Tiv (or Tiiv) are a Bantu ethnic group. They constitute approximately 2.4% of

Nigeria Nigeria, 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 Guinea in the Atlantic Ocean to the south. It covers an area of . With Demographics of Nigeria, ...

's total population, and number over 5 million individuals throughout

and

Cameroon Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon, is a country in Central Africa. It shares boundaries with Nigeria to the west and north, Chad to the northeast, the Central African Republic to the east, and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the R ...

. The

Tiv language Tiv is a Tivoid language spoken in some states in North Central Nigeria, with some speakers in Cameroon. It had over 5.2 million speakers in 2024. The largest population of Tiv speakers are found in Benue state in Nigeria. The language is also ...

is spoken by over 5 million people in

, with a few speakers in Cameroon. Most of the language's Nigerian speakers are found in Benue, Taraba, Nasarawa,

Plateau In geology and physical geography, a plateau (; ; : plateaus or plateaux), also called a high plain or a tableland, is an area of a highland consisting of flat terrain that is raised sharply above the surrounding area on at least one side. ...

, Cross River, Adamawa, Kaduna, Niger, Kogi and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja. The language is a branch of Benue–Congo and ultimately of the Niger–Congo phylum. In pre-colonial times, the

Fulani The Fula, Fulani, or Fulɓe people are an ethnic group in Sahara, Sahel and West Africa, widely dispersed across the region. Inhabiting many countries, they live mainly in West Africa and northern parts of Central Africa, South Sudan, Darfur, ...

ethnic group referred to the Tiv as "Munchi" (also sometimes written Munshi e.g. Duggan, E. de C. 1932), a term not accepted by the Tiv people.

History

The Tiv believe they moved into their present location from the

southeast The points of the compass are a set of horizontal, Radius, radially arrayed compass directions (or Azimuth#In navigation, azimuths) used in navigation and cartography. A ''compass rose'' is primarily composed of four cardinal directions—north, ...

of Africa. It is claimed that the Tiv left their Bantu kin and wandered through southern, south-central and west-central Africa before returning to the

savanna A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) biome and ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach th ...

h lands of West African Sudan via the

River Congo The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world by discharge volume, following the Amazon and Ganges rivers. It is the w ...

and Cameroon Mountains and settled at Swem, the region adjoining Cameroon and Nigeria at the beginning of 1600 C.E., which was originally the Bantu cradle and home. "Coming down," as they put it, was in batches. Some moved southward across Obudu Plateau, others moved downward spreading over Mdema and Waka district which is present day central and Southern Taraba, while others moved into the Benue valley in present-day central Nigeria. These dispersions took place during the early 1600 CE to 1700 CE. Over time, as

social interaction A social relation is the fundamental unit of analysis within the social sciences, and describes any voluntary or involuntary interpersonal relationship between two or more conspecifics within and/or between groups. The group can be a language or ...

s began and new migrants came into Nigeria, they mingled with

at their northern axis to which they foster a relationship calling each other "Jo". Hence Tiv people called

as Fulanijo, Fulani in turn called Tiv, Tivjo. The Fulani also called them Munchi, which the Tiv see as derogatory and unacceptable. Tiv bronze snuff-taker

The Tiv people were a free people without a

king King is a royal title given to a male monarch. A king is an Absolute monarchy, absolute monarch if he holds unrestricted Government, governmental power or exercises full sovereignty over a nation. Conversely, he is a Constitutional monarchy, ...

; hence every

clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

or kindred was administered by the eldest man called "Orya". They were amongst the first inhabitants of the Benue Valley (according to Mark Cartwright's record of Bantu migration) before other tribes finally migrated to join them. Due to their peaceful disposition and dispersed nature of living, with no Central government nor king, they posed no threat to new migrants to the region who cohabited with them until the coming of

the Europeans ''The Europeans: A sketch'' is a short novel by Henry James, published in 1878. It is a comedy contrasting the behaviour and attitudes of two visitors from Europe with those of their relatives living in the "new" world of New England. The nov ...

. The Europeans first contact with Tiv was in the

18th century The 18th century lasted from 1 January 1701 (represented by the Roman numerals MDCCI) to 31 December 1800 (MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the Atlantic Revolutions. Revolutions began to ch ...

. Note that the time of encounter with the Europeans does not mean their time of migration. Their late recognition was due to the lack of kingship which became a big disadvantage to Tiv in

because the colonial masters preferred working with kings, which prompted the Tiv to clamor for and install a king( Tor Tiv) in the 1940s. When the Tiv were found on the banks of the

Benue River Benue River (), previously known as the Chadda River or Tchadda, is a major tributary of the Niger River. The size of its catchment basin is 319,000 km2 (123,000 sq mi). Almost its entire length of Approximation, approximately is navigable dur ...

and were discovered to be distinct from other

ethnic minorities The term "minority group" has different meanings, depending on the context. According to common usage, it can be defined simply as a group in society with the least number of individuals, or less than half of a population. Usually a minority g ...

