The Major Tribes in Plateau State

The major tribes in Plateau State are the ones that are originally aligned to the history of the state, and many of these tribes speak the major languages and display the dominant cultural practices of Plateau.

Plateau State is the twelfth-largest Nigerian state. It’s located near the center of Nigeria and includes a range of hills surrounding the Jos Plateau, its capital, and the entire plateau itself. Plateau State is described as “The Home of Peace and Tourism”. With natural formations of rocks, hills and waterfalls, it derives its name from the Jos Plateau and has a population of around 3.5 million people.

Plateau State is located in the North Central Zone out of the six geopolitical zones of Nigeria. With an area of 26,899 square kilometers, the state has an estimated population of about three million people. It is located between latitude 8°24′ N and 10°30′ N and longitude 8°32′ E and 10°38′ E. The state is named after the Jos Plateau, a mountainous area in the north of the state with rock formations.

The Jos Plateau is thought to be an area of younger granite which was intruded through an area of older granite rock, making up the surrounding states. These “younger” granites are thought to be about 160 million years old. This creates the unusual scenery of the Jos Plateau. There are numerous hillocks with gentle slopes emerging from the ground like mushrooms scattered with huge boulders.

The Major Tribes in Plateau State

Here are the major tribes in Plateau State which are many including you are not aware of. They are not so many but they are the original ethnic backgrounds of the state:

Jukun Tribe

The tribe is one of the many minority tribes in Plateau state. The peace-loving people of Jukun are farmers and are known to practice Islam and Christianity. Wrappers are tied by men and women of this tribe. Also, meals are made from locally processed millet.

Angas Tribe 

The Angas tribe is closely related to the Kanuri tribe. This tribe has a lot of cultures that are generally practiced in Africa. It is believed that this tribe migrated from modern-day plateau state. The people of Angas have an old tradition of naming their children according to the situation surrounding the birth. Also, it is the responsibility of the grandfather and sometimes the father to name a new baby. According to ancient Angas tradition, women do not name their children unless permitted by their husbands. The Angas people are also known to bestrode their children long before they understand what marriage is.

Farming is the major occupation of this predominantly Christian tribe. Although the Angas people are Christians, they dress just like the Hausa Muslims

Tiv Tribe

This tribe is a minority tribe in Nigeria. It is, however, one of the most popular tribes. There are over 3.5 million Nigerians from this tribe. Although the majority of the Tiv people are found in Benue, a handful of them occupy parts of Plateau state.

This tribe is a Christian tribe. Also, farming and trading are the major occupations of this people. Meals are usually a combination of Soup and Tuwo.

Ankwei Tribe

The Ankwei tribe is a very small tribe in Plateau state. They are mainly horsemen. The people of this tribe are known for their skillful artworks. They are Christians and are very similar to the other northerners in their modes of dressing, food, and lifestyle.

Rukuba Tribe

The Rukuba people occupy Bassa local government area in Plateau state. They are neighbors with the Irigwe people are always in constant fights over ownership of lands and properties.

Men and women from Rukuba dress like the northern Muslims and eat foods made from millet and maize.

Kanuri Tribe

The Kanuri tribe is a prominent tribe in northern Nigeria. The people of this tribe were great horsemen in the ancient Bornu-Kanem Empire. The Kanuris in Plateau state migrated from Bornu state. These people are Muslims and farm for a living. They dress and feed just like the Hausas.

Ron Tribe

The Ron people occupy Bokkos local government área of plateau state. They have a population of 115,000 people. The people of Ron share borders with the Kulere and Mushere people. They are called “Chala” by their neighbors.

The Ron people are similar to the other northerners in their culture, dressing and food. They are Christians and have farming as their major occupation.

Miango Tribe

Miango tribe occupies the Bassa local government área of Plateau state. The people of this tribe are very friendly people. The miango people number a little over 20,000. They have always had a religion-based crisis because of the presence of Christians and Muslims in almost equal numbers.

The miango people are farmers and have adopted quite a number of Hausa customs.

Anagua tribe

The Anagua people are the first residents of present-day Jos. According to history, the Anagua tribe defended the city of Jos against the jihadists in the 19^th century. History has it that the Emir of Bauchi attacked them with about 4000 men. The Anagua tribe called their other neighboring tribes together and successfully protected Jos against Islamic attack.

The Anagua tribe is both disadvantaged both politically, numerically and economically. They are predominantly Christians and are farmers by profession.

Afizere Tribe

The people of Afizere are also known as Jarawa and are found in modern-day Jos. They occupy Jos east and Jos north local government areas. They have their roots in Kaduna and migrated to Jos in three phases.  The people of this tribe dress like the Hausas although they are not Hausa. They are a peaceful tribe. In pre-colonial times, the Afizere people loved living on hills. This they believed helped them against the Jihadist invasions of the Fulani.

The Afizere people are basically hunters and practice pastoral farming.

