa State Commissioner of police and the DPO in charge of Akwanga Local Government Area. It seems their hands are tied. I have only the vigilantes who take the advantage of the absence of police to make arrests, detain offenders and even prosecute them. All I want to say is that we need a standard police station with armoury and patrol vehicles. Security is not anything to be joked with. I wish to congratulate the organizers of this forum for a job welldone. More grease to your elbows. Thank you and God bless. Because of the effort made by HRH Alh. Yusuf Adamu Amwe the CHUN NGAH of Akwanga West Development Area of Nasarawa State Nigeria for controlling the security challenging facing his community and maintaining peace in all area of his community the chairman senate committee on police affair presented a certificate of Award to him as the Distinguished Royal Father of the Year 2017 on Effective Security Vigilance and Community Development in nigeria at the National Security Award Recognition for Outstanding Serving Security Officers/ Agencies, Retirees, Fallen Heroes and Public Office Holders Regarding Security Issues on 27th May, 2017 at the Nigeria National Merit Award House Maitama (FCT), Abuja

SPECIAL ADDRESS BY H.E ALH. ABDULLAHI ADAMU (SARKIN YAKIN KEFFI) On the creation of additonal Local Government Area

Righting the injustice in local government creation SPECIAL ADDRESS BY HIS EXCELLENCY, ALH. ABDULLAHI ADAMU (SARKIN YAKIN KEFFI) THE EXECUTIVE GOVERNOR OF NASARAWA STATE TO THE HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY ON THE CREATION OF NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS IN NASARAWA STATE ON WEDNESDAY,OCTOBER 17, 2001. Honourable Speaker and members of Nasarawa State House of Assembly. I am delighted to address you on this very historic day in the life of our administration, and in the life of our young and promising state on the long awaited desire of the good people of Nasarawa State for the creation of new local government areas. Ever before Nasarawa State was created out of the old Plateau State, and especially after its creation, it became patently clear and obvious that compared to other parts of the federation, our people were unjustly treated in the various local government creation exercises carried out in this country since 1976. Because the process of local government creation under the military was ruled by fiat and without adequate representation and objective guidelines, it was subject to undue influence. And because the communities that came to constitute Nasarawa State were not visible in any of the military regimes that created local governments, our people were short-changed. The ultimate result is the present predicament in which our state, which has such a large landmass, is densely populated, and is blessed with a huge economic potential, has about the least representation in the country in terms of local governments. The creation of new districts which this administration undertook, and the current initiative to create additional local governments are geared towards freeing our communities to pursue their aspirations and to take responsibility for their own future. This ugly situation has not only denied our people fair representation and access to opportunities, it has denied us development at the grassroots because government has been very remote from the people. This situation has over the years increased our people’s feeling of alienation and disillusionment. It is therefore not surprising that everywhere I went in the course my campaign for the office of Governor, I was overwhelmed by the avalanche of requests for the creation of new local governments. Since democracy is about the people’s aspirations for justice, for development, and for participation, I promised to meet their aspirations for new local governments if elected into office. This was a covenant between our people and me. Towards the end of our second year in office the entire members of the executive and legislative arms of government undertook an extensive tour of all the local government areas to appraise our mid-term performance, to hear the people’s views about our work, and to listen to their expectations of us. The tour turned out to be a barometer for measuring the deep-seated aspirations of our people for the creation of new local governments. Our people did not only come out en-masse to welcome us everywhere we went, they seized every opportunity to bombard us with their requests and entreaties for the creation of new local governments. Our entourage was almost held to ransom in most constituencies by pressures and lobbies for the creation of local governments. It is therefore very clear that our people not only want new local governments, they look forward to both arms of government to fulfil their aspirations. We all stand before the court of history. We must work in close partnership to deliver on this historic project because its impact on the future of our people will be far-reaching and significant. Our political adversaries understand this and have been working round the clock to create unfavourable atmosphere in order to stop us from making this history. Our adversaries have tried to stir sporadic crises at every turn to distract and prevent this administration from undertaking the historic promise to create new local governments. Our adversaries