, and were the major occupants of the Benue Valley, much curiosity was aroused and immediately the Europeans identified them as the bantus before doing other comprehensive studies on all other aspects of their culture. This was because the Europeans had previously encountered other bantu groups in central and southern Africa. The

British forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests, support international peacekeeping ef ...

entered the Tivlands from the east in 1906, when there was tension between the Tiv and other minorities within the Benue valley. The Tiv approach to battle, fighting techniques, weapons, physique and facial structure weren't any different from those of other bantu groups they had encountered in Southern and Central Africa. The Tiv said in 1950 that they had defeated this British force, then later invited the British in for negotiations. The southern area was penetrated from the south-south; what the southern Tiv people refer to as "the eruption" of the British that occurred in 1911. The Tiv came into contact with

European culture The culture of Europe is diverse, and rooted in its art, architecture, traditions, cuisines, music, folklore, embroidery, film, literature, economics, philosophy and religious customs. Definition Whilst there are a great number of pers ...

during the colonial period. During November 1907 to spring 1908, an expedition of the Southern Nigeria Regiment led by Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Trenchard came into contact with the Tiv. Trenchard brought gifts for the elders. Subsequently, roads were built and trade links established between Europeans and the Tiv. But before the construction of roads began, a missionary named

Mary Slessor Mary Mitchell Slessor (2 December 1848 – 13 January 1915) was a Scottish Presbyterian missionary to Nigeria. Once in Nigeria, Slessor learned Efik language, Efik, one of many local languages, then began teaching. Because of her understanding ...

went throughout the region seeing to the people's needs. The Tiv people and their lands were hence the last area in Nigeria of consequence to be brought under the British control.

Social and political organization

Most Tiv have a highly developed sense of

genealogy Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kin ...

, with descent being reckoned patrilineally. Ancestry is traced to an ancient individual named Tiv, who had two sons; all Tiv consider themselves a member either of Ichongo (translated in English as circumcised) or of Ipusu (translated in English as uncircumcised). Ichongo and Ipusu are each divided into several major branches, which in turn are divided into smaller branches. The smallest branch, or minimal lineage, is the ''ipaven''. Members of an ''ipaven'' tend to live together, the local kin-based community being called the "tar". This form of social organisation, called a

segmentary lineage A segmentary lineage society has equivalent parts ("segments") held together by shared values. A segmentary lineage society is a type of tribal society. A close family is usually the smallest and closest segment and will generally stand togethe ...

, is seen in various parts of the world, but it is particularly well known from African societies (Middleton and Tait 1958). The Tiv are the best-known example in West Africa of a society of

, as documented by Laura Bohannan (1952) and by Paul and Laura Bohannan (1953); in East Africa, the best-known example is the Nuer, documented by E.E. Evans-Pritchard (1940). The Tiv had no administrative divisions and no chiefs nor councils. Leadership was based on age, influence and affluence. The leaders' functions were to furnish safe conduct, arbitrate disputes within their lineages, sit on moots and lead their people in all external and internal affairs. These socio-political arrangements caused great frustration to British attempts to incorporate the population into

Colonial Nigeria Colonial Nigeria was ruled by the British Empire from the mid-nineteenth century until 1st of October 1960 when Nigeria achieved independence. Britain Lagos Treaty of Cession, annexed Lagos Colony, Lagos in 1861 and established the Oil River ...

and establish an administration on the lower Benue. The strategy of

indirect rule Indirect rule was a system of public administration, governance used by imperial powers to control parts of their empires. This was particularly used by colonial empires like the British Empire to control their possessions in Colonisation of Afri ...

, which the British felt to be highly successful in regards to ruling over the Hausa and

populations in Northern Nigeria, was ineffective in a segmentary society like the Tiv (Dorward David Craig 1969). Colonial officers tried various approaches to administration, such as putting the Tiv under the control of the nearby Jukun, and trying to exert control through the councils of elders ("Jir Tamen"); these met with little success. The colonial administration in 1934 categorised the Tiv into

Clan A clan is a group of people united by actual or perceived kinship and descent. Even if lineage details are unknown, a clan may claim descent from a founding member or apical ancestor who serves as a symbol of the clan's unity. Many societie ...

s, Kindreds, and Family Groups. The British appointed native heads of these divisions as well. Tiv in america

Members of the Tiv group are found in many areas across the globe, such as the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

and

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

. In these countries, they hold unions, known as MUT (Mzough U Tiv, or Mutual Union of Tiv in English), where members can assemble and discuss issues concerning their people across the world, but especially back in Nigeria. The arm of the MUT serving the United States of America is known as MUTA (Mzough U Tiv ken Amerika, or Mutual Union of the Tiv in America), for instance.

