The Nupe (traditionally called the Nupawa by the Hausas and Tapa by the neighbouring Yoruba) are an ethnic group native to North Central Nigeria. They are the dominant ethnic group in Niger State and a minority in Kwara State. The Nupe are also present in Kogi State and The Federal Capital Territory.[4][5]
Watercolour drawing of a Nupe woman by Carl Arriens (1911)
| |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c. 3.5 million[1] | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Nigeria | |
| Languages | |
| Nupe | |
| Religion | |
Predominantly Sunni Islam[2][3]
| |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Gbagyi, Igala, Yoruba, Ebira, Kambari, Kamuku, Bariba, Dukawa |
The Nupe trace their origin to Tsoede who fled the court of Idah and established a loose confederation of towns along the Niger in the 15th century.[6][7] The proximity of Nupe to the Yoruba Igbomina people in the south and to the Yoruba Oyo people in the southwest led to cross-fertilization of cultural influences through trade and conflicts over the centuries.[8] In his book The Negro, African-American scholar W.E.B. Du Bois wrote that Nupe trade may have extended as far as Sofala and the Byzantine Empire, with the latter of which, according to what he termed "credible legend," there was even an exchange of embassies.[9]
There are probably about 4.5 million Nupes,[10] principally in Niger State. The Nupe language is also spoken in Kwara, Kogi and Federal Capital Territory. They are primarily Muslims, with some Christians and followers of African Traditional Religion. The Nupe people have several local traditional rulers. The Etsu Nupe (Bida) is not pure Nupe, his great-grandfather from his father side is Fulani, while the family of his mother was complete Nupe. His great-grandfather from his father side came to rule Bida in 1806 during the Sokoto jihad. They have no present capital, although they were originally based at Raba and only moved to Bida in the 19th century.[11]
The Nupe people have various traditions. Many practices have changed as a result of the movements started by Sokoto jihad of the 19th century, but they still hold on to some of their culture. Many Nupe people often have tribal marks on their faces (similar to an old Igala tradition), some to identify their prestige and the family of which they belong as well as for protection, as well as jewellery adornment. But these traditions are dying out in certain areas.[12][page needed]
Their art is often abstract. They are well known for their wooden stools with patterns carved onto the surface.[12][page needed]
The Nupe were described in detail by the ethnographer Siegfried Nadel, whose book, Black Byzantium, remains an anthropological classic.
Nupe traditional music is sung by the Ningba, or musician(s), while the Enyanicizhi beats the drum. Legendary Nupe singers of memory include Hajiya Fatima Lolo[13] Alhaji Nda'asabe, Hajiya Nnadzwa, Hauwa Kulu, Baba-Mini, Ahmed Shata and Ndako Kutigi.
The prime-movers of the Nupe cinema started film-making since the late 1990s into the early 2000s. Great Nupe personalities that birthed the idea of producing, acting and directing Nupe dramas/comedies on-screen are late Sadisu Muhammad DGN,[14] Prince Ahmed Chado, late Prince Hussaini Kodo, M.B. Yahaya Babs and Jibril Bala Jibril. They are the people who made the move for Nupe dramas to be on-screen and are the founders of the modern-day Nupe film industry[15] known as Nupewood.[16] Nupewood has since produced more than a thousand entertaining movies in Nupe space to the millions of Nupe audiences.
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