CHUN NGAH ALH. YUSUF ADAMU AMWE

Nasarawa Dep Gov urges Mada people to support new Chung Ngah By Ali Abare Abubakar Nasarawa State Deputy Governor, Silas Agara has rallied the support of Mada sons and daughters, especially those from Ngah Chiefdom, for their new monarch, the Chun Ngah, Alh. Yusuf Adamu Amwe. Agara made the call when he led a high powered delegation of Ngah elites to pay a traditional homage on the royal father at his palace in Rinze, Akwanga West Development Area yesterday. Agara said the new traditional ruler needed the support of all his subjects to enable him deliver on his mandate of uniting and fostering peace in the chiefdom. The deputy governor, himself a Mada son, congratulated the new Chun Ngah who succeeded his late elder brother in a recent selection process by the college of Ngah king makers and tasked him to be fair to all and shun divisive tendencies on religious and ethnic lines. Agara who described the emergence of the Chun Ngah as a demonstration of Governor Umaru Tanko Al-makura’s love for the Mada nation, equally urged the new Chun Ngah to rally his subjects in support of the policies and programmes of the government. He also lauded the paramount ruler of Mada nation, the Chun Mada, Mr. Samson Gamu Yare, for his fatherly role that led to the filling of the Chun Ngah vacant stool just as he pleaded for more prayers to enable Government fill other vacant traditional stools in Mada land. Agara assured of government readiness to support the traditional institutions in the state to perform their functions with utmost efficiency. Responding, the Chun Ngah, Alhaji Yusuf Adamu Amwe expressed readiness to contribute his quota to the development of Ngah chiefdom and assured of providing quality leadership for his people.

Brief History of Mada people living in Cameroon

The brief History of Mada Living in Cameroon ( sponsor by HRH ALH. YUSUF ADAMU AMWE, The CHUN NGAH of Akwanga West Development Area, Rinze, Nasarawa State Nigeria

The Mada of Cameroon The Mada are located in western Cameroon on the border of Nigeria. Their native language, also called Mada, belongs to the Niger-Congo language family. The land they inhabit is mountainous and tropical. The temperature is hot throughout the year, and there is about 60 inches of rain annually. Rain forests and wooded savannas surround the Mada. Chimpanzees, monkeys, elephants, bats, and a variety of birds live in the tall grasses and patches of mountain bamboo that are scattered throughout the region. Cameroon, bordered by six nations, has had a large influx of peoples and cultures. Many small ethnic groups living in Cameroon have, at some point, come from or traveled to at least one of the neighboring countries. The Mada originated in the Nigerian Plateau region. They have maintained their traditional culture, even though the society around them is constantly changing. Some of the Mada do not wear any clothes. Others decorate their skin with scars. What are their lives like? The Mada live in a rural region and are primarily farmers, rotating their crops in terraced fields. Guinea corn is their staple food, and yams, beans, okra, pumpkins, peppers, and cotton are also grown. Most families raise goats, sheep, and chickens, as well as dogs, which are eaten at wedding ceremonies. Within the Mada tribe, the men are responsible for planting the crops and reaping the harvest. However, much of the farm work is done by the women. For instance, they also work alongside the men to clear the land for cultivation. They also tend to the animals and the small vegetable gardens. The Mada live in a patriarchal, or male dominated, society. Inheritances go first to the man's eldest son, then to the man's younger brother. Their society is also patrilocal, which means that newlywed couples live among the groom's family. A Mada marriage ceremony usually involves the payment of a bride-price. The prospective groom will pay the girl's family with money, wine, or animals. If he cannot pay, he will perform a bride-service. This means that he will agree to do agricultural work for the girl's family. Also, two families may exchange girls for their sons to marry. In such cases, no bride-price is needed. Polygyny (having multiple wives) is a common practice among the Mada. The first wife, who is considered to be the "chief" wife, has authority over the other wives. Mada settlements are usually located on the summits of hills. A village is made up of several compounds. Each compound consists of several huts belonging to extended family members. The huts are round with mud walls, and each is built like a circle within a circle. The sleeping quarters are located between the two circles. The center circle contains the granary to store the crops. Each extended family compound is surrounded by a stone wall. A headman lives in the center of the village and oversees the entire community by judging all disputes. A council of elders assists him in the decision-making. What are their beliefs? About half of the Mada follow the traditional religions of their ancestors. Their practices are generally animistic, or based on the belief that non-human objects have spirits. Nearly half (46%) of the others are Malikite Muslims, adhering to Islamic beliefs and traditions, which include praying five times a day, fasting during prescribed periods, and giving alms to the poor. Theirs is a religion of works based on the belief in one god, Allah, and in the teachings of his prophet, Mohammed. A mere 4% of the Mada profess to be Christians. What are their needs?

