Ninzam people

Ninzam / Ninzo

Ninzam / Ninzo / Gbhu / Nunzo

Ninzo people (also Gbhu and Ninzam),are a relatively small Nigerian ethnic group in the Middle Belt who speak the Ninzo language, a western Plateau language of Nigeria. The speakers of the Sambe language, a now presumed extinct language spoken in a village with same name have now incorporated with the Ninzo.

They live on the southwestern edge of the Jos Plateau in Plateau State, primarily in the Wamba District of the Akwanga DiĀ­vision. They can also be found in the Jema'a District of the Jema'a Division of Kaduna State.

Their most immediate ethnic neighbors are the Nunkus, Ches- sus Turkwans Kantanas, and Arums.

Ninzam People

 

Distribution

The Ninzo people are found in Sanga LGA of southern Kaduna State and Akwanga LGA of Nasarawa State, Nigeria

 

Population

An estimation placed the population of the Ninzo people at around 138,000 (Peoplegroups.org, 2024)

 

Economy

Most Ninzams are subsistence farmers who raise millet, guinea corn, maize, and a variety of other products.

 

Religion

About 64% of the Ninzo are Christian, 31% Muslim and 5% adherents of Traditional religion.

 

Politics

The Ninzo people are traditionally governed by rulers called the Uchu Ninzo. The Uchu Ninzo, a Second Class Chief, as of 2018 is Uchu (Alh.) Umar Musa. The Ninzo Chiefdom headquarters is at Hate (H. Fadan Wate or Fadan Ninzo).

 

Language

The Ninzo people speak a Ninzic language, belonging to the western Plateau group of languages

 

 

Sources