Language

The Tiv people have always had their history in

oral tradition Oral tradition, or oral lore, is a form of human communication in which knowledge, art, ideas and culture are received, preserved, and transmitted orally from one generation to another.Jan Vansina, Vansina, Jan: ''Oral Tradition as History'' (19 ...

and have had all the Tiv people to speak the language. There is no evidence of an ancient script or write up of the language. The first reference to the language was by

Sigismund Koelle Sigismund Wilhelm Koelle or Kölle (July 14, 1820 – February 18, 1902) was a German missionary working on behalf of the London-based Church Mission Society, Church Missionary Society, at first in Sierra Leone, where he became a pioneer scholar o ...

in 1854 from freed slaves in

Sierra Leone Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...

according to his study

Polyglotta Africana ''Polyglotta Africana'' is a study published in 1854 by the German missionary Sigismund Wilhelm Koelle (1823–1902), in which the author compares 280 words from 200 African languages and dialects (or about 120 separate languages according to tod ...

. The

classification has been debated as either semi-Bantu or bantu. Even though, Sir Johnston Harry H. classified it in 1919 and later Talbot P. Amaury in 1926 as Semi-Bantu, Roy Clive Abraham together with the South African missionary, Rev W. A. Malherbe in 1933 classified it as bantu after making a complete linguistic study of the language. Abraham stated that the language vocabulary of the Tiv people and the East African Nyanza group have a lot of similarities.

Society and culture

Religion and culture

The Tiv are predominantly Christians. Christianity dates back to 1911 when the first Dutch missionaries from Dutch Reformed Church of South Africa arrived at the Tiv village in Katsina-Ala local government of Benue State called Sai. They established the N.K.S.T. There are other Tiv beliefs such as akombo, tsav, etc.

Dressing (A'nger)

The traditional attire is the black-and-white-striped ''anger''. When the Tiv people arrived at their current location several centuries earlier, they discovered that the zebra they used to hunt for meat and skin, used for ceremonial attire, was not native to the area. When they acquired the skill of the loom, they decided to honor their heritage by weaving a cloth with black-and-white stripes, reminiscent of the zebra skin; this would then be made the preferred attire. Initially, it was a simple cloth to be draped around the torso. Nowadays, it is made into elaborate robes, such as those worn by the traditional rulers and elders – from the Tor Tiv downwards. The black-and-white color of the necklaces worn by the traditional rulers has been chosen to match the robes. Other Tiv cultural clothes are
Ivavtyo, Lishi, Gbev-whaa, Godo, Tugudu, Chado, Deremen, Gbagir, Anger etc.

Circumcision and body scarification

In Tiv mythology and history,

Circumcision Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. T ...

is almost as old as the

itself. Tiv who is the progenitor of the Tiv people had two sons; Ichongo which means circumcised, Ipusu which means uncircumcised. The two sons are the two major houses on which the Tiv kingship is rotated upon.

has evolved with time among the Tiv people. Today, it is performed a few days after childbirth at the hospitals. Circumcision practiced in

Central Africa Central Africa (French language, French: ''Afrique centrale''; Spanish language, Spanish: ''África central''; Portuguese language, Portuguese: ''África Central'') is a subregion of the African continent comprising various countries accordin ...

among the

Bantu peoples The Bantu peoples are an Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous ethnolinguistic grouping of approximately 400 distinct native Demographics of Africa, African List of ethnic groups of Africa, ethnic groups who speak Bantu languages. The language ...

evolved as each group spread out. Between the 18th and 20th centuries, the Tiv circumcised the male children when they became teenagers. A

pickaxe A pickaxe, pick-axe, or pick is a generally T-shaped hand tool used for Leverage (mechanics), prying. Its head is typically metal, attached perpendicularly to a longer handle, traditionally made of wood, occasionally metal, and increasingly ...

(ityogh) was the tool of choice and then a razor blade (atsem) became popular in the 20th century. During the Tiv-Fulani cohabitation, the Tiv people carried no ethnic facial marks nor any bodily cicatrices. After the separation with the

, they adopted some distinct body tattoos in other to distinguish themselves from other tribes just the way the Fulani did. The young men tattooed their faces, pierced their ears and sometimes sharpened their teeth. The young ladies tattooed their abdomens and pierced their ears.

Music and entertainment

Locally made musical instruments were traditionally used for political, ceremonial communication and entertainment. The key instruments follow.

Kakaki

The kakaki is a royal trumpet used in many West African groups in Nigeria,

Niger Niger, officially the Republic of the Niger, is a landlocked country in West Africa. It is a unitary state Geography of Niger#Political geography, bordered by Libya to the Libya–Niger border, north-east, Chad to the Chad–Niger border, east ...