Ancho: Mada’s old and new Fountain of Life

By Hir Joseph, Lafia | Publish Date: May 24 2015 4:01AM
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The snaky, dirt road takes off from Andaha, off the Akwanga-Fadan Karshi-Jos Road, and runs just few kilometres to Ancho, at the foot of the famous Mada Hills in Akwanga Local Government Area.
Four sleepy villages and adjoining hamlets of between two and four compounds line up there, but the popular ones are Numa village, which is neatly tucked in-between one of the famous mountains, and a flatland that enables visibility to as far as kilometres; and Anji village, from where rooftops of Ancho could be sighted by the visitor when the weather is clear.
The rocks keep appearing and disappearing along a journey that should not last half an hour if the government of Nasarawa State did not abandon the multi-million naira road construction project that was initiated in 2010. The mountains and the flatland appear like they are inviting visitors to these areas, independent of the inhabitants, whose welcoming disposition has the ability of compelling the first time visitor to stop at every turn for pleasantries. The sight of livestock running into the dirt roads from the usually large compounds of thatched huts, and women, some of them with children strapped to their backs and loads on their heads found along footpaths leading to the farms; as well as men on bicycles conveying farm produce, or kegs of freshly tapped palm wine tell much about the simple dwelling that is the people of Ningha’an.

