Mada is a regionally important language spoken in Nasarawa and southern

Kaduna Kaduna is the capital city of Kaduna State, and the former political capital of Northern Nigeria. It is located in north-western Nigeria, on the Kaduna River. It is a trade Centre and a major transportation hub as the gateway to northern Nig ...

States of

Middle Belt The Middle Belt (also spelt Middle-Belt or Central Nigeria) is a term used in human geography to designate a belt region stretching across central Nigeria longitudinally and forming a transition zone between Northern and Southern Nigeria. It ...

Nigeria Nigeria ( ), , ig, Naìjíríyà, yo, Nàìjíríà, pcm, Naijá , ff, Naajeeriya, kcg, Naijeriya officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a country in West Africa. It is situated between the Sahel to the north and the Gulf of G ...

, with many dialects. It is a highly tonal language. A translation of the New Testament into the language was finished in 1999. The Nunku language has been identified to be a dialect of Mada rather than of the Gbantu language. The Mada people are the second most populated tribe in Nasarawa state, mostly populating Akwanga and

Kokona Kokona is a Local Government Area A local government area (LGA) is an administrative division of a country that a local government is responsible for. The size of an LGA varies by country but it is generally a subdivision of a State (administrat ...

local governments. Possible archaeological history suggests that they may be descendants of the

Nok civilization The Nok culture (or Nok civilization) is a population whose material remains are named after the Ham village of Nok in Kaduna State of Nigeria, where their terracotta sculptures were first discovered in 1928. The Nok culture appeared in Nigeria ...

. They are closely related to the Ninzo people, as well as to the Gbantu people. Their languages are believed to be descended from the Proto-Plateau language.

References

Languages of Nigeria Tonal languages Ninzic languages {{plateau-lang-stub