Chad Chad, officially the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North Africa, North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to Chad–Libya border, the north, Sudan to Chad–Sudan border, the east, the Central Afric ...

and

Burkina Faso Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, bordered by Mali to the northwest, Niger to the northeast, Benin to the southeast, Togo and Ghana to the south, and Ivory Coast to the southwest. It covers an area of 274,223 km2 (105,87 ...

. This is an instrument used to convey special messages to the people of the community, such as the birth of the child of the King, his naming ceremony, the crowning of a new king, or to gather people together during the marriage ceremony of the king and the king's son's marriage ceremony. This instrument was used to convey all the messages to the people to assemble at the square for the ceremony. When there is an enemy attack on the community, a warning sound of the Kakaki is blown to alert those who can defend the society and every citizen to be alert.

Ilyu

A light wooden instrument, the ilyu was used to pass messages to the people of the village, probably for the invitation of the people for a particular meeting of the elders at the king's palace or for the people to gather at the market square for a message from or by the king. Up until today, it is the main instrument for the celebration of newly wedded couples (marriage reception ceremony or Kwase-kuhan).

Indyer

The indyer is a heavy wooden instrument carved out of

mahogany Mahogany is a straight- grained, reddish-brown timber of three tropical hardwood species of the genus ''Swietenia'', indigenous to the AmericasBridgewater, Samuel (2012). ''A Natural History of Belize: Inside the Maya Forest''. Austin: Universit ...

trunk through some mysterious way; myth has it that a chosen carver turns into a worm to create the large hollow in the cut trunk, leaving only a small opening (like in a medical operation). This belief is perhaps due to the fact that the carvers are reluctant to explain the technique employed for such artistic finesse. The indyer, believed to be connected with high magico-spiritual potency, is not played for secular purposes except for special occasions as sanctioned by the elders. It is used to communicate the death of an important personality in the community or to communicate a serious happening in the community, like a call to war.

Akya

It is used together with the agbande (drums) combined with the ageda at festivals to pass a message across to the people for a call for the display of culture.

Adiguve

It is an instrument like a

violin The violin, sometimes referred to as a fiddle, is a wooden chordophone, and is the smallest, and thus highest-pitched instrument (soprano) in regular use in the violin family. Smaller violin-type instruments exist, including the violino picc ...

, used for music and dances in conjunction with Agbande (Agbande) at festivals and dance occasions, sometimes to announce the death of a leader or an elder of the community. During this period it is played sorrowfully for the mourning of the dead. It is mostly played at funerals.

Gbande

Agbande (plural) are a set of crafted wooden musical instruments used to complement agbande at festivals. They are particularly large and are played by the young men of the community. Special drum beats communicate special messages and music for the festivals to come and during the festivals, for instance, royal occasions such as the coronation and funeral.

Ortindin (Ortyom) – Messenger

Usually, he is chosen by the elders of the community to do errands for the elders and the leader of the community. He is sent out to the heads of the neighbouring families for a crucial meeting at the head of all the leaders of the community.

Kolugh ku Bua

This is an instrument similar to the

shofar A shofar ( ; from , ) is an ancient musical horn, typically a ram's horn, used for Jewish ritual purposes. Like the modern bugle, the shofar lacks pitch-altering devices, with all pitch control done by varying the player's embouchure. The ...

, made out of cow horns. There are farmers' associations that use this instrument when they have a job to do; for instance, when they are invited to make ridges on a piece of land, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the association will use this medium to wake up the members for the work they have for that day. Indigenous communication is not only vertical, from the rulers to the subjects, but is also horizontal. Individuals communicate with society through physical and metaphysical means. A farm owner, for example, may mount a charm conspicuously on his farm in order to stress private ownership and to scare off human intruders. The fear of herbalists and witches influences social behaviour considerably. Rainmakers communicate their power to disrupt events through various psychological means. Village sectors in Africa communicate mostly via the marketplace of ideas contributed by traditional religion, observances, divination, mythology, age-grades, the Chiefs courts, the elder's square, secret and title societies, the village market square, the village drum (gbande) men, indeed the total experiences of the villager in his environment. Unlike the mass media, access to the native media is culturally determined and not economic. Only the selected group of young men or the elders can disseminate information generally. The young only disseminate general information about events and the social welfare of their communities using the media mentioned above. The Tiv people of Benue state still practise some of this traditional system of communication, using the Kakais, Agbande, Indyer, Adiguve, Ilyu, etc. Nevertheless, the increase in the western world media is threatening the cultural communication system. Many of the communities in Benue state still use these instruments to convey messages to the people of their community, and it is helping a great deal, since there is a language barrier between people with the introduction of the western world's means of communication, using a western language (English) to convey information.

