Mumuye people - A short introduction.

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THE MUMUYE
The Mumuye is an ethnic group of people presently found and concentrated in local Government Areas of Northern Taraba and Southern Adamawa States of Nigeria.
Official figures put their population at about a million people and are among the 25 largest ethnic groups in the country. It was indeed the most populated ethnic group in the defunct Gongola state and also the largest in the present Taraba State.
Historically, Mumuye falklare place their ancestral place of origin as  “YORRO” which is in the high hills of Yorro local government south west of Zing.
African historians, language experts and anthropologists specifically so far tend to agree with that regional generality. Those related academic endeavours generally agree that the “Mumuye” are among the prototype bedrock of West African “negros” that have been in this region since 10,000BC or even pre-historic times. That they moved into the hill areas in recent historical times due to inter- tribal warfare. When British colonists came into this region at the beginning of the twentieth century, they found the Mumuye, independent and on their own. Never conquered by anyone. For administrative convenience however they were partitioned into areas of the Adamawa and Muri provinces and latter merged in 1926 under Muri Emirate/Division with Zing as a Sub-division.
The name “Mumuye” was coined and adopted during #Indirect Rule -by the British. The people used “Shon Yorro” (Yorro people) or other such language terms when referring to themselves.
Now Zing and Yorro Local Government Areas form the core of purely Mumuye Local government Areas with substantial numbers in Jalingo, Lau, Ardo-kola, Bali, Gassol and Gashaka in Taraba State; as well as Mayobelwa, Jada, Ganye, Yola and Toungo Local Government Areas in Adamawa State.
Their language is classified as Adamawa Eastern (Ubangi) whose related family members spread from north-western border of Taraba State through Northern Cameroon, Southern Chad, and Central Africa Republic to South-West Sudan.
The Mumuye presently have (officially gazetted), one First Class Chief (Zing), two second class Chiefs (Kwaji, and Mumuye) and up to eighty (80) wards heads (Dagatai). The Mumuye are a hardy, strong, hard working people mostly  peasant farmers producing a unique variety of yam and other crops like Groundnuts, Guineacorn, sorghum, Millet etc.

 Apart from local textile making, the Mumuye were renowned iron-smelters, wood carvers, skin tanners, adept hunters and warriors.
By nature, they are friendly and generous; which is indicative of the way they live with their neighbors, the Bachama, Chamba, Jukun and Fulani. Their leadership quality is also manifested in the fact they produced the first and only full term civilian Governor (Abubakar Barde) of the defunct Gongola state, as well as the first civilian Governor of Taraba state (Rev. Jolly T. Nyameh) who served a total of ten years (3 terms) in office.
Mumuye people have embraced both religions of Chrisitianity and Islam with many still in the African traditional religion. However, these religions which cut across family lines not withstanding leaves the people living harmoniously together.
Major clans of Mumuye in Nigeria are:-
Zing, Pupong Yakoko, Lamma, Monkin, Kwaji, Manang, Mika, Kassa, Apawa, Golong, Yotti, Gomla, Yandang, Bali, Kpasham, Gengle, Sate, Teme and Kugama.

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