Seven clans make up Ningha’an. They are Ancho, Arum, Anji, Pampam, Numa, and Nidam, according to the people. Ningha’an is just a part of Mada, one of the major ethnicities in a state with over 24 different ethnic groups. They are the original inhabitants of Akwanga Local Government, north of the state, but they are also found in large numbers in other local government areas, including Keffi, Kokona, Karu; just as they are found in large numbers in the neighbouring Kaduna State.
 This people, who belong to the Niger-Congo family, according to Professor Emmanuel Samu Dandaura, and Amin Zaigi Ngharen, whose 142-page book “Mada People and Culture” traces the migration of the people, are also found in large numbers in certain locations in western Cameroon on the border with Nigeria.
The road through some of the communities that make up the clans of Ningha’an appear at every turn like a close, with what looks like an end at the foot of every mountain. But as the journey continues, the visitor finds oneself on a road that will only snake round to leave the mountains behind. To get to Ancho, at the end of the long stretch of clans, three of these mountains will have to be put behind to complete the journey on a road that will eventually put Ancho behind too, to take the visitor to the neighbouring Kaduna State.
There is hardly government presence in these parts of the state. There is a block of Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)-funded health clinic along the road; just as there is a Government Secondary School (GSS), and a Local Government-run primary school, but the existence of these facilities are at the mercy of politics. The clinic, especially, has not seen patients in years because the health facility itself is sick. It lacks drugs and personnel, according to two staff spoken to during our visit.
“People don’t come here. They can’t get treatment where there are no drugs. The personnel hardly report to work because there is no work to do,” one of the health workers there said.
The only secondary school in the area is a four-block building with  six classrooms but much of that  is said to be the communal efforts of the community and philanthropy from Dr. John Michael Abdul, a prominent figure in the state, who hails from Ancho.
At certain turns, the visitor will run into construction vehicles abandoned during the earth work on the road in 2010. They are the relics of that abandoned project.   
The primary school, called RCM (Roman Catholic Missionary) Primary School has eight classrooms in two functional blocks, and is doing well, according to the villagers. The two blocks were provided by Dr. Abdul, who is a product of the school.
Only the block which made up RCM Primary School, at establishment in 1950 to remain there, just besides the two functional blocks. His personal secretary,
The school was taken over by the government during the military rule and is run by Akwanga Local Government Council.                  
Eighty-eight year-old Mama Blessing Gambo recalled her days as a maiden in Ancho. Telling the story of her childhood felt like been transported back in time, some decades ago. She said was among the many children of the community who climbed two kilometres up a mountain, to fetch water from a natural spring. Today, her grandchildren drink from the same water source, but at their doorsteps, as the spring water has been harvested and piped down to Ancho from the mountain top.
Piping the natural spring water about two kilometres down the foot of the Ancho Mountain required ingenuity. No electricity is involved in this project as Ancho and the many surrounding communities do not have such luxury. But the people and their neighbours now enjoy uninterrupted supply of clean water to the envy of urban centres including Lafia, Akwanga and Keffi; even Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
In Ancho, the people have water taken right to their door-steps through a gravity system that does not require electricity.
It took days to lay the pipes, this reporter learnt from villagers during a recent visit. The project has clocked two years, and Ancho people have not recorded a day without water since the execution. The community has had only one experience since the execution of the project: Nomads herded their cattle across the pipelines, trampling and breaking the pipelines in the process.
“One afternoon, water suddenly stopped running. We traced the pipelines to discover it was broken at a point not too far from the source,” said Mr. Sunday Gambo, the village head as he led this reporter to the top of the mountain where the spring water cascades.
The spring water has three sources within metres of each other. The community’s women used to climb the mountain to this point to fetch.
“But Dr. John Michael Abdul told us one day that ‘look, I have an idea; our wives and mothers and daughters will not climb the mountain again to fetch water. God has blessed me with an idea which will take this water to the community,” the community leader said.
He pointed at a construction and said: “That is the point where the spring water was harvested, and piped down to us at the foot of the mountain.”
Two of the three sources were harvested, leaving the third to run for the consumption of animals, including cattle as those mountains form part of the greenbelt cherished by grazers.
The construction is a large chamber which the village leaders said was dug almost 10 feet down, and about six feet wide, enough to harvest good quantity of the spring water and channel the content through the two-kilometre long pipeline, down into two large overhead tanks placed at the village square. The overhead tanks, serving as reservoirs, were placed on a construction that had raised them to roof-heights, such that it became easy for the content to flow naturally through another stretch of pipes, to a platform provided with four outlets to serve community members without them having to queue. There is also another stretch of pipes from the reservoirs drawing down the water to another platform provided for washing.
This reporter observed that the reservoirs were overflowing with water all through the period the visit lasted in the village. Ancho community youth leader, Gando cut in with explanations: “We have no control of the natural abundance of the water from the spring source. It flows from the ground all year round, without stopping. And the reservoirs cannot collect all of the water coming from the source, even if thousands are provided. So they overflow with excess water.”
He said periodically, the community empties the reservoirs and clean them up in the chain of maintenance that goes with the supply.
The youth leader, whose team of youths are saddled with the responsibility of supervising the utilization of the project for the purpose of reporting to the village head, said the community protects the project with zeal which has made Ancho an envy of Nigeria’s big cities.
Mama Blessing, the octogenarian who happens to be the oldest member of the community alive to give the narrative of Ancho’s earlier days, said she has not much to say. “I have lived this long to tell this story. Our people could not move far from these mountains because of that water source you just visited,” Mama Blessing said. “We never thought it is possible for us to get water without climbing the mountains. Today, that is possible because we have a son that cares. He has our blessings to go places.”
The journey through Ningha’an clans is like the journey through history. It is like a contact with the ancestry of a proud people.
There are no dates mentioned as the narrative depends wholly on oral tradition. But the people of these areas hold strong reasons to believe that those mountains are the ancestral roots of the Mada.
Two major traditions are held among the people, but with questions from scholars. The first holds that the people migrated from Medina in the present day Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The second is that they migrated from Madawa, in Camaroon, to settle where they are presently.
“These traditions lack sufficient details about their reasons, causes, routes and experiences of the migrating group on their way to the final place of abode,”  Amin Zaigi Ngharen said in a feature article published in Nzeh, a Mada magazine. Titled: “Historical Perspective of the Mada People and the Concept of Unity,” the article from the co-author of “Mada People and Culture” says there are ample evidences to suggest that the Mada may be the direct descendants of the makers of the Nok civilization.
Mr. Sunday Gambo, the village head of Ancho told this reporter that the Mada mountains where Ancho is a key location, served as a fortress against invasions because of the thick forests there, and the height of the rocks.
He believes that the Mada finally settled in this area, from their migration from Cameroon after surviving several enemies.
“The search for fertile land brought our ancestors to this place,” he said. “The Mada are a peaceful people; they chose these mountains to shield them from hostilities, since they were not prepared to fight with anybody. The rocks and the thick forest shielded them from attacks. They stayed here together, and expanded on to other places.”
He said: “The Othman Danfodio men came attacking. But these mountains served as a shield for us.” He was referring to the Fulani Islamic scholar, who started a jihad in 1801.
Amin Zaigi Ngharen’s article corroborates the village head’s later account of the security measure. “The Mada found security in forests as a result of conflicts with other competitors and enemies.”
The writer says “The Chun - forest (protector) therefore became a binding force among them.”