Drama

The Tiv use a style of performing arts called Kwagh-hir. It is a storytelling method which uses carved masks and puppetry as a form of masquerade. Masquerade is used as a way for individuals of Tiv culture to express themselves. The Tiv use this style as a way to hide their identity and take the role of spiritual beings known as adzov. The performers hide their identities, only to be revealed by their individual styles at the end of the performances. Tiv plays The Tiv use their plays as a way to tell traditional legends, retell events, and politics. A few popular plays in Tiv culture include: * ''A Close Shave -'' Chris Kyoive * ''Sons of Akpe'' - Boniface Leva * ''Adan Wade'' - Suemo Chia

Traditional marriage in Tiv culture

Marriage Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

is, of course, one of the prominent features of Tiv culture, which is quite rich and developed in many areas. Traditional marriage among the Tiv is still seen as a significant cultural occasion. Tiv's marriage is not just the union between a husband and a wife but the entire family. Yamshe: This type of marriage was practiced by the fore-fathers and involves the exchange of sisters to marry couples. Previously, two men might swap sisters or families, exchanging daughters for spouses. A man looking for a wife who comes across another looking for a wife will exchange daughters or sisters. Kwase Tsuen: This is a union induced by captivity. A man would kidnap a girl forcefully, or a family would do it for their son. It is used in some remote Tiv areas. Iye: In Tiv land,

courtship Courtship is the period wherein some couples get to know each other prior to a possible marriage or committed romantic, ''de facto'' relationship. Courtship traditionally may begin after a betrothal and may conclude with the celebration of marri ...

or dating is the norm. The man meets a girl, pays her additional visits, and gives his family some things. Sometimes the girl and the man decide to run away secretly with the intention of getting married without parental consent, and sometimes the girl is taken home after the man pays the bride price. Kwase- Kemen: This is a type of marriage that is currently practiced in Tiv Land: bride-price marriage. After extensive courtship (Iye), the man visits the girl's family, pays the money, and offers the gifts the girl's family listed. In 1927, the intricate Tiv system of trade marriage was abolished and bride-wealth marriages took its place

Tiv's traditional marriage attire

Tiv people dress in vibrant colors, and the groom and bride's outfit appears to be among the most significant aspects of a wedding. The garments produced with A'nger material have black and white stripes, which are the most constant feature. Without a variety of accessories, such as headpieces,

bracelet A bracelet is an article of jewellery that is worn around the wrist. Bracelets may serve different uses, such as being worn as an ornament. When worn as ornaments, bracelets may have a supportive function to hold other items of decoration, ...

s, or

necklace A necklace is an article of jewellery that is worn around the neck. Necklaces may have been one of the earliest types of adornment worn by humans. They often serve ceremonial, religious, magical, or funerary purposes and are also used as sy ...

s, wedding apparel is also unattainable. Beads in shades of black and white are the most common type.

Types of Marriage in Tiv Culture

There are three types of marriages in Tiv culture this include: * Kwase- Nguher, otherwise known as Elopement. * Kwem Kwase, known as Bride price and * The Yamhegh, also known as Exchange Marriage.

Cuisine

The common Tiv food are mostly solid, cooked, pounded or prepared with hot water. They are mostly carbohydrates or by-products of yams (iyou),

cocoyam Cocoyam is a common name for more than one tropical root crop and vegetable crop belonging to the Arum family (also known as Aroids and by the family name ''Araceae'') and may refer to: * Taro (''Colocasia esculenta'') – old cocoyam * Mala ...

(mondu),

cassava ''Manihot esculenta'', common name, commonly called cassava, manioc, or yuca (among numerous regional names), is a woody shrub of the spurge family, Euphorbiaceae, native to South America, from Brazil, Paraguay and parts of the Andes. Although ...

(alogo),

beans A bean is the seed of some plants in the legume family (Fabaceae) used as a vegetable for human consumption or animal feed. The seeds are often preserved through drying (a ''pulse''), but fresh beans are also sold. Dried beans are tradition ...

(alev),

maize Maize (; ''Zea mays''), also known as corn in North American English, is a tall stout grass that produces cereal grain. It was domesticated by indigenous peoples in southern Mexico about 9,000 years ago from wild teosinte. Native American ...

(kyuleke), etc. The Tiv are known to be the food basket of Nigeria. Tiv have been identified by the British with the

sesame seed Sesame (; ''Sesamum indicum'') is a plant in the genus ''Sesamum'', also called benne. Numerous wild relatives occur in Africa and a smaller number in India. It is widely naturalized in tropical regions around the world and is cultivated for it ...

as the British named it Beni-seed because it was the major cash crop exported to Europe and other colonies from the Benue valley. Some common Tiv foods are ruam kumen (pounded yam), ruam nahan (fufu), pete (yam pottage), Akuto (sweet potato pottage), akpukpa (Okpa), Ibyer (fermented cereal pudding) etc. *Soups: Ichegh, Pocho, ager, ive, genger, atyever, tur, vambe, igyo, agbende ashwe, mngishim(garden egg soup), ashwe, Atuur, vegetable soup, ijôv (mushroom soup), aninge, furum`, adenger, gbungu, gbande. *Tiv staples: Roasted yams, ahuma,

Jollof rice Jollof (), or jollof rice, is a rice dish from West Africa. The dish is typically made with long-grain rice, tomatoes, chilis, onions, spices, and sometimes other vegetables and/or meat in a single pot, although its ingredients and preparatio ...