Kwalla Tribe

The kwalla tribe occupies part of present-day Jos in Plateau state. The people of Kwalla are farmers and have Christianity and Islam as their major religions. Food, culture, and dressing of the people of this tribe is similar to that of the average northern tribe

Irigwe Tribe

The Irigwe people occupy the Bassa and Barakin Ladi local government areas of Plateau state. They are located about 20 miles from Jos. These people have a population of about 70,000 people. Before contact with Europeans, lots of people in Irigwe practiced polyandry. However, the arrival of Christianity changed this practice.

Farming and trading are the major occupations of this people.

Berom Tribe

The people of Berom occupy four local government areas in Plateau state. Local government areas occupied by this tribe are Riyom, Jos North, Jos south, and Barkin Ladi.

The people of Berom speak the Berom language which is not similar to the Hausa language. This Christianity dominated tribe has farming as its major occupation.

Other Ethnic Groups in Plateau State

Plateau State is ethnically diverse, with numerous indigenous communities and ethnic groups spread across its different local government areas. In addition to the groups discussed above, other communities found in the state include Mushere, Kulere, Goemai, Ngas, Tarok, Mupun, Mwaghavul, Pyem, and Kofyar, among others.

The distribution of these groups varies from one part of Plateau State to another, and many communities have their own languages, traditional institutions, festivals, foods, and cultural practices.

Where Are the Major Tribes in Plateau State Located?

The different ethnic groups in Plateau State are distributed across several local government areas. Some groups are concentrated around Jos, Bassa, Barkin Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, Jos North, Jos South, and Jos East, while others are found in communities across other parts of the state.

This geographical distribution contributes to the cultural diversity for which Plateau State is known.

Languages Spoken by Tribes in Plateau State

Plateau State is home to many indigenous languages. The languages spoken by its ethnic groups are generally different from Hausa, although Hausa is also widely understood and used as a means of communication in many communities.

Some indigenous languages associated with Plateau State include Berom, Afizere, Irigwe, Ngas, Mwaghavul, Tarok, Goemai, and other local languages.

Culture and Traditions of Plateau State Tribes

The various tribes and ethnic communities of Plateau State have distinctive cultural traditions. These can be seen in their traditional clothing, marriage customs, naming ceremonies, festivals, music, dances, food, farming practices, and traditional leadership systems.

Although some communities have adopted aspects of modern Nigerian culture, many still preserve important elements of their traditional heritage.

Major Occupations of Tribes in Plateau State

Agriculture has historically been an important occupation among many communities in Plateau State. Depending on the location, people are involved in crop farming, livestock production, trading, hunting, crafts, and other economic activities.

The state’s fertile highland environment also supports the production of crops such as maize, potatoes, vegetables, millet, and other food crops.

Are All Tribes in Plateau State Christians?

No. Plateau State has a religiously diverse population. Christianity is widely practiced among many indigenous communities, while Islam is also practiced by Muslims living in the state, including members of some ethnic groups discussed in this article.

It is therefore important not to assume that every member of a particular ethnic group follows the same religion.

What Is Plateau State Known For?

Plateau State is known for its cultural diversity, highland scenery, agriculture, tourism, traditional festivals, and the city of Jos. Its large number of ethnic communities makes the state one of Nigeria’s culturally diverse regions.

How many tribes are there in Plateau State?

Plateau State is home to dozens of ethnic groups and indigenous communities, each with its own cultural and linguistic characteristics. The exact number can vary depending on whether closely related communities and language groups are counted separately.

What is the largest tribe in Plateau State?

The Berom are among the largest and most prominent indigenous ethnic groups in Plateau State, particularly around Jos and surrounding areas. Other major ethnic groups include the Ngas, Tarok, Mwaghavul, Goemai, Afizere and several others.

What are the indigenous tribes of Plateau State?

Some indigenous ethnic groups associated with Plateau State include Berom, Afizere, Irigwe, Ngas, Mwaghavul, Tarok, Goemai, Mushere, Kulere, Kofyar, Rukuba, Ron, and Miango, among others.

Which tribe is predominant in Jos?

Jos is a highly diverse city with people from many ethnic backgrounds. The Berom, Afizere and Anaguta are among the indigenous groups historically associated with the Jos area.

What language is commonly spoken in Plateau State?

Plateau State has many indigenous languages. English is the official language, while Hausa is also widely used as a lingua franca in many parts of the state. Indigenous languages vary according to the community.

Is Hausa an indigenous tribe of Plateau State?

Hausa people live in Plateau State, but Hausa is not the indigenous identity of all the ethnic groups traditionally associated with the state. Plateau State has numerous indigenous ethnic communities with their own languages and histories.

Which tribes are found in Jos?

Some of the indigenous ethnic groups associated with Jos and its surrounding areas include Berom, Afizere and Anaguta, alongside many other ethnic communities that have settled in the city over time.