Home
Nigeria
Nassarawa State
Akwanga L.G.A
District: Angwan Zaria
District: Angwan Zaria Streets Zip Codes

Generated Address:
District: Angwan Zaria, Akwanga L.G.A, Nassarawa State. Associated Zip Code: 960108

District Data:
District Name:    District: Angwan Zaria
Local Government Area:    Akwanga West Development Area
State:    Nassarawa Stat
Associated Zip Code:    960108
Streets: (2)
Street name         Zip Code
Ang Zaria           
  960108
Moroa    960108
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View all the Local Government Areas of Nassarawa StateHomeNigeriaNassarawa StateAkwanga L.G.ADistrict: Agyaga
District: Agyaga Streets Zip Codes
Generated Address:
District: Agyaga, Akwanga L.G.A, Nassarawa State. Associated Zip Code: 960107

District Data:
District Name:    District: Agyaga
Local Government Area:    Akwanga L.G.A
State:    Nassarawa State
Associated Zip Code:    960107
Streets: (7)
Street name    Zip Code
Adde    960107
Adu    960107
Agyaga    960107
Koko    960107
Lalia    960107
Lalle    960107
Ninga    960107
View List of towns and villages of Akwanga L.G.A


View all the Local Government Areas of Nassarawa HomeNigeriaNassarawa StateAkwanga L.G.ADistrict: Angwan Zaria
District: Angwan Zaria Streets Zip Codes
Generated Address:
District: Angwan Zaria, Akwanga L.G.A, Nassarawa State. Associated Zip Code: 960108

District Data:
District Name:    District: Angwan Zaria
Local Government Area:    Akwanga L.G.A
State:    Nassarawa State
Associated Zip Code:    960108
Streets: (2)
Street name    Zip Code
Ang Zaria         960108
Moroa              96010


View all the Local Government Areas of Nassarawa Nassarawa StateAkwanga L.G.ADistrict: Anjida
District: Anjida Streets Zip Codes
Generated Address:
District: Anjida, Akwanga L.G.A, Nassarawa State. Associated Zip Code: 960111

District Data:
District Name:    District: Anjida
Local Government Area:    Akwanga L.G.A
State:    Nassarawa State
Associated Zip Code:    960111
Streets: (3)
Street name    Zip Code
Akwandar    960111
Anjida    960111
Bakin Kogi    960111
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View all the Local Government Areas of Nassarawa StateAkwanga L.G.ADistrict: Gudi
District: Gudi Streets Zip Codes
Generated Address:
District: Gudi, Akwanga L.G.A, Nassarawa State. Associated Zip Code: 960105

District Data:
District Name:    District: Gudi
Local Government Area:    Akwanga L.G.A
State:    Nassarawa State
Associated Zip Code:    960105
Streets: (3)
Street name    Zip Code
Aricha    960105
Gudi    960105
Gwadi    960105
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 HomeNigeriaNassarawa StateAkwanga L.G.ADistrict: Nunku
District: Nunku Streets Zip Codes
Generated Address:
District: Nunku, Akwanga L.G.A, Nassarawa State. Associated Zip Code: 960106

District Data:
District Name:    District: Nunku
Local Government Area:    Akwanga L.G.A
State:    Nassarawa State
Associated Zip Code:    960106
Streets: (4)
Street name    Zip Code
Gbujah    960106
Goho    960106
Nunku    960106
Nunku Chun    960106
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Akwanga L.G.A List of Towns and Villages Zip Codes
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Akwanga L.G.A, Nassarawa State, Nigeria

Data:
L.G.A. Name:    Akwanga L.G.A
State:    Nassarawa State
Districts/Areas (11)
List of District/Areas:
District: Agyaga
District: Akwanga
District: Ancio Babba
District: Andaha
District: Angwan Zaria
District: Anjida
District: Boher
District: Gudi
District: Gwanje
District: Nigha
District: Nunku
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