, fried yams, kuese etc. *Beverages: tyo, burukutu, atemba a suwanbin, ibyer. *Snacks: Peanuts and sesame (beni-seed), asondo (dried sweet potatoes), igbough ahi (roasted or boiled bambara nuts), mzembe (roasted pears), huu (roasted termites), kuese (beans cake), N'gyata (peanut paste).
File:Tiv food.jpg, pounded yam and assorted soup File:Burukutu.png, Burukutu File:Gnuts and sesame.png, peanuts and sesame File:Ibyer.jpg, Ibyer File:Chicken and sesame.jpg, kyegh sha ishwa File:Mzembe.png, Mzembe or pears File:Roasted yam.png, Roasted yam

Demographics

Cameroon

According to the 2005 census results in Cameroon, there were 87,252 Tivoid people at Akwaya sub-division, located at the south-western border of Cameroon Manyu division, with Mamfe as its capital, which is 74 km away from the south eastern Nigerian border. The Cameronian Tiv are well educated and live in Anglophone Cameroon as their ancestral land, while a few others live in the francophone region. They are mostly farmers but others work in the government. Some of their towns and villages are Njawbaw(Njobo), Assumbo, Ballin, Batanga, Bagundu, Bakinjaw, Assaka etc. The Ikyurav-tiev of Katsina-Ala were some of the last Nigerian Tiv people to migrate from here. They are still known in Cameroon as the Ekol. Although some Nigerian Tiv people are unaware of some of the Tiv groups of the Cameroon because of the international border but, these groups always consider themselves Tiv because they are basically the same people lost in undocumented history. Some of them have an additional dialect to the main

. They also constitute some of the major Tiv clans in Nigeria like the Iyon(Kwande), Utange(Ushongo) etc. The Cameroonian Tiv groups are; Bitare, Mesaka, Iyive, Ceve or Becheve, Evant, Eman, Ipulo, Caka, Undir, Oliti etc. They together with the Tiv in Nigeria share the same

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

language Language is a structured system of communication that consists of grammar and vocabulary. It is the primary means by which humans convey meaning, both in spoken and signed language, signed forms, and may also be conveyed through writing syste ...

History History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the Human history, human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some t ...

Religion Religion is a range of social system, social-cultural systems, including designated religious behaviour, behaviors and practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, religious text, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics in religion, ethics, or ...

, and

Tradition A tradition is a system of beliefs or behaviors (folk custom) passed down within a group of people or society with symbolic meaning or special significance with origins in the past. A component of cultural expressions and folklore, common e ...

. They occupy a total of 99 villages in the Akwaya sub-division covering an area of 3,682 square kilometers, which is their major homogenous population.

Nasarawa state

The local governments with the highest concentration of Tiv people in Nasarawa state are; Doma, Nasarawa, Lafia, Obi, Keana, and Awe Local Government Areas. Here they live in the southern part of the state which is also the south senatorial district. The Tiv clans here are the Isherev, Utyondu, Nongov and kunav. They have lived here since the 16th century which predates the colonial era. They live with other tribes like the Koro, Gwandara, Kamberi, and Alago. In the early 60s and colonial times, The Lafia division was different from the munshi (Tiv) division. The population of the Tiv in the Lafia division in 1963 was recorded to be 289, 559 people. The total population of the Lafia division in 1963 was 424, 219 people. This gave the Tiv 49.2 percent of the total population. The 1991 census however did not show demographics by tribes but this alone makes Tiv the dominant ethnic group in the Nasarawa south senatorial district. Notable people
Prof Emmanuel Kucha--- former VC University of Agriculture, Makurdi
Hon Athanasius Tyo --- 1979 – 1983 House of representatives Awe, Keana, Doma federal constituency.
Emmanuel Orshio – 1983 House of representatives Awe, Keana, Doma federal constituency.
Solomon Ihuman --- Commissioner for culture and tourism.
Philip Audu -------- Permanent Secretary water resources.

Taraba state

The Ukum, Ugondo, Shitile, Kunav, Gaav and Shangev clans are the predominant Tiv clans in

Taraba state Taraba is a States of Nigeria, state in north-eastern Nigeria, named after the Taraba River, which traverses the southern part of the state. It is known as "Nature's Gift to the Nation". Its capital is Jalingo. The state's main Demographics ...

