Igbo Speaking Communities In Kogi State

Igbo Speaking Communities In Kogi State

While much is known about the Igbo-speaking communities outside the South-East, but very little is known about the Igbo-speaking communities in Kogi state especially in Ibaji and Igalamela/Odolu LGAs such as the Eke Avurugo community (which speaks Igbo as first language and Igala as second language.

One could find a handful of communities which strongly seem to be Igbo communities going by their names, despite the similarities between Igbo and Ibaji Igala names/words,: Ugwuebonyi, Ebokwe, Ozara, Amaeke, Amankpo, Amauwani camp, Amaokwu, Amadiefioha, Amaufulu, etc. all in Igalamela/Odolu LGA. The Odolu community in Igalamela/Odolu LGA is said to speak Igala as first language and the Nsukka Igbo dialect as second language. In Ibaji LGA, we can see some town names such as Nwajala, Umuoye, Ubulie-Umueze which are, most definitely, Igbo community names. One obvious distinguishing factor between Igbo language and Igala is the lack of ‘z’ in Igala alphabet which is present in Igbo, which possibly rules out an Igala origin for some towns such as Ozara, Umueze etc.

Akpanya is an Igbo-speaking community located deep in the heartland of Igala land. Very little is known about this town. About 95% of the people speak Igbo/are Igbo natives. The town also houses majority of Igbo muslims from Igboland.

Igalaland uses the 4 native Igbo calendar days of Eke, Oye, Afor and Nkwo which are Eke, Ede, Afor and Ukwor in Igala land.