. They were some of the first migrants together with the Chamba tribes between 1750 and 1800. Their largest populations are in

Bali Bali (English:; Balinese language, Balinese: ) is a Provinces of Indonesia, province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller o ...

, Donga, Ibi, Gassol, Takum, Gashaka, Kurmi and Wukari Local Government Areas. There are also other Tivoid groups like the Batu, Abon, Bitare and Ambo in Sardauna Local government area. Some of the popular towns and villages with a homogenous tiv population are, Tor Damsa, Tse Afogba, Tse Kpandi, Tor luam, Deke, China etc. Notable people
Hon. Charles Tangu Gaza - 1959 Federal House of Representatives.
Hon. Simon I. Awuah- Gongola State House of Assembly in 1979–1983.
Hon. David K. Mtuam - Gongola State House of Assembly in 1979–1983.
Hon. Simon I. Musa - First Chairman of Wukari Local Government in 1979–1983.
Hon. Hitler Gbaondo - Takum Federal Constituency in the House Representative in 1979–1983.
Hon. Tsetim Gwakyaa - Donga Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives in 1983.
Mr. Daniel Orkuma Nav- Former Permanent Secretary, Government House administration.
Mrs. Rebecca Torpeva - Former Adviser to the Governor on political affairs.
Dr. Tor-Agbidye - Former adviser to the Governor.
Mr. Emmanuel Orabunde- Former INEC Commissioner.
Anna Darius Ishaku - Former first lady of Taraba state.
Shaakaa Chira - Auditor-General of the Federation

Plateau state

There are over 50 tribes in

Plateau State Plateau is a northern states of Nigeria, Nigerian state. It is located in the north-central geopolitical zone of Nigeria and includes a range of hills surrounding the Jos Plateau. Plateau State is described as "The Home of Peace and Tourism". Th ...

. The first seven in order of numerical strength are; Berom, Mwaghavul, Tarok, Angas,

Jawara Jawara is the English transcription of a surname In many societies, a surname, family name, or last name is the mostly hereditary portion of one's personal name that indicates one's family. It is typically combined with a given name to form ...

, Bassa and Tiv. Tiv-speaking populations are found in Langtang South,

Shendam Shendam is a Local Government Area in Plateau State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Shendam. It is bordered by Ibi Taraba State to the south, Qua'an Pan to the east, Pankshin to the north, and Mikang to the west. Shendam town is ...

, Qua'an-Pan and Wase area councils.

Cross River state

Yala, Bekwarra,

Obudu Obudu is a Local government areas of Nigeria, local government area and town in Cross River State, Nigeria. The area features a tourist resort, Obudu Mountain Resort, which hosts an annual mountain running competition called the Obudu Ranch Intern ...

and

Obanliku Obanliku is a Local Government Area of Cross River State, Nigeria. Its headquarter is in the town of Sankwala. Obanliku is made up of ten wards namely: Busi, Basang, Bebi, Bisu, Utanga, Becheve, Bendi 1, Bendi 2, Bishiri North & Bishiri South. Oba ...

Local Government Areas. Together with other tivoid groups like the Utanga, Ceve or Becheve, Evant, Eman etc.

Benue state

Tarkaa,

Makurdi Makurdi is the capital of Benue State, located in central Nigeria, and part of the Middle Belt region of central Nigeria. The city is situated along the Benue River. In 2017, Makurdi's urban population was 517,342. The town is divided by the Ri ...

, Gwer East, Gwer West, Ukum,

Logo A logo (abbreviation of logotype; ) is a graphic mark, emblem, or symbol used to aid and promote public identification and recognition. It may be of an abstract or figurative design or include the text of the name that it represents, as in ...

, Konshisha, Gboko, Kwande,

Vandeikya Vandeikya is a local government area in Benue State Nigeria. The capital is Vandeikya town. Vandeikya LGA was carved out of Gboko Local Government Council in 1976. The indigenous community is the Kunav people who speak Tiv language. The Vandeik ...

, Katsina Ala, Guma, Buruku, and Ushongo Local Government Areas.

Notable people

Civil servants, politicians and activists

* Joseph Tarka, politician, human rights activist *

Paul Unongo Paul Iyorpuu Unongo (September 26, 1935 – November 29, 2022), commonly known as Wantaregh Paul Unongo among his kinsmen, the Tiv people, was a Nigerian Nationalism, nationalist, politician, statesman, teacher, and Philanthropy, philanthropist. He ...

, politician, human rights activist * Barnabas Gemade, former PDP party chairman * Aper Aku, first civilian governor of Benue state * George Akume, former senate minority leader * Iyorchia Ayu, former senate president * Prof. Ignatius Akaayar Ayua, SAN, OFR, FNIALS, former Permanent Secretary Ministry of Justice, Author * Chaha Biam, former speaker house of representative * Gabriel Suswam, politician former governor of Benue state * Terhemba Shija, politician, academic, poet. * Samuel Ortom, former State Governor * Hyacinth Alia, the current State Governor * Daniel Saror, former minority leader * Michael Aondoakaa, former attorney general of Nigeria * Moses Adasu, politician, former Benue state governor * A. I. Katsina-Alu, former chief justice of Nigeria * Ambrose Feese, former minister of works and housing. * Iyorwuese Hagher, former senate deputy chief whip, minister and envoy * Yima Sen, intellectual and

radical Radical (from Latin: ', root) may refer to: Politics and ideology Politics *Classical radicalism, the Radical Movement that began in late 18th century Britain and spread to continental Europe and Latin America in the 19th century *Radical politics ...

political activist A political movement is a collective attempt by a group of people to change government policy or social values. Political movements are usually in opposition to an element of the status quo, and are often associated with a certain ideology. Some ...

* Jerome Tilley Gyado, Business man, entrepreneur. * Emmanuel Udende, Senator from Benue state * Titus Zam, Senator from Benue state * Herman Hembe, former house of reps member * Dickson Tarkighir, house of reps member

Military and law enforcement

Gideon Orkar Major Gideon Gwaza Orkar (October 4, 1952 – July 27, 1990) was a Nigerian military officer who staged an attempted violent coup against the government of General Ibrahim Babangida on April 22, 1990. Orkar and his conspirators seized the FRCN ra ...

, Nigerian Military officer. * Victor Malu, former Chief of Army Staff * Joseph Akahan, first Nigerian Chief of Army Staff * Lawrence Igyuse Doki, WW 2 veteran and emancipator of

* Joseph Akaagerger, Former Governor of Katsina state * John Mark Inienger, former

ECOMOG The Economic Community of West African States Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) was a West African multilateral armed force established by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). ECOMOG was a formal arrangement for separate armies to work ...

commander * Commissioner Emmanuel Allagh, Former and prominent commissioner of Nigerian Police * Farida Waziri, former EFCC Chairperson * John Kpera, Military governor of Anambra state. * General Gabriel Kpamber, former

commander * Prof. Col. James T. Gire,

Virginia Military Institute The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a public senior military college in Lexington, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1839 as America's first state military college and is the oldest public senior military college in the U.S. In k ...

, USA

Athletes

* Terna Suswam, football player * Dominic Iorfa Sr, football player * Dominic Iorfa Jr football player * Timothy Anjembe, football player * David Tyavkase, football player *

Jeff Varem Jeff Varem (born 16 July 1983) is a Nigerian professional basketball player. He formerly played for the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the NBA Development League. He also played as an import for the Powerade Tigers, Coca-Cola Tigers and the Barako Bull ...

, NBA D-league player * Terna Nande, American football player * Apollo Crews, WWE wrestler * Francisca Ordega, Nigerian national team soccer player * Mimisen Iyorhe, FIFA referee * Fanendo Adi * Gift Orban, Nigerian footballer. * Barnabas Imenger Jr., Nigerian super eagles striker * Russel Orhii, World Champion Powerlifter * Moses Kpakor Former BBL Hawks FC, BCC Lions F.C., Electricity FC, Abiola Babes F.C. and Nigerian National team player. * Amir Angwe Former BCC Lions F.C.,

Julius Berger FC Bridge Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in Lagos that was founded in 1976. As a result of its association with the Julius Berger construction company, the club was known as Julius Berger Football Club until 2010. The club has w ...

and Nigerian National team player. * Tom Iorpenda, football player

Culture

* Makir Zakpe, Tor Tiv I * Alfred Akawe Torkula, Tor Tiv IV * Akiga Sai, autobiographer and historian * Tay Iwar, singer, record producer and songwriter * Kiddwaya, entrepreneur, actor. * D. Denenge Duyst-Akpem, afro-futurist artist, writer, and educator. * Suté Iwar, Musician

Academics

* James Ayatse --- Tor Tiv V and past VC Federal University, Dutsin-Ma and UAM * Aondoaver Tarhule ---- President

Illinois State University Illinois State University (ISU) is a public research university in Normal, Illinois, United States. It was founded in 1857 as Illinois State Normal University and is the oldest public university in Illinois. The university emphasizes teachin ...

, USA * Emmanuel Iornumbe Kucha --- past VC University of Agriculture, Makurdi * Vershima Daniel Uza—past VC University of Agriculture, Makurdi * Charity Angya --- Past VC Benue State University * Richard Kimbir --- past VC University of Agriculture, Makurdi * Erastus Orseer Gyang-Gyang --- past VC University of Agriculture, Makurdi * Msugh Moses Kembe --- past VC Benue State University * Akase P. Sorkaa --- past VC Benue State University * David Ker --- past VC Benue State University * Charles Gbilekaa Vajime --- Past VC Benue State University * Tor Joe Iorapuu --- present